Michigan Basketball: 3 reasons John Beilein could go to Detroit Pistons

At 65, Beilein is running out of years on the bench

Beilein has been perfect for Michigan basketball, there is no doubt about that. The program would not be where it’s at, if not for his genius.

Beilein took over a program that hadn’t made the NCAA’s in decades and was embroiled in scandal. And all he did was build a consistent winner. Since his first season on the job, he has missed the NCAA tournament only twice. He was won four Big Ten championships (regular season and tournament) and his NCAA record is remarkable.

But with his coaching career winding down, it’s not a surprise that he’s ready to flirt with the NBA. The truth may be that he never saw this coming. He was probably content to coach at Michigan forever until the Pistons opened the door to this possibility.

For Beilein, there is no harm in listening. And after taking time to think, it seems there is genuine interest on both sides. A deal is far from done, but with time running out, maybe the long-time college coach just wants to take his shot before retiring for good.

Next: Top 15 Michigan quarterbacks of all time

It would hurt if Beilein left. However, after everything he has done, Michigan basketball fans can’t blame him. He deserves to know if he can coach at the highest level and if he gets the chance, it’d be hard to blame him for saying yes.