Michigan Basketball: Breaking down battle for starting center

The case for Davis

Austin Davis had everything going against him.

Beilein had experimented with bringing Brandon Johns Jr over to center as a replacement for Davis and freshman Colin Castleton needed only to add weight to his 6-foot-11 frame to replace Jon Teske when the time came.

Davis was left fourth in line for the role and had every reason to transfer to find additional minutes elsewhere. This was not something the Onsted, Michigan native was used to.

Austin is from a small town, and as a near 7-footer, he stood out. Davis was the main attraction for the town, and he was excelling at basketball, reaching as high as 123rd nationally, according to 247 sports internal rankings.

A four-star with a bright future turned into a bench warmer at the next level. As a freshman and sophomore, Davis averaged a little over three minutes per game.

The departure of Beilein couldn’t have come at a better time. This was perfect for a clean break. No one would blame him.

Instead, Austin let the process play out, and it couldn’t have worked out better for him. He went from being a non-factor to averaging ten minutes, becoming proficient in his role. Davis has a coach that understands him and how to best use him despite his weaknesses.

Austin is primed to dominate the paint. It’s his year. Or is it?