Michigan basketball: Predicting the depth chart with Franz Wagner
Forwards
While options remain, a familiar face will lead the forwards while a newcomer will shine for Howard.
Small forward
Starter: Isaiah Livers
Backup: Adrien Nunez, Cole Bajema
Shooting guard and small forward are positions which are very tough to predict with this Michigan team. You have guys that are 6-foot-10 and higher or 6-foot-1 and lower which is why you see Nunez as the back up at both positions. This and SG will completely depend on who this Michigan basketball team will be putting on the court against and how everyone is playing.
Cole Bajema is the incoming freshman who could take over the spot next season if he throws on some weight (6-foot-7, 175-pounds). If you doubt his abilities, check out the video Michigan basketballs Twitter account posted.
https://twitter.com/umichbball/status/1147187584633720832
Livers – with his outside shooting ability – makes the most sense starting here should the next guy on this list live up to his potential, he could have a huge impact on this team going forward.
Power forward
Starter: Brandon Johns Jr.
Backups: Colin Castleton, Austin Davis
Brandon Johns Jr is the second-highest ranked basketball player on this team coming out of high school after Zavier Simpson. Michigan basketball reached right into Sparty’s backyard and snagged Brandon from East Lansing High School where he was the runner-up for Mr. Basketball.
Johns has the position all but locked up should he develop and mitigate his personal fouls. Speaking of personal fouls, Austin Davis is a serial offender of personal fouls which has significantly stunted his growth as a player. To make matters worse, Davis is your old fashioned PF who doesn’t serve as a threat from three. While that may hurt his chances elsewhere, that’s exactly the role his coach played in college and in the NBA (11 total three-pointers taken by Juwan in his three years at UM).
As for Colin Castleton, the skies the limit for the 6-foot-11 big man who is Jon Teske‘s protege.