Michigan basketball loses two seniors in Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske heading into next season. It's hard to tell exactly how U-M and other rosters around the country will shake out by this November, the start of the college basketball season, but five different national publications did their best in giving their "way too early" 2020-21 rankings, with a long offseason ahead.
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U-M's scholarship roster situation as it stands today:
Losses: Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske
Newcomers: Hunter Dickinson, Jace Howard, Zeb Jackson, Terrance Williams, Isaiah Todd
Returning: Redshirt senior forward Austin Davis, senior guard Eli Brooks, senior forward Isaiah Livers, junior forward Colin Castleton, junior guard David DeJulius, junior forward Brandon Johns, junior guard Adrien Nunez, sophomore guard Cole Bajema, sophomore guard Franz Wagner
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There's the possibility for Livers and Wagner to go through the draft process, though nothing has been announced yet. U-M is also the favorite for five-star shooting guard Josh Christopher, who could soon become the sixth member of Juwan Howard's 2020 recruiting class that already ranks fifth nationally. The Wolverines currently have 14 players slated to be on scholarship next season (limit is 13), so attrition is likely, whether that's through the transfer portal or to the NBA.
U-M checked in anywhere from 16 to 22 in these early college basketball rankings.
What They're Saying
Year two of Juwan Howard is coming with more excitement. He has recruited better than John Beilein ever did in a short period of time, landing the fourth-best incoming class and Josh Christopher is a five-star who could still choose the Wolverines. Losing Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske will hurt, but bringing in that recruiting class along with a roster that went 19-12 and has budding stars like Franz Wagner, Isaiah Livers and David DeJulius and they have a national contender.
Juwan Howard proved he can coach in 2019-20, keeping the Wolverines in the national conversation. He also proved he could recruit, as Michigan holds the No. 4 recruiting class. Howard will have veteran returnees Isaiah Livers, Franz Wagner and Eli Brooks to lean on but could see his best production out of five-star freshmen Joshua Christopher (who has yet to fully commit to Michigan) and Isaiah Todd.
The Wolverines are going to have one of the better frontlines in college basketball in 2020-21, as they seem likely to return at least one, if not both of Isaiah Livers and Franz Wagner. Throw in a recruiting class that includes Isaiah Todd and Hunter Dickinson, and the Wolverines will be loaded. Their guards are old, but there are some questions about the upside of David DeJulius and Eli Brooks.
Juwan Howard did a very good job in his first season coaching in college, leading the Wolverines to wins over Gonzaga, Creighton, Michigan State and a host of other Big Ten teams. They do lose senior starters Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske, but Howard is replacing them with a stellar first full recruiting class. Five-star Isaiah Todd is the headliner, although there are still questions on whether he chooses to head overseas before playing in the NBA. ESPN 100 big man Hunter Dickinson, small forward Terrance Williams and Zeb Jackson all should see extended roles immediately. Michigan also brings back three starters, with Eli Brooks, Isaiah Livers and Franz Wagner all averaging double figures. Livers is the key: When he was healthy, the Wolverines were a different team, going 13-6 with him and 6-6 when he didn't play a full game.
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