Hoops: 2022-23 lineup projections now that the transfer portal free transfer window has lapsed.
This is obviously post Frankie. I’m going to do lineups two different ways, since we don’t know the status of Caleb or Moussa, and won’t until June.
With them coming back:
Starters: Hunter, Diabate, Caleb, Kobe and Llewellyn.
Backups: Reed, T Will, Barnes or Tschetter, Jett and Dug.
If Barnes doesn’t win a spot this year, he will transfer. If Tschetter doesn’t, he may still stick around because his prospects the following year may be a little better.
Without them and not knowing who might replace them:
Starters: Hunter, T Will, Jett, Kobe and Llewellyn.
Backups: Reed, Tschetter, Barnes and Dug. The unknowns could potentially unseat Barnes and/or Tschetter.
Emoni, Emoni, Bates, Houstan, and Hunter
/throws up in mouth
This team has absolutely no passing right now. Adding Bates would make this even worse as he would just dominate the ball. Dug may -have- to play serious minutes even though idk who he can guard or if he can make shots.
I think it's pretty ridiculous that people are assuming that Bates, who is still only 18, is a finished product and can't improve on his performance last year. He obviously struggled with shot selection and decision-making, but he was a 17-year-old freshman.
Passing is coachable. I have a hard time seeing a Juwan Howard team devolve into iso-ball. If it does happen, it'll be the first time it has. Michigan has been one of the better ball-moving teams in the Big Ten under Juwan's tenure. Some of that is obviously personnel, but a lot of guys have improved their passing quite a bit while coached by Juwan. Franz tripled his assist rate Y1 to Y2. Hunter doubled his. Livers and Brooks improved a lot too. Devante Jones and Mike Smith were both definitively score-first players who reigned it in under Juwan.
Im sorry but you don't turn someone into a PG level passer with development over a year. Yes some players should be better passers with continued development but that still doesnt change the fact we dont have a playable PG on the roster. You can't coach the instincts that true playmakers possess.
While, sure, Bates isnt a finished product and should improve (if he wants to..) but I don't think running an offense as a point forward is something hes going to evolve into in a year or two. Hes a shot taker. That is a mindset. Devante Jones was only score first one year at CC, he was more of a natural PG before they needed him to be a scorer for his senior season.
I feel this offense is going to stagnate pretty badly anytime Hunter isnt on the court. Im not seeing who on this roster is going to break down a D and make plays for others. You can only coach up so much offense and run so many plays. At some point you need players to make things happen.
Nobody’s talking about emoni as a PG
Speculation’s not much fun
‘Bout who might be a one-and-done.
Heard one is gone and three may leave.
Some aren’t sure what to believe.
With Frankie Collins in the portal
And not a Wolverines immortal
And Diabate, Houstan thinkin’ pros,
Would TWill go? Maybe; who knows?
Is Kobe Bufkin on the fence?
Man, it’s really gettin’ tense.
The starting lineup’s now in flux.
Losing starters really sucks.
I'm still very bullish on Kobe Bufkin. He took his lumps as a freshman, but that's why the freshman year exists for the vast majority of D1 players. He can get to the rim, has a nice looking shot, and has the length and athleticism to be a plus defender. We'll probably need him to contribute more than spot duty at the point position, which I think he will be more than capable of doing.
Losing Frankie stings. But I think Kobe can make a sophomore leap and at least partially alleviate that void.