Michigan Basketball: Are Wolverines nearing a national title?

Michigan basketball has twice appeared in the National Championship this decade and twice came up short. How far away are they from another run?

Michigan basketball doesn’t have a fantastic record in the National Championship in this decade or the last. There are some fans who believe that since the 2013 Louisville Cardinals were the subject of such severe NCAA violations forcing them to vacate the championship,  the Wolverines should be awarded the title.

That’s not how it works, folks.

And that’s not what we’re here to talk about. It’s about how close Michigan basketball is to its next championship. Is it an expectation?

Under John Beilein, deep NCAA tournament runs were expected. Anything less would have been a complete disappointment. Which, to most schools, is an asinine standard.

John’s unexpected departure brought with it trepidation. The hiring of Juwan Howard didn’t ease the nerves of a loud minority of ‘supporters’, although, the wins at the Battle 4 Atlantis birthed confidence.

Juwan became a polarizing figure throughout the year and started making waves on the recruiting front. Five stars were predicted to become Wolverines, until they weren’t.

It didn’t matter, Howard’s first class will be within the top 15 in the nation. It doesn’t hurt to be at UM, but it’s still no simple task. There are 350 Division I schools. UM is ranked 12th. That means the Wolverines 2020 class is within the top 3% of all college basketball programs, and it’s with a first year head coach.

How close are Wolverines to a National Championship?

They’re not farther away then they were before. Juwan defeated Mark Few and Gonzaga as well as Tom Izzo and Michigan State. Howard can win the biggest of games and, if given the opportunity, the Wolverines might’ve had a chance in 2019-20.

On top of the highly ranked class, Juwan has struck gold in the transfer market with Chaundee Brown (36th NATL for the 2017 class) and Nojel Eastern (69th NATL for the 2017 class). There is uncertainty surrounding the waiver process, and UM might get both or neither for next season. Brown has the greater argument and is the better player offensively. His former head coach was fired shortly after he entered the transfer portal.

Waiver process aside, there really is nothing anyone can point to that says they’re three to five years away. Still, there are no guarantees.

Everything considered, Michigan basketball is extremely close to a National Championship run on its current path. Any deviations from its course would change its trajectory, but as of now, UM is an instant contender when basketball returns.

The Action Network is optimistic about the Wolverines, listing them at +4000 for the next tournament. Other Big Ten teams near the top are Iowa, Wisconsin, and Ohio State at +3000 and Michigan State at +1800.