Folks who cover the USMNT drop lists like this projecting the 23 guys who end up on the next World Cup team. Brian appropriated it, dropped it for a few years, and then I stole it from him, and now with the transfer deadline past and a pretty decent idea of who's returning, let's use it to set the hoops pecking order for 2022-'23. Why nine? Five starters, four rotation players. Depth chart by class lives here.

Regarding NBA decisions: We still expect Houstan to be back, despite his recent invite to the combine, for Diabate to enter the draft, and no more transfers.

DEPARTURES IN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE

SG Eli Brooks (Out of Eligibility). Steadying backcourt presence, excellent off-ball defender, a bit too small and slow to be a great on-ball one. Extra coach on the court. Team's best shooter, captain, organizer, and most consistent player. Once wore a plague mask.

PG DeVante' Jones (Pro Decision, 1 year remaining). Titch more effective than even Mike Smith the year prior, especially late in the season. Personally led the tournament-sealing victory over Ohio State. 31/17 assist rate/TO rate in Big Ten play. Defense improved from not great to pretty good. Decent but set shooter, effective floater. Head injury limited his participation in the playoffs to 12 minutes in the first weekend and a less-than-himself game in the Sweet 16. Looks like he's 40.

PF/C Moussa Diabate (NBA Draft, 3 years remaining). Elite NBA length and athleticism/defensive potential as a 1-5 switchable big, shot-blocker. Surprisingly advanced offensive game as a 4 or 5. Not an outside shooter at this stage of his career, could develop into one down the road. Questionable hands. Trying out for NBA after a true freshman year and expected to leave if any team will commit to drafting him, which one will. On tiny chance he returns, could develop into a lottery pick. Had 3 years of eligibility remaining.

PG Frankie Collins (Transfer to Arizona State, 3 years remaining). Controversial transfer when he was expected to be the PG of the future after a year backing up Jones. Last year emerged late as an excellent/athletic defender able to shut down NBA guards in isolation. God-awful shooter from anywhere, excellent set-up man, able to get to the basket and finish. Left with 3 years of eligibility.

PF Brandon Johns (Grad Transfer to VCU, 1 year remaining). Reasonably athletic big with a good shot and a danger on the offensive boards who never developed confidence. Good stretch as a starting four in the 2021 playoffs when Isaiah Livers was hurt was his only—started at PF to begin 2021-'22 but was quickly passed by Diabate. Solid defense couldn't erase set-ruining indecisive offense. Outside chance a fresh start finds the player to go with the NBA-caliber potential.

C/PF Jaron Faulds (Out of Eligibility). Walk-on transfer in 2019 after one year at 33% minutes at Columbia. Developed in to a playable big. Held up against Kofi Cockburn for 13 minutes of a night in Illinois when Dickinson was unavailable. Spot minutes against Keegan Murray were also survived.

G Zeb Jackson (Transfer to VCU, 3 years remaining). Tall top-100 point guard was a backup on the legendary Montverde team, buried on the bench in 2 years at Michigan. Spotted early season playing time showed scoring ability/shooting, but high TO rate and capable but disinterested defense. Left team in January.

SG/W Adrien Nunez (Ended Career, 1 year remaining). Player activist and TikTok star (like for real: 3.4 million followers). Recruited by Beilein as a Just a Shooter. Couldn't actually shoot in limited game opportunities, defensive liability. Did I mention the TikTok? It's an absolute delight!

@adrien_nunez That pass tho @zjackson1 dc: @ayeyoomike__ @lilyachty ♬ original sound - Oneil

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PACK YOUR BAGS

Returning starters, guys who didn't start last year but are expected to, or additions expected to start immediately.

1. Center Hunter Dickinson (So/Jr)

Old fashioned post and wrestling heel. Top-Ten college player with NBA aspirations held back from pro career by foot speed limitations. Developed a right-handed shot and a functional big man's three-point set shot to go with super-advanced array of post moves. Excellent passer. Strong defender in the post. Centerpiece of two Sweet 16 offenses. Michigan's best recruiter. Outspoken: providing more leadership on NIL front than his school right now. Probably would have been wasted in the G-League next year if it wasn't for those opportunities.

2. Wing-Forward Caleb Houstan (So/So)

Five-star, 6'8" not-just-a-shooter who shot 50% in HS was more like a just-a-set-shooter as a freshman. Defense developed over the course of the season, from bad to pretty decent by the end. Athleticism fine for the four, not quite enough for SF. Can put the ball on the floor, can't finish. One-and-done plans set back by all that, could still develop into a star.

3. Point guard Jaelin Llewwellyn (Sr/5th).

Princeton transfer the coaches call a PG who can combo, not the other way around, but was mostly a combo for Tigers. Defense a question mark (Princeton was Not Good) but decent size for it. Used to playing with a ball-dominant center. Excellent pull-up shooter, crafty and quick in the lane, decent at finishing.

4. Shooting guard Kobe Bufkin (So/So)

Talented grow-a-guard matched Caris's numbers offensively as a freshman, but is a lot smaller and vastly less of a defensive presence than Levert was at this point. Next stage of development is the team's No. 1 X-factor. Skilled and smooth enough to develop into a lottery pick combo guard, but still has a long way to get there.

IN A BATTLE

With Moussa in the draft the last starting job will go to a wing so they can move Houstan down to a more natural power forward position. The order here is not who's going to go first, but how I think the minutes will work out. Both will play.

5. Wing Jett Howard (Fr/Fr)

Juwan's younger son, least dramatic high 4-star recruitment in program history. Still a very important one. Tallish SG/SF, pull-up threat, should be an immediate floor spacer and develop over the year into a secondary creator. Good combo of positional size/vision, handle needs some development. Likely to come off the bench at first.

6. Wing-Forward Terrance Williams II (So/Jr)

Positionless motor/energy guy who couldn't seem to pass Houstan despite outperforming him. Low defensive ceiling=low NBA potential, but team's 2nd best outside shooter, showed potential as a good-at-bad-shots guy late. Dad is Ginuwine's tour manager.

NOT STARTERS BUT CONTRIBUTING

7. Center Tarris Reed (Fr/Fr)

6-10 bruiser big with plus handle + strength to exploit traditional bigs. Well-developed spin and jump-stop moves. Proficient roll man. Developing perimeter shooter with true stretch potential. Some shotblocking potential based on length.

8. Point Guard Dug McDaniel (Fr/Fr)

Undersized pass-first playmaker with 40 AsstRt potential thanks to acceleration and speed. Low TO risk. Below-average shooter, questionable shot mechanics. Lacks strength or size to get to the rim, yet to develop a floater or finishing move. Agility projects to impact on-ball defender, developing still off it (remember the little Tennessee guy?)

9. Guard-Wing Isaiah Barnes (Fr/So)

Redshirted when a 6'7" guard would have been highly useful, but potential starter if he clicks. Underrated athlete with NBA potential as swiss army knife Not Just a Shooter™. Athleticism to develop into a plus defender. Just so many pieces to develop still.

PUSHING FROM BEHIND

10. Wing-Forward Jace Howard (So/Jr)

Elder Howard son has a very different game from younger. Undersized forward/glue guy a la TWII. Decent perimeter defender and outside shooter. High-energy, Not a ballhandler, effective 2-point jumpers.

WAITING THEIR TURN

11. Power Forward Will Tschetter (Fr/So)

Headbandy, coach-beloved stretch four with limited length/jumps/agility. Cans his threes. Effort dude who wouldn't look out of place in Wisconsin frontcourt. Probably a Just a Shooter who will nevertheless become a fan-favorite while annoying the living hell out of opponents.

12. Wing-Forward Gregg Glenn (Fr/Fr)

Playmaking wing who fell from top-40 to the edges of four stars. Potent passer, medium-plus athleticism (think Zak Irvin) to blow by mediocre athletes. Inefficient shooter, already pretty strong, Jett's bestie.