Michigan Basketball: 3 thoughts on commitment of PG Dug McDaniel

Stability at point guard

If you are going to win in March and April, you need good guard play. There’s no just getting around that and having a solid point guard is invaluable in the postseason.

Michigan basketball has benefited from a lot of really good point guards over the years: Trey Burke, Derrick Walton, Xavier Simpson, and Smith. DeVante Jones could step into that role next year but at some point, the Wolverines have to stop relying on transfers.

Juwan knows that and with the addition of McDaniel, along with Frankie Collins in the class of 2021, Michigan basketball has two very solid long-term options at point guard.

Jones is likely going to start this season next to Eli Brooks. But Collins should get some experience and ideally, would be ready to take the job as a sophomore before eventually giving way to McDaniel, who is a really talented prospect but not one headed to the NBA in a couple of years.

The five-star commitments are important. You need those stars and Michigan can get that kind of player in Jett Howard in 2022. But you also need top-100 recruits who are going to play for three or four years and that describes McDaniel perfectly.

McDaniel is going to be a foundational piece and one that’s going to be a solid Big Ten player for multiple years.