Michigan Basketball: Juwan Howard should pursue transfer Tevin Mack

When it comes to recruiting, new Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard has limited options for 2019 but one that just became a possibility was Tevin Mack.

One of the biggest disadvantages for Juwan Howard as he gets set to embark on his job as Michigan basketball coach is that he was hired late in the game.

John Beilein made his decision to go to Cleveland late in the college basketball calendar and pushed back the Wolverines hiring of Howard until May 17. He will be formally introduced as head coach later today.

While the loss of Beilein will be a blow to the Wolverines, so was the departure of NBA prospects Charles Matthews, Ignas Brazdeikis and Jordan Poole. All three players declared for the draft and there is a good chance each is drafted or signed to play in the NBA or G-League next season.

One player that withdrew his name from the NBA draft though, was Alabama’s Tevin Mack, who then announced he was putting his name into the transfer portal according to Brendan Quinn of the Athletic.

Quinn mentioned Michigan basketball as a destination in his tweet and when you think about it, the move makes perfect sense. Mack, who also played two seasons at Texas before transferring to Alabama, is a graduate transfer and therefore, would be eligible to play immediately.

That should be the key for Howard, who could use a wing like Mack, who stands 6-foot-6 and averaged 8.7 PPG last season, shooting 42 percent overall and 33 percent from 3-point range.

During his sophomore season at Texas, in just 15 games, Mack averaged 14.8 PPG. He made 39 percent from beyond the arc that season but for his career, sits at 33 percent.

Still, a two guard that can score, has some size and is a solid 3-point shooter is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Wolverines, who may be choosing from Adrien Nunez, Eli Brooks, David DeJulius and Cole Bajema at shooting guard if someone like Mack isn’t brought aboard.

Michigan was reported to be in the mix for North Carolina transfer Seventh Woods also but he would likely have to sit out next season and would have just one year of eligibility remaining for the 2020-21 season. If Woods could play next year, it would be more worth considering and that’s why Howard needs to make a run at Mack.

Obviously, Mack has NBA aspirations and Howard could sell him on reaching that goal. Mack would also be the assumed starter at shooting guard, a role that could have huge offensive potential.

The Wolverines need scoring on the perimeter and if Mack was able to come to Michigan and scored somewhere close to the 14 a game he averaged at Texas in 2016-17, his draft stock would certainly improve.

Michigan would get a veteran college basketball player ready to contribute right away and Mack would get a chance to prove himself at a better program, in a better conference.

Sounds like a win-win to me.