Michigan Basketball can forge a new identity in 2023-24 season

Michigan basketball will be a different team in 2023-24, but the Wolverines could be better with a different style of play. 

It’s been a tough offseason for Michigan basketball fans. However, there might be some light at the end of the tunnel.

That will be especially true if the Michigan basketball team can add Paul Mulcahy. He’s a 6-foot-7 combo guard. He could definitely play some point guard if needed and proved to be a stellar playmaker and defender for Rutgers before leaving via the transfer portal.

Michigan is one of the teams in the mix for Mulcahy. There was also chatter that Michigan could have a shot at Antonio Reeves if he hit the transfer portal. It seems like that won’t happen now, but you never know. Things can always change quickly.

If Reeves does stay at Kentucky, it might help the Wolverines with Mulcahy. The Wildcats are another team in the mix and there’s no shortage of contenders.

Michigan basketball really needs Mulcahy though and if he wants a bigger role, the Wolverines might be the best fit. He could start at the two for the Wolverines or basically as part of a three-guard backcourt with Nimari Burnett and Dug McDaniel.

Add Tarris Reed at center and Olivier Nkamhoua at power forward and that’s a really strong defensive lineup. Nkamhoua was a big addition to the offense which needed a proven scorer.

He only averaged 10.8 points per game a year ago, but he’s got the potential to score 30. Yet, his defense might be his best asset. If the Wolverines can sell Mulcahy on improving his draft stock, which he would definitely have a chance to do, they could have a shot to get him.

A new identity for Michigan basketball

If they do, the makeover of Michigan basketball’s identity will be complete. Things might not look pretty on offense (Juwan Howard will figure it out) but it should be a much-improved team defensively, which is where this team can make progress.

As great as Hunter Dickinson was at scoring the ball, he was a defensive liability. So was Jett Howard. The Wolverines might not have any elite scorers this season. But they can be a tough team that grinds it out on the defensive end.

Howard was known for helping Miami be a good defensive team during his time as an NBA assistant and according to Terrance Williams, change is coming next season.

"“Part of the reason why I wanted to stay is it’s going to be different this year,” senior forward Williams said on the Defend The Block podcast. “Our offense is going to look totally different, maybe our defense is going to look different, but it’s going to be a different look. I just can’t wait to see what [head] Coach [Juwan] Howard and his staff have planned, but I feel like it’s going to be great and we’re going to be doing more stuff than what we did in the past — and I’m ready for it.”"

That’s music to my ears. Michigan needs another guard and hopefully, Mulcahy comes aboard. Juwan always seems to have something up his sleeve so another addition is possible too — just look at Youssef Khayat last offseason.

The most important thing, though, is an identity change and that process is well underway.