All the Wolverines Who Have Played in the NBA This Season
When Jon Teske takes the court for the Grizzlies hopefully this week, he will become the 14th Michigan Wolverine to play in the NBA this season. I have to believe that's a record. By my research - and please, correct me if I missed something, because I'm sure I did - these 13 guys have all played in at least one NBA game this season:
Ignas Brazdeikis
Chaundee Brown
Trey Burke
Tim Hardaway Jr.
Caris LeVert
Isaiah Livers
Jordan Poole
Duncan Robinson
Nik Stauskas
Franz Wagner
Moe Wagner
Derrick Walton Jr.
D.J. Wilson
That number might grow beyond Teske, as well. There was word that Zavier Simpson was close to signing a 10-day deal with the Thunder, but I don't see that it actually happened. And, of course, 41-year-old Jamal Crawford is still out there waiting for a call. (Seriously.)
January 3rd, 2022 at 8:02 PM ^
I'm still waiting for a call, NBA or UM, either's fine with me.
Surely they've heard I scored a point a minute in high school. 4 points in 4 minutes. (Not average a game but for the season.)
January 3rd, 2022 at 8:07 PM ^
I would have loved to see Charles Matthews get a chance. Seems like GR3 is officially retired.
Other G League guys are Ibi Watson and Mike Smith.
January 3rd, 2022 at 10:34 PM ^
GR3 has too many years in the league to qualify for a 10-day contract. He would have to be signed to a full deal.
January 3rd, 2022 at 10:36 PM ^
the kentucky transfer?
January 4th, 2022 at 8:50 AM ^
Yep that's the one. He was brought in under Beilein... speaking of Beilein: did you know he was never an assistant coach*?
*not counting USA Basketball
January 4th, 2022 at 11:19 AM ^
Ibi Watson cannot be claimed as a wolverine. We give O$U fans crap for trying to claim Joe Burrows, UM fans can't claim anyone who transferred to another program.
We would get upset if Kentucky tried to claim Matthews.
January 4th, 2022 at 12:54 PM ^
But I hear all the time about Jalen Hurts being from Bama! Even though he transferred to OU
January 3rd, 2022 at 8:21 PM ^
That is a lot, but I would have to think we were close to that number back in the time after the Fab 5, then Tractor Trailor had passed through and Loy Vought, Glen Rice, Sean Higgens and others were still in the league. Sadly, I am far to internet worm-hole challenged to actually figure it out.
January 3rd, 2022 at 8:51 PM ^
14 is truly wild! Thats an entire NBA roster. 3-4 years from now it should even be better since most players are still young,
January 3rd, 2022 at 8:52 PM ^
Pretty sure the previous record was 12 set in the 1998-99 season -- Tariq Abdul-Wahad (f/k/a Olivier Saint-Jean), Maceo Baston, Gary Grant, Juwan Howard, Terry Mills, Glen Rice, Eric Riley, Jalen Rose, Maurice Taylor, Robert Traylor, Loy Vaught and Chris Webber. It was matched again 2 years later (2000-01) in Jamal Crawford's first season (in place of Eric Riley). Mills and Grant retired the following year.
January 3rd, 2022 at 9:09 PM ^
Well done! thanks for filling in the blanks I wasn't able to. (I never would have found Tariq Abdul-Wahad/Olivier Saint-Jean!)
January 3rd, 2022 at 9:30 PM ^
the heat adding stauskas after he couldn't clear protocol in toronto makes for a strange multi-team what if of the last 15 years of M basketball
January 3rd, 2022 at 10:29 PM ^
Looking at all the solid players to come out of this program over the past 10 years, it got me thinking that it would be cool if they did a Gus Macker style 3-3 tournament with College teams with say a player roster to choose from matchup. On an side, in this hyptothetical tournament an ex-coache or ex-player may serve as the team coach that picks the squad of five, and from that squad picks the three for a particular game.
In this alternate universe where this exists, what's your Gus Macker Michigan team? Think I am going THJ, Duncan, Franz, Vert, and Moe. Might have trouble with the Kentucky's of the world, but it's a solid team. If Hunter is available, I would take Hunter over Moe for the teams with a big body to matchup against.
January 4th, 2022 at 12:27 AM ^
THJ, Franz, Caris are the easy choices. Based on this year alone I would take Poole over Duncan. I don't think either Hunter or Moe match up particularly well against the bigs some of the best teams can throw out there, so I'd take Moe for a more "modern" big and hope he's hot from 3 against some of the better teams. Realistically with the other 4, you may be better off having a guy like Teske who isn't going to score but is going to play good defense and set some solid picks.
My 5 would be Caris, Franz, THJ, Poole, Moe.
January 4th, 2022 at 12:53 AM ^
Been doing Mackers/3 on 3s my whole life. It’s such a different game that making that list would be easy. You would dominate any other combo with Nik, Mo and Duncan. It wouldn’t even be close.
Not only would I pick that line up I’d easily place a lot of money on it and it makes your 4th easy, Franz because he can D up anyone on that small court, can still shoot and can drive with 2 1/2 steps to the hoop.
January 3rd, 2022 at 11:03 PM ^
Think about THIS. If they had all stuck around and taken their COVID year, this year's Michigan starting five could be:
Ignas Brazdeikis
Jordan Poole
Hunter Dickinson
Isaiah Livers
Franz Wagner
Yeah, I realize some of them play the same position, but still ...
January 4th, 2022 at 7:43 AM ^
I'd like to see a college reunion tournament every four years (opposite Olympics) where the top eight (or sixteen) schools with the most NBA minutes play a July Madness tournament for charity.
January 4th, 2022 at 8:30 AM ^
Jordan Poole had another great game last night with 32, 5 assists and 2 boards on 12-17 shooting. Really hope he gets a ring this year and signs a big contract.