Michigan Basketball: How the Wolverines reached the Final Four

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 24: The Michigan Wolverines celebrates with the regional championship trophy after defeating the Florida State Seminoles in the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional Final at Staples Center on March 24, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. The Michigan Wolverines defeated the Florida State Seminoles 58-54. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 24: Moritz Wagner /

What are the odds of Michigan returning to the Final Four next season?

There are some who might not realize this, but the Wolverines are here to stay as a national program. They will lose a couple of seniors, but currently, have five high-school recruits ranked in the top-200 nationally in the 2018 class. That’s currently good for a top-20 team ranking.

Michigan will probably never get the five-star prospects that the blue bloods get, but Beilein’s ability to develop players over four years will continue to keep them relevant. The success of Matthews also presents an opportunity of more transfers coming their way.

Based on the assumption of the current prospects coming in, along with everyone else returning, Michigan will be a top-20 team for the 2018-19 season.

But things can easily change with Wagner, whose upcoming decision will change next season’s expectations. He put his name into the draft last year before pulling it out, and it’s likely that he’ll do the same. He’s a possible first-round pick depending on how he works out, and it could be enough for him to pull the trigger.

If Wagner goes, fighting for an at-large bid and a middle of the road finish in the Big Ten will be the objective. If he stays, then Michigan will be fighting for a whole lot more.

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