Can Michigan Basketball succeed in 2018 without Charles Matthews?
Michigan Basketball will have to rely on youth in 2018 if Charles Matthews decides to take the NBA route.
Michigan Basketball may be without Charles Matthews next season if he decides the NBA is a good fit for him. Matthews will get to work out with fellow draftees at the NBA combine, but he’ll also have the opportunity to return Ann Arbor because he hasn’t hired an agent. Now that the Wolverines will be without Moe Wagner, and possibly Matthews, can this team team continue where they left off?
Without even counting Matthews, Michigan is already losing five players via transfer, NBA draft, and graduation. Three of those five players were top contributors and leaders during the Wolverines’ record-breaking season. If Matthews decides to depart, they would be missing their top four scorers from last season. Replacing nearly all key players from 2017 will be no easy task for John Beilein and the Wolverines.
The main pro in this situation is the recruiting class that Beilein has to put together. 247sports has Michigan’s 2018 recruiting class ranked No. 8 in the nation. That’s the best class the Wolverines have had in six years. The top three recruits in the class, Ignas Brazdeikis, Brandon Johns, and David DeJulius will likely make an immediate impact in November.
Brazdeikis and Johns are both highly rated forwards that can score on the inside and outside. I expect both of them to get plenty of minutes in Beilein’s shooter-friendly offense. Later in the season one of the freshmen will likely exceed to aid John Teske and Isaiah Livers in the front court. DeJulius will be also get repetitions depending on how he competes with Eli Brooks. Freshmen will contribute next season, but the few experienced players will have to take over.
Jordan Poole is in line for a breakout season after what he was able to accomplished last year. He only played 12.5 minutes per game, but his presence gave the Wolverines energy and confidence. No one will forget his insane buzzer beater that kept Michigan alive in the tournament when it looked like there was no hope.
Zavier Simpson improved drastically last season, proving to be an exceptional driver and passer. It’s no secret that he struggles shooting the ball, particularly from the charity stripe. Simpson shot an embarrassing 52% from the free throw line last season. If he can’t fix his shooting woes, Brooks or DeJulius could take his starting job away.
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Michigan will probably not reach the 33 win mark in 2018, but they have a group of willing and able players that are capable of success. Between the loaded recruiting class and current experienced players, this team has the weapons to compete in the Big Ten. If Beilein could get the freshmen shaped up and ready to play, I don’t expect this team to be left out of the NCAA Tournament.