Recruiting reset: Recapping a busy offseason for Michigan basketball so far

It’s been a busy offseason for Juwan Howard and the Michigan Wolverines, as with a few players transferring away and a few players testing the NBA waters, the roster has a chance to look a lot different next season.

Along with those musical chairs, Michigan has been very busy on the recruiting trail, extending offers to a number of talented high school prospects who want the chance to grow in Ann Arbor.

There will likely be more offers this summer as the young recruits showcase themselves in various summer tournaments. Before those offers come, let’s project what next year’s roster could look like and recap the offers that have already been extended.

Outlook for 2022-23 season

Key Departures: Eli Brooks, DeVante’ Jones, Frankie Collins, Brandon Johns

Key Additions: Jaelin Llewellyn, Jett Howard, Tarris Reed, Dug McDaniel

Still up in the air: Caleb Houstan, Moussa Diabate

Key returnees: Hunter Dickinson, Terrance Williams, Kobe Bufkin

As mentioned at the top, there’s a chance that this Michigan roster looks a lot different than it did last season.

Eli Brooks and DeVante’ Jones have graduated and are both pursuing their NBA dreams, with Brooks participating in the NBA G League Elite Camp and Jones recently working out with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Three players from last year’s roster will be playing on different college basketball teams next season, with Frankie Collins heading to Arizona State and Brandon Johns and Zeb Jackson taking their talents to VCU.

It’s still unknown as to whether or not Caleb Houstan or Moussa Diabate will be back. A recent report suggests that Houstan may have been promised a first round selection, while Diabate has been working out with NBA teams.

With the departure of Brooks and Jones, if Houstan and Diabate both stay in NBA draft, the Wolverines would lose four of their top five scorers from last season. That’s a lot of scoring to replace.

Despite all those potential losses, there are still more than a few reasons to be excited for next season. Hunter Dickinson has announced he’s coming back for his junior year, and he’ll have a new guard to work with in Princeton transfer Jaelin Llewellyn. Additionally, key contributors who came off the bench will be returning, as both Terrance Williams and Kobe Bufkin should have expanded roles next season.

There are a few players in Michigan’s 2022 class who should have an instant impact next season as well. Jett Howard has a bit of a higher ceiling and has been turning heads at recent showcases; he has the potential to grow into Michigan’s best player one day. Tarris Reed gives the Wolverines a quality two-way big, and Dug McDaniel is a traditional point guard who could lead the second unit.

2023 recruiting class

In terms of keeping track of Michigan’s offers for various classes, 247Sports probably has the most comprehensive guide, as they make it very easy to follow along with the latest offers.

Michigan has made offers to two top guards in the class, both of which remain undecided. Five-star Marvel Allen and four-star Aden Holloway have NBA potential and could both be stars at Michigan, should they choose to come to Ann Arbor.

Last month, five-star point guard Isaiah Collier announced via Twitter that his recruitment is 100% open. He recently told Joe Tipton of On3 that he’d like to visit Michigan, saying that he likes the guards on Michigan’s roster.

We’ve also written about some of talented forwards that have gotten offers from Juwan Howard and Co., including 3-star Zayden High and 4-star Gavin Griffiths, the latter of which is visiting Michigan in mid-June.

Griffiths isn’t the only 2023 recruit visiting Michigan in June, as talented 4-star center Papa Kante will also be heading to Ann Arbor this month.

2024 recruiting class

Michigan has extended offers to four recruits in the 2024 class: point guards Christian Anderson, Durral Brooks, Trentyn Flowers and center Yves Missi.

You don’t often see commitments from classes that far in the future, but Anderson committed to the Wolverines back in November. I got a chance to speak with him and his dad earlier this month, and to say he seems excited to come to Ann Arbor is an understatement.

Maize n Brew will be sure to keep you updated as more visits with the 2023 and 2024 classes get announced.