Jacob Grandison checks a lot of boxes for Michigan Basketball

Michigan basketball is going to have to do some work in the transfer portal after losing two players to the NBA draft and one target has already emerged. 

Last week, when Jacob Grandison entered the transfer portal, I wrote that he would be a perfect fit for Michigan basketball.

Now that Moussa Diabate and Caleb Houstan are remaining in the NBA draft, Grandison announced that Michigan basketball is one of the 10 teams he’s still considering, a list that also includes Duke, Kentucky, UCLA, USC, Iowa State, BYU, Depaul, Arizona, and Oregon.

It’s a hefty list of teams but it’s good to see Michigan basketball involved because not only could the Wolverines really use a guy like Grandison, U-M can offer him a lot.

Michigan basketball could really use Jacob Grandison

I don’t mean anything in terms of NIL money, although the guys at Michigan don’t seem to be doing too bad in the NIL department, I’m talking more about the role he could play.

The Wolverines lost four starters from last year’s team. They’ve added a transfer point guard and have former top-50 recruits in Kobe Bufkin and Jett Howard ready to take over two of those roles, but there is an opportunity for Grandison to start and play big minutes.

Even coming off the bench as Chaundee Brown did during the 2020-21 season, he could play a huge role and give himself a chance to play pro ball as Brown and Duncan Robinson did after being sixth men at Michigan.

Grandison is a combo wing who averaged more than two assists per game last season, and coming out of high school, he was listed as a combo guard.

That wasn’t just a fluke either. He played two seasons at Holy Cross and averaged more than two assists in both which is three of his four collegiate seasons. Grandison is also a career 37-percent 3-point shooter but shot 41 percent the past two years for Illinois.

While he might not have an ideal position, Grandison would be a perfect fit.

Not only was he a really effective player for the Fighting Illini, but Michigan also needs help at guard and on the wing and Grandison could essentially help ease the need at both spots, as well as providing 3-point shooting and ball-handling, plus shot creation.

Also as a graduate transfer (despite needing a waiver), he checks a lot of boxes for Michigan basketball.

Of course, Kentucky has former Illinois coaches on its staff, so the Wildcats could be a strong option. But it’s a good sign that Michigan is in the mix and generally with transfers, the Wolverines have done well with kids they could actually take without any issues, which again has more to do with how the university accepts transfer credits than anything else.

Terrence Shannon was on board but the transfer credits got in the way. That shouldn’t be an issue with Grandison and that gives Michigan basketball a legit shot to land him.

However, the competition will be stiff and it’s not a surprise based on everything Grandison brings to the table.