Michigan Basketball: Eli Brooks return has Wolverines in preseason top 10

Michigan basketball was already highly thought of entering the 2021-22 season but with Eli Brooks back, U-M is a consensus top-10 pick.

Even before Michigan basketball got the news that Eli Brooks was going to return to the program for a fifth season, the Wolverines were a trendy pick as a top-10 team heading into the 2021-22 season.

After all, the Wolverines are expected to have big man Hunter Dickinson back for next season and he was already a third-team All-American and the team’s leading scorer as a freshman.

On top of that, Michigan basketball is bringing in one of the best recruiting classes in the country, one that features four players ranked in the top 60 and as four-star recruits.

While we don’t know the final roster composition for the Wolverines yet, since we are still waiting on word about Franz Wagner and also the possible addition of a transfer, it’s safe to say Michigan is among the early favorites in the Big Ten after winning the regular-season title in 2021.

Michigan is going to have to overcome the losses of Wagner unless he surprises everyone, as well as Isaiah Livers, Mike Smith, Chaundee Brown, and Austin Davis.

But five-star freshman Caleb Houstan should be a great plug-and-play replacement for Livers. Moussa Diabate is also incredibly talented, as are Kobe Bufkin and Frankie Collins.

John Rothstein and other rankings that have come out since Brooks announcement have consistently put the Wolverines among the top 10 and here’s why according to Rothstein:

"“This ranking is tied to the idea that Franz Wagner will enter the NBA Draft while Hunter Dickinson returns for his sophomore season at Michigan, where he’ll likely be the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year. Eli Brooks’ decision to play another season for the Wolverines provides Juwan Howard with an additional experienced piece to pair with the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class featuring five-star prospects Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate.”"

Clayton Sayfie of Rivals compiled all the preseason top 25 polls for the Wolverines. The two that were put out after Brooks return both had U-M among the top 10. Only one, ESPN’s had Michigan outside the top 10.

If you average all eight polls together right now, from a variety of major outlets, Michigan basketball’s average rank is 7.3. Imagine what landing an impact transfer or having Wagner return, by some miracle would do?

At any rate, next season is going to be fun.