Hunter Dickinson Returns; Roster Set
This Is March!
Michigan's Hunter Dickinson is withdrawing from the 2021 NBA Draft and will return to college, per a statement from his representatives.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 6, 2021
Should be noted that Dickinson's tweet about his return says he's coming back for "one last ride," so do not expect a year three.
[After THE JUMP: the implications, man]
Paired with Devante' Jones's withdrawal, basketball's 2021-22 roster now appears to be set. Your likely starting five:
- C: Hunter Dickinson
- PF: Brandon Johns
- SF: Caleb Houstan
- SG: Eli Brooks
- PG: Devante' Jones
Off the bench you'll have Moussa Diabate at the 4 and 5 and then a knife fight for roster spots 7-9 between Kobe Bufkin, Frankie Collins, Isaiah Barnes, Terrance Williams, Zeb Jackson, and Jace Howard. Seems pretty good.
Since neither Jones nor Dickinson left the "Let's Start Again" series remains current. Within these links you can find takes on the situation at point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center.
There's not a whole lot of gap between those posts and current expectations but they may be slightly pessimistic after Jones was one of the surprise guys at the NBA's G-League camp:
DeVante' Jones was arguably the best perimeter defender at the G League Elite Camp where he had a strong showing. Averaged 19ppg last year shooting 37% for 3 while showing terrific pace operating out of pick and roll. All-Conference caliber player in the Big Ten, conservatively. https://t.co/q4ifPlolK8
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) July 5, 2021
Givony knows what he's talking about, but I should point out that the 37% number is conference play (67 attempts) and his overall shooting last year was 33% on 111 attempts. "All Big Ten, conservatively" would be a hell of a thing for a guy who felt like another Mike Smith—a good, solid player but a complementary piece—when he committed as another high-usage star from a conference smack dab in the middle of the Kenpom rankings.
Should be fun.
We are a basketball school.
NTTAWWT
I am really wishing we could just skip football season and go right to hockey and basketball season. I just can't take another season of watching UM football.....and yes I will still watch UM football because I just can't stop myself, kinda like looking at the remains of a car accident.
Every Fall I convince myself that lightning could strike and M football can be special once again. This Fall will be no different. Once a few losses occur, I then start "possibility thinking" about NEXT Fall.
Hot take: this being posted everywhere here, 247, twitter, whatever is the definition of not being a basketball school. A basketball school doesn't need to say it every post. I always feel like this is just indirect football complaining more than anything and works to push the attention back there.
Yes it should.
Hope he has a good season, stays healthy, and doesn't play scared because of the NBA.
Great news for the program.
Does Hunter seem like the kind of player who ever plays scared?
If Jones really takes the leap they're claiming he's shown thus far then this team is going to be truly terrifying.
This team has potential to be special. The scrimmages from the NBA pre-draft stuff really show Jones deft skills at getting his floater off, good anticipation on steals, and generally looking like he was comfortable playing at very high level.
He may not shoot the lights out but he got some seriously good point guard skills that showed up against high level draftable players.
Just need to hit on one or two of freshman and this team could be national contenders (If healthy I expect them to be 1 seed).
Yeah, but ESPN thinks Purdon't and ohio are better basketball teams...lol.
I’d say Michigan would be solid favorites in my eyes if it weren’t for Purdue’s joke of a schedule. Given their schedule, think it’s those 2 in top tier.
Jones doesn't have to take any leaps. His film declares him to be a damn good player already-Sun Belt Conference not withstanding. .
Otherwise, Dickinson sets a nice floor for the center position-Juwan would be scrambling if he didn't return. I hope Hunter expands his skillset and excels.
This Michigan roster is very intriguing.
Jones played quite well in the g league combine invite which is generally speaking 2nd round caliber players with maybe some first round talent and others who are fringe draftable. One game, he led scorers with efficient shot taking and showed real defensive prowess throughout.
Looks like a legit preseason #1, considering no elite team has most of their core returning, though I imagine we'll start out a little lower than that - like #3 or 4.
One-and-done teams don’t have cores, FWIW, though admittedly their tourney records are mixed.
Gonzaga will be #1. We might be #2.
Yeah I think people are forgetting they are bringing their starting 3 back plus Holmgren, Salas, and Hickman coming in, and a transfer pt guard that I hear is pretty good.
No. UM will probably be top 5 or 6.
Doubt we will be 2 because I’ve seen a lot of mainstream media fawning over Purdue, UCLA, and even Kansas so I think #5 or so is where we will check in.
NOW I'M PUMPED!
Diabete will be starting over John by Big Ten play...book it, no disrespect to Johns
Not sure why you're getting negged. You're right.
That really depends on Johns but it's entirely possible. Either way, not sure it makes a huge difference who starts. HD, Diabate and Johns will all get major minutes at the 4/5 spots. The question will be which of Johns/Diabate closes out close games.
Yeah, it’s a plausible prediction but a pointless one. We have three good frontcourt players; Howard isn’t going to squander any of them on the bench. Murphy’s Law circumstances like injury and foul trouble are as likely to decide who’s playing at any particular time.
Can always rely on this site for some buzzkill curmudgeon, have a sunshine filled day
Johns always looks like a guy on the cusp of being a quality starter when he gets minutes. He'll make a few great plays but then couple that with a few bad ones. He could really go either way - quality starter at the 4 or relegated to bench minutes
One sleeper lineup I think we may utilize more than folks think is …
Jones - Brooks - Bufkin - Houstan - Dickinson
Lots of firepower with that group
Murderwolf: The basketball team
The basketball team can clearly have nice things.
This team is a Final Four contender, and should be at least one of the favorites to win the conference again. If not the favorite.
Just as sweet as FF or bust is Staee missing the tourney this season again for the second season in a row.
THAT is a roster, kudos to Coach Howard and staff! Seems the B1G will be less deep as last year (and we won the league) - should make for another fun season. Especially with those super talented freshmen, pretty much all of whom have an upperclassman to mentor them
Fun is good. I like fun.
Thanks goodness.....I was starting to get rumblings of him leaving. Excited for the season!
As for Jones next year, what I'm excited about is that I think his defense and scoring are going to translate. He has crazy long arms for his height and showed that at the camp. He also showed an ability to get his own shot and creation is a thing this team will need next year.
On the flip side....I don't know that he's really a true PG. He didn't facilitate much last year or in the camp and his TO/AST numbers are a little concerning. I think he's going to be really good....but I think it remains to be seen how we're going to create offense for others with Eli/Jones playing most of the guard minutes instead of a pass-first creator at PG.
Well, he didn't play the 1 last year. Look at his 2019-2020 season to get a better sense of what he did as a 1.
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/devante-jones-2.html
Serious question: who could be ranked ahead of Michigan in the preseason?
Gonzaga
Gonzaga, Dook, Kansas, Kentucky?! Just hunches and spitballed options, considering recruiting and current rosters.
...oh and of course Sparty.
CBS sports (Parrish) did an early ranking last week. They've got it Zags, UCLA, Kansas, Nova, Bama, #6 Michigan, Duke, Baylor, Arkansas, Purdue for their top 10. Also Maryland at 12, OSU 18, MSU 22.
Fantastic news. Michigan has tremendous potential next year, if some of the freshmen can adjust to Big Ten basketball quickly and fill big roles (mainly Houstan, Diabate, and maybe Collins). I'm far more excited about the basketball season than the football one.
I mildly disappointed that muppets didn't accompany this post.
Yes indeed. A fun Michigan basketball season is ahead. MBB prospects looking very bright.
Coach Howard is the best.
YESSSSSSS!! We got the band (mostly) back together!!
Here's to another deep run!! POSBANG time!!
It's times like these when I wish we were in the southern hemisphere.
For nearly the same effect, turn upside down.
Great news. If Jones is all-conference BigTen, then this team is probably better than last season, which would be plenty good.
Nice things from October to April, please. And please also extend backward into late August.
Eli and Hunter coming back should put this team in the top 10. OTOH, a bunch of scoring left town this spring. High floor for this bunch for sure.
Top 5 justifiably.
"Do not expect a year three"
immediately begins wondering about a year three
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