basketball attrition

It makes no sense, and total sense, and lots of people who think they possess sense are going to imagine themselves capable of passing it on. It's all in vain. Frankie Collins, projected to be Michigan's point guard of the immediate future, is entering the transfer portal.

I'm sure there's an announcement or something I can place here...I'm writing this last night and spending my Saturday trying not to dwell.

After a much-needed freshman year behind Devante' Jones, Collins was—at least in every mind but his—guaranteed to start the majority of Michigan's possessions next year. Shooting aside, his on-ball defense got Michigan to the Sweet 16, and there were more than enough flashes of his finishing at the rim and passing acumen to expect Collins would grow into a taller Zavier Simpson.

Clearly, Collins felt he'd been recruited over when Michigan picked up transfer guard Jaelin Llewellyn, even though he wasn't recruited over, because Llewellyn is a shooting guard and Frankie can't shoot. Again, if that was something that could be communicated it's past.

Unfortunately for Michigan it's still true, which means they're probably going to have to go shopping in the portal for a 30-minute point guard, either a grad transfer, a freshman willing to start his education over, or someone from the rare school our admissions tweeds will concede is a college.

It's 2022, however, so there are some names still out there. Iowa State's Tyrese Hunter was a freshman at an until-recently AAU school. He recently cut down his list to KU, Texas, Tennessee, Purdue, and Zaga, but that was before Michigan opened up—he's originally from Racine, Wisconsin.

Via Jeremy Woo, Moussa Diabaté has entered the NBA draft without closing the door on a return.

Michigan’s Moussa Diabate has entered the 2022 draft while maintaining eligibility to return, a source tells me. The 6’10” Diabate showed flashes of promise as a freshman. His physical tools, motor and defensive versatility give him a chance to rise in the predraft process.

— Jeremy Woo (@JeremyWoo) April 25, 2022

The "maintaining eligibility" part is welcome news since the question with Diabaté was less if he might test the draft waters than if he was going to do so without looking back. That said, he's also highly likely to hear "Yes, please!" from several NBA teams, since super-lengthy athletes who can move like he can tend to shift the fortunes of franchises if they work out.

There's still some hope, given that ceiling, that he could return for a Franz Wagner-ian sophomore effort and leave as a lottery pick. There's also concern that his iffy hands might not improve enough for the gamble to pay off, especially since as a foreign student he would not have the same NIL opportunities that American players now enjoy.

Unfortunately, the not knowing still leaves Michigan trying to figure out their roster situation for next season. With Hunter Dickinson's return, Diabaté remains atop a growing backlog of guys looking for more minutes in the frontcourt. Tarris Reed arrives to at least replace Brandon Johns, and both Caleb Houstan, who's also likely to test the NBA draft, and Terrance Williams II ideally should be playing the four. With wing Jett Howard coming, Michigan trying to close the deal with 6'6" transfer guard Terrence Shannon, and no open scholarships at the moment, it's unlikely all of these guys will be here come fall.

Gun to my head, most likely Diabaté will find a team enamored enough with his potential to guarantee him a draft spot in the early/middle second round, and that will do it. If he does return, <rubs hands>.

Breaking news buried in an MGoBlue article:

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Quality seniors are a rare commodity these days in college basketball, but the University of Michigan has three of them in point guard Zavier Simpson and centers Jon Teske and Austin Davis.

However, prior to Tuesday's (March 3) practice here, Wolverine head coach Juwan Howard invited Davis back for 2020-21 as a fifth-year senior. The framed jersey he was to receive at Thursday night's home finale with Nebraska will need to be stored for another year.

Davis has emerged into a 10 MPG backup in Big Ten play, almost precisely offsetting his defensive limitations by shooting 68% from the floor.

[After THE JUMP: Davis on/off]