Breaking down Michigan basketball’s depth with the transfer portal now closed

The 2023-24 squad will look a lot different than last year’s squad

• By
  
  Kellen Voss
  
• on May 12, 2023 5:00 am

It’s been a busy few months for many teams in college basketball, and the Michigan Wolverines are no exception.

As of 11:59 p.m. on May 11, The 60-day window for the transfer portal is closed.

The Wolverines will look a lot different this upcoming season than they did in 2022-23, the first season the men’s basketball team didn’t make the NCAA tournament since the 2014-15 season. Barring a last-minute high school recruit or some sort of eligibilty snafu, the current group of players Michigan has now is who they’ll roll with come November.

Let’s quickly recap who left the Wolverines from last year’s squad, break down Michigan’s depth, and project their starting lineup.

Departures

Through transfer portal: C Hunter Dickinson (Kansas), G Isaiah Barnes (Tulsa), F Gregg Glenn (Tulane)

Going pro: G Kobe Bufkin (NBA draft), G/F Jett Howard (NBA Draft), Joey Baker (hired agent)

2023 recruit who de-committed: C Papa Kante (requesting NLI release in April)

Guards

Predicted starters are in bold

PG Dug McDaniel, SG Caleb Love, PG Jaelin Llewellyn, SG/SF Nimari Burnett, PG/SG George Washington III

Michigan’s lack of guard depth last season bit them in the butt many times, but after this off-season, they have quite a bit of talent at the 1 and 2 spots.

Michigan’s lost their three leading scorers from last season, but North Carolina transfer Caleb Love can pick up some of that scoring load. He’s going to take a lot of shots, but he’s proven he can be dominant, especially in postseason play. I’d imagine Dug McDaniel, who was thrust into the starting lineup due to Llewellyn’s injury last season, did enough last season to prove he should stay as the starting point guard.

Off the bench, the Wolverines have options. Jaelin Llewellyn — who is coming off a torn ACL but should be ready for the season — got his waiver cleared and is returning to Ann Arbor. He gives Michigan an experienced guard who could be a 6th man and be a valuable contributor off the bench.

Nimari Burnett, a transfer from Alabama, maybe the defacto starting small foward on this roster, but will probably get some minutes as the 2 off the bench; he’s not super efficient but he’s a solid defender who can excel in transition. I’d think that George Washington III, the lone commit of the 2023 class, will compete for minutes at the 2. He’s incredibly talented and can be a solid scorer, but with how the current depth shakes out, I wouldn’t be shocked if he gets redshirted.

Forwards

SG/SF Nimari Burnett, PF Terrance Williams III, PF Will…