Updated Michigan Wolverines Basketball Scholarship Chart — Breakdown, Needs

Michigan head coach Juwan Howard and his staff landed their point guard in the 2022 class in Dug McDaniel, and he's the first of at least three or four the Wolverines are expected to take this year. Here's the latest on where things stand with the scholarship situation after McDaniel's pledge, what U-M is still looking for (and likely candidates to join McDaniel), more ...

Note: Scroll to see entire chart through 2024-25 with legend.

• As previously noted, guard Eli Brooks is returning for his fifth year with the program, and since the 2020-21 season was deemed a 'free year' eligibility-wise, he will not count against the scholarship limit. Michigan's roster is therefore set for this fall/winter assuming sophomore center Hunter Dickinson and redshirt junior and Coastal Carolina graduate transfer DeVante' Jones opt to return after testing the waters at the NBA G-League Elite Camp.

Neither Dickinson nor Jones are showing up on any draft boards despite solid (but not overwhelming) performances at the camp. Dickinson lost 10 pounds but still needs to become more agile and a better shooter, better with his right hand, while Jones looked more two guard than point at the camp.

The two Wolverines have until July 7 to remove their names from the draft. Dickinson said he might announce a few days earlier which way he'd go.

• McDaniel's pledge actually puts the Wolverines over the limit by one, and the Wolverines are going to take at least (and probably more) two more recruits. The point guard position is set with Frankie Collins and McDaniel — it's assumed Jones will use only one year at Michigan to boost his NBA stock — and several of the other guards on the team can handle the ball, as well.

Dickinson will likely leave — he'll be closing in on 22 years old, and he's made it clear he's ready to test his skills in the NBA — and guard Adrien Nunez likely won't be asked back for his "extra" year. The others to watch — forward Brandon Johns (another 'extra year' player who could consider a fifth year, but it's not a guarantee) and freshman Caleb Houstan, who is projected by many as a one-and-done.

Michigan, of course, won't put those expectations on him. Assistant Phil Martelli noted this spring it would be nice if folks wouldn't rush him out the door.

"What if Caleb comes in and at the end of his freshman year his numbers measured up to Franz Wagner's freshman year numbers?" he said. "Wouldn't we all be ecstatic?

"Sometimes as fans, we can all get spoiled and say, 'well, can he be like [Gonzaga frosh] Jalen Suggs. Well, no. That’s not who he is. Let’s let him be Caleb. I just this conversation with Saddi [Washignton] about it. What if Caleb gave us 10 or 11 where Franz did, continued to grow in ball screen reads and all that stuff. That would be a hell of a first year."

As of now, though, it appears the Wolverines will certainly have room for at least two more (if Houstan were to stay), and one will be Jett Howard, Juwan's son. He's a shooting guard/wing closing in on 6-7.

The next priority would be big men, and the Wolverines have options there, starting with Bristol (Conn.) big man Donovan Clingan. Clingan is no guarantee, of course — he's enjoyed great visits to UConn, Syracuse and Ohio State recently, the latter an "awesome" visit according to his father, one of the reasons U-M has reached out to more big men.

We'll have a column on that one and top targets tomorrow.

• Wings and small forwards would be next up on the priority list, and it's still possible the Wolverines will have room for at least two more. Kids are going to want to play, and while we're not speculating on transfers, we've seen more and more kids enter the portal in the last few years.

This is a big year for sophomore Zeb Jackson, for example. He's got a lot of outstanding talent coming in vying for his spot.

• Finally, if they need room, the Wolverines could also ask Jace Howard to move to walk-on status. He was originally slated to go that route when he came in, but they had an open scholarship for him.

We don't expect that to happen, but it's always an option.

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