Michigan Basketball: 3 Thoughts on Cole Bajema entering transfer portal
Michigan basketball lost a third player to the transfer portal as Cole Bajema is leaving the Wolverines. Here are three thoughts on his departure.
Back when people thought Michigan basketball wasn’t going to have enough scholarships for next season, Cole Bajema was one player people thought would consider transferring.
But after Josh Christopher and Isaiah Todd decided not to play for Michigan basketball, the hope suddenly shifted that Bajema, a talented 3-point shooter would stay.
Bajema played just 37 minutes in his first season with Michigan basketball and while he was 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, he was never really given a chance to see what he could do.
Michigan freshman Cole Bajema is in the transfer portal, per the transfer portal.
— Brendan Quinn (@BFQuinn) May 6, 2020
Appeared in 9 games as a freshman, played 37 minutes. Imagine he’ll look to move closer to home (Lynden, WA). A 6-foot-7 guard with three years of eligibility remaining.
What’s curious though is it seemed like he would get that chance in the 2020-21 season. If there is one thing Michigan doesn’t have, it’s backcourt depth.
A starting job didn’t seem likely, but if he shot the ball well from 3-point range, Bajema could have earned a spot in the rotation and possibly given himself a head start on winning a starting job in 2021-22 if Franz Wagner leaves for the NBA after his sophomore season.
Now, the Wolverines are down to just 11 scholarship players and that’s assuming Isaiah Livers returns for another year. If he doesn’t Michigan basketball is going to be short on physical bodies and 3-point shooting, so it’s more important than ever that Livers return.
In terms of what it means for next season and the future, here are three thoughts on the sudden transfer of Bajema.