Michigan Basketball: 5 key takeaways from Big Ten Media Days

Brandon Johns sounds ready to make a big jump

One of the most intriguing players on the roster heading into the 2019-20 season is forward Brandon Johns.

Last season, John Beilein had him playing a few minutes off the bench as a backup center and while the 6-foot-9 Johns can play some on the interior, he’s better served being a stretch four.

From what Howard said at Big Ten Media Days, it seems like Johns has the most upside of all the potential candidates to be the fifth starter. It seems clear that Jon Teske, Zavier Simpson, Livers and Wager will start. The other spot seems down to Johns and junior guard Eli Brooks.

Howard praised Brooks, especially his basketball IQ, which is an area where Johns needs to improve, despite being extremely talented. Here’s an excerpt from Howard:

"“The kid has a beautiful shot. He’s athletic and skill-wise he still hasn’t tapped all the way into what he has. Once he figures out all of that, whoa this kid is interesting. He knows he has an opportunity to play. We’re going to lean on him. He can be one of those stretch fours who can guard two, three, four and five. He has that ability; now it is just basically picking up the concepts, learning terminology.”"

Just like Livers, the development of Johns could have a huge impact on this team’s ability to contend in the Big Ten conference.