Is Jones An Upgrade For Michigan At PG, & What Will Bufkin's Impact Be?

Michigan Wolverines head basketball coach Juwan Howard dipped into the transfer portal for the second straight season to find a point guard, this time nabbing Coastal Carolina transfer DeVante' Jones, the reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year, one year after landing former Columbia guard Mike Smith.

Smith was a key piece for a Wolverines' team that won the Big Ten regular season outright and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight, averaging nine points, a Big Ten-best 5.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 31.7 minutes per game.

He ran Michigan's pick-and-roll 43.2 percent of the time, posting an adequate 0.774 points per possession, according to Synergy, showing his passing prowess and distributing to the various weapons he had on the wing with Franz Wagner and Isaiah Livers and down low with now-sophomore center Hunter Dickinson.

A lot of the 5-11, 185-pounder's scoring came on spot-up opportunities, averaging 0.931 points per possession and connecting on 41.8 percent of his triple tries.

"Mike could really shoot the ball and he ran the sets really well," fifth-year senior guard Eli Brooks told Brian Boesch on the Defend The Block podcast. "He found ways to score later on in the season than he did in the beginning.

RELATED: Juwan Howard 'Not Scared' Of High Expectations: 'I Love Our Chances'

RELATED: Michigan Basketball Recruiting: Latest On All 2023 Offers, Visits

Stylistically, Smith and Jones are dissimilar. The latter, at 6-1, 200 pounds, is stronger, faster and has more moves near the bucket, but he has a set shot with a longer release on the perimeter and shot just 36.8 percent from long range last season.

Jones did most of his damage in spot-up opportunities last season, ranking in the 82nd percentile nationally, and in transition (72nd percentile), while leading Coastal Carolina with 19.3 points per game. He averaged 4.2 assists per contest during his career in the Sun Belt.

"Just the decision-making that he has," Brooks said when asked what stands out the most about Jones' game. "He averaged a lot of assists, and he’s a good playmaker. Veteran dude."

Smith wasn't asked to force the issue much, after featuring as a high-volume shooter in the Ivy League, but Jones may need to do more, given the complexion of this team is different than last season's bunch. With Wagner, Livers, and Chaundee Brown gone, he will likely have to create his own shot more, and the Maize and Blue are confident he can do so.

Jones has been receiving high marks from teammates and coaches regarding his defense in workouts and practices. He notched 2.8 steals per game last season (second in the country) and has 158 swipes for his career. He was considered below average defensively a year ago, but that was on a defense that ranked 130th nationally, per KenPom Now, he'll have much more help in terms of, as Brooks called it, "team defense."

While Smith held his own on that end of the floor, for the most part, it wasn't his strong suit. He ranked in the 28th percentile in overall defense, according to the aforementioned analytics site.

"I think DeVante’ brings a little more intensity on the defensive end," Brooks said after being asked to contrast Smith and Jones. "He averaged [2.8] steals last year. That’s something that is going to be really useful, to have another guard out there that’s arguably one of the top defenders in the country and the Big Ten. Having him next to me.

"The first time we had an open gym, he had so many steals, and everybody was like, ‘How is he getting to the places that he’s getting to so quick?’ I feel like there are two different types of athleticism. There’s like on-the-floor athleticism … he’s not a high-riser, but he can dunk, and then like the vertical. He’s really explosive when it comes to defense and making havoc out there."

Michigan freshman guard Kobe Bufkin, a McDonald's All-American, might be the first guy off the bench at either guard spot, and he's practicing at both the one and the two heading into the season. The 6-4, 175-pounder might just be too good to keep off the floor.

He has stood out to Brooks in the early going, especially impressing with how ahead of the curve he is compared to other freshmen on the offensive end.

"Kobe is really talented," Brooks raved. "He can score the ball. He knows how to play the game. You can tell when people know how to pass, where to move, where the ball’s supposed to be — and he’s just one of those guys.

"We’re working on him with his defense, but that’s every freshman, just knowing different concepts. It’s not just one-on-one basketball anymore; it’s team defense, and actual team defense. But really high I.Q., smart player."

---

• Talk about this article inside The Fort

• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel

• Listen and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine

• Sign up for our daily newsletter and breaking news alerts

• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @Balas_Wolverine, @EJHolland_TW, @JB_ Wolverine, @Clayton Sayfie, @anthonytbroome and @DrewCHallett

• Like us on Facebook