Michigan Basketball: 3 players who will surprise this season

Michigan Basketball has a nice core of players returning from a season ago. But in order to be a Big Ten title contender, they will need a few players to step up.

Looking ahead to the 2021 Michigan basketball season, here are three players that I think will surprise in 2020-21.

Zeb Jackson

First on this list is true freshman Zeb Jackson. Michigan basketball does not have great guard depth heading into the season. They are replacing their top two point guards from a season ago and are depending on two transfers in the backcourt.

Even though I think Mike Smith and Chaundee Brown will do a nice job this season, there will still be plenty of minutes available at each guard spot. This is where I expect Zeb Jackson to thrive.

I talked to Jackson last year and asked him if he envisioned himself as more of a point guard or shooting guard. He told me he expected to be a scoring point guard similar to Trey Burke. But with his size and shooting ability, he can definitely fill in wherever he is needed.

Jackson is now listed at 6’5 which is a major reason why I expect him to contribute this season. If he comes in and learns the offense and proves he can hold his own defensively, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t see 10-15 minutes per game backing up both guard spots.