DeVante Jones is clearly Michigan Basketball’s top transfer target

DeVante Jones is one guard that Michigan basketball is after in the transfer portal and it looks like the Wolverines could have a real shot. 

As long as Franz Wagner enters the NBA draft as expected, Michigan basketball should have one spot for a transfer, and the top candidate right now is former Coastal Carolina guard DeVante Jones.

Jones was the Sun Belt Player of the Year in 2020-21, as well as the Sun Belt Rookie of the Year in 2018-19. This past season, he averaged more than 19 points and seven rebounds per game for Coastal Carolina, while also leading the Sun Belt Conference in total win shares, as well as defensive win shares.

Michigan was one of the programs in contact with Jones as it was reported earlier this week. But now, there’s more on Michigan’s recruitment of Jones as the 6-foot-1 guard told Jake Weingarten of Stockrisers.com that he will hold a Zoom call with Juwan Howard and the Wolverines this week.

Texas Tech is another team that has held a virtual meeting with Jones and one of the programs in the mix along with Texas and Memphis. Here’s what Jones said to ESPN about what he’s looking for in his next destination.

"“In my next school, I’m looking to join a winning culture with a loving community,” Jones said. “I’ll only have one year so I just want the chance for a coach to trust in me to put the ball in my hands and trust me to make game-winning plays. But also, I want to be around a group of guys who love the game as much as me, if not more.”"

Michigan basketball can offer what he wants

When you see Jones talking about culture, you have to feel like the culture Juwan has built, one that incorporated transfers Chaundee Brown and Mike Smith gives U-M an edge.

Texas Tech is starting with a brand new head coach and so is Texas. Baylor could certainly enter the mix if the Bears push, but they also added a guard in the portal this week, so we’ll see.

That’s probably the one program that would worry me the most right now. Looking back to March Madness, Juwan certainly didn’t hesitate to give Smith the ball when it mattered most, so that could be a selling point.

Jones is a career 34-percent 3-point shooter and while he would seem to have a good chance to be the starting point guard if he transferred to Michigan basketball, he shoots well enough that could potentially play off the ball too.

Either way, it’s clear he’s the No. 1 target right now and this meeting this week might be Michigan’s chance to seal the deal.