Roster adds for ’23-24 likely done; here’s how it breaks down
The final buzzer on a disappointing 2022-23 Michigan basketball season sounded on March 18.
In the 97 days since that evening NIT loss in Nashville, Tennessee, Juwan Howard’s program has undergone one of its busiest-ever offseasons, starting with several departures.
In all, six players opted not to return for various reasons, including Michigan’s three leading scorers: Former All-American center Hunter Dickinson, who transferred to Kansas, and Kobe Bufkin and Jett Howard, both of whom stayed in the NBA draft.
Additionally, Michigan’s incoming freshman class dropped from two to one when fourstar big Papa Kante requested to be released from his national letter of intent.
That left Howard & Co. needing to bring in experienced supplemental players; thus, the Wolverines added former McDonald’s AllAmerican wing Nimari Burnett from Alabama, Detroit native Tray Jackson from Seton Hall and forward Olivier Nkamhoua from Tennessee.
Michigan still has two scholarships remaining for the 2023-24 season. Kentucky guard Antonio Reeves had been linked to Ann Arbor for weeks, but the Freep has learned (and multiple reports have confirmed) Reeves is back on campus in Lexington.
U-M has also been linked to transfers such as Memphis forward Chandler Lawson and Rutgers guard Paul Mulcahy, but a source close to the program said the expectation is Michigan will not add any more players to the roster.
Given that, here’s what a likely rotation could look like next season.
Point guard
Starter: Dug McDaniel.
McDaniel was thrown into the fire as a true freshman when Jaelin Llewellyn went down with a torn ACL in December. His issues then, however, are now to U-M’s benefit, as no Big Ten returner averaged more minutes in conference play than McDaniel’s 35.8 per game. He averaged 8.6 points, 3.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he improved all those numbers in his sophomore season.
Reserve: Jaelin Llewellyn.
Llewellyn’s medical waiver was approved by the NCAA, allowing the senior to return to Ann Arbor after he played just eight games in his first season after transferring from Princeton. Expectations are lower for the senior, who has now undergone two major surgeries in two seasons and averaged seven points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in his limited U-M run.
With that in mind, the Wolverines lacked a leader last season. Even if Llewellyn doesn’t play the majority of the minutes at the point, he adds depth and leadership that wasn’t there a season ago. Don’t be surprised if Howard even tries to play Llewellyn and McDaniel together at times.
Shooting guard
Starter: Nimari Burnett.
This is where the roster gets funky. This spot was supposed to belong to Caleb Love, the former North Carolina star who committed to the Wolverines but was then forced to decommit (landing at Arizona) when he ran into admissions issues. Burnett, who was either going to start at small forward or back up at shooting guard will likely start at the latter. U-M’s hope is he improves on his overall shooting (36.8%) and his 3-point shooting (32.1%) from last season after he was ruled immediately eligible (which was momentarily in question) earlier this week.
Reserve: George Washington III.
The only freshman in the Wolverines’ 2023 class, Washington III told the Free Press earlier in the spring he never wavered in his commitment to Michigan, even when it appeared Love was coming — which would have made cracking the rotation nearly impossible with all guards at full health. Now, the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year will learn on the job at the college level, with the Wolverines hoping he can spread the floor as a shooter.
Small forward
Starter: Tray Jackson
Michigan not only had Jett Howard last year, but Joey Baker as a proven backup, at the wing. Baker opted not to apply for an NCAA waiver for another season of eligibility, leaving Michigan with a group of largely interchangeable forwards, physically.
For now, we’ll call Jackson the small forward, even though his 6-foot-10 frame could translate to the four spot as well. The lefty has shown he has a knockdown 3-point shot — hitting at a 38.9% clip in 126 attempts over the past two seasons — and nimble footwork around the basket. His length at the three should create problems for opponents. Reserve: Youssef Khayat..
The closest thing to a true wing U-M has on the roster, Khayat could be a sleeper candidate for U-M’s breakout player. The Wolverines were excited about him last season, but the Lebanese freshman played just 56 minutes all season, 22 of which came in the NIT. That said, the 6-9, 200-pound wing is athletic enough to hang at the Big Ten level; it will be about confidence and earning his way into the rotation.
Power forward
Starter: Olivier Nkamhoua.
The only player on Howard’s roster to average double figures in scoring at the Power Five level, Nkamhoua arrives in Ann Arbor as U-M’s de facto leader. The senior from Helsinki, Finland, averaged 10.8 points and five rebounds for a Tennessee team that beat Duke to reach the Sweet 16; he also shot 51.7% from the floor and 33.3% on 3-pointers. Power forward was U-M’s weakest spot; Nkamhoua (and Jackson) figure to shore that up immediately. Consistency has been a problem at times, but talent has not.
Reserves: Terrance Williams II, Jace Howard.
Howard and Williams are at their best when they can be sparkplugs off the bench, serving as scrappy defenders, coming up with loose balls and nailing the occasional clutch shot. Last year, they pressed at times, as did thenredshirt freshman Will Tschetter, when asked to do too much. This season, with a proven leader in the room, everybody could benefit.
Center
Starter: Tarris Reed Jr.
Reed was arguably the biggest breakthrough for the Wolverines in 2022-23. Now, with Dickinson departed, he has the license to play as many minutes as he can — if he can stay out of foul trouble. Reed has trimmed down this offseason and while he still weighs 265 pounds, he told the Free Press this week he got rid of all the “baby fat” and has turned it into muscle. Reed could be one of the better defenders in the Big Ten this season, which is why he has prioritized his offense for months. He averaged 3.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per game as a freshman.
Reserve: Will Tschetter.
Tschetter went through the ringer at times as a redshirt freshman. But for a team that often seemed to lack energy, the Minnesota native provided plenty of hustle. With another year of growth, development and added muscle, and a smaller role, Tschetter could take a step forward.