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Michigan Basketball: 2 Transfer possibilities for 2020-21 season

By Matthew Helmkamp

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 20: Mike Smith #21 of the Columbia Lions handles the ball on offense against the St. John's Red Storm at Carnesecca Arena on November 20, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 20: Mike Smith #21 of the Columbia Lions handles the ball on offense against the St. John's Red Storm at Carnesecca Arena on November 20, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

With Zavier Simpson graduating, Juwan Howard must figure out who will be the next PG for Michigan basketball. It could be DDJ or either of these transfer options.

Michigan basketball fans have enjoyed superior guard play for quite some time now. From Trey Burke to Derrick Walton and most recently Simpson. Now that Simpson is graduating, the search is on for the next floor general.

Looking internally, it was once thought David DeJulius would be the replacement. He’s played (nearly) two seasons in Ann Arbor, and he’s the prototypical Wolverine guard. Compact, quick, a good defender, and reliable. You know that when DeJulius is taking the ball up the court, the offense is in safe hands.

But Juwan Howard doesn’t want the safe option, it seems. Howard, whose first season as a head coach was cut short due to the coronavirus, has quickly established himself as a fantastic recruiter. He’s still utilizing his greatest skill set to find additional options for his main ball handler spot.

When pursuing transfer candidates, it’s essential to keep in mind the mindset of the student being pursued. Transfers, and more specifically, grad transfers, are generally leaving their previous school for a better opportunity; more minutes, more exposure, more attention. There are certain circumstances when the coach-athlete relationship isn’t right or when universities are hit with sanctions, but mostly, kids want to play, and they want to start.

With that in mind, it’s highly unlikely any of the transfer candidates would show interest in Michigan basketball without certain guarantees. They won’t make the jump and spent their last year of eligibility – or lose a year due to a subsequent transfer – if they’re not confident they’re getting the starring role.

So if it’s not DDJ, it’s probably going to be either of these transfers.

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