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NCAA Basketball: 5 former top-100 recruits set for breakout 2018-19 seasons

By Brian Rauf

WICHITA, KS - MARCH 17: Jordan Poole #2 and Moritz Wagner #13 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrate Poole's 3-point buzzer beater for a 64-63 win over the Houston Cougars during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena on March 17, 2018 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
WICHITA, KS - MARCH 17: Jordan Poole #2 and Moritz Wagner #13 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrate Poole's 3-point buzzer beater for a 64-63 win over the Houston Cougars during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena on March 17, 2018 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 24: Jordan Poole #2 of the Michigan Wolverines cuts down the net after the Wolverines 58-54 victory against 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. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 24: Jordan Poole #2 of the Michigan Wolverines cuts down the net after the Wolverines 58-54 victory against 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. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Jordan Poole, Michigan

You undoubtedly remember Jordan Poole for hitting the biggest shot of the 2018 NCAA Tournament, and while that moment shows how special Poole can be, he didn’t get a chance to play a major role for the Wolverines.

The 6-4, 190-pounder has yet to start a game in college and averaged just over 12 minutes per game last season. Scoring has never been Poole’s problem – he averaged 6.1 points per game in that little playing time while shooting 42.9 percent the field and making 40 three-pointers – but his all-around game has been.

Like most freshmen, Poole needed to adjust defensively to the college game and take better care of the ball. His 22 assists were surpassed by his 25 turnovers. Head coach John Beilein told 247sports in June that those little things will determine how much playing time Poole gets this season.

"“You earn that rope in practice, you don’t earn that rope in games. Show me the money in practice, and you’ll get some rope in games. And it has to happen in every practice all the time. Jordan Poole is working at trying to extend that rope. He’s working hard and he’s doing a great job at extending. It might be a bit of a bungee cord right now, it might snap back every now and then, but he and Isaiah and Jon and all these guys, they get that.”"

Poole will be a starter this year following the departure of wings Duncan Robinson and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and, if he keeps up last year’s pace, he’ll average just under 20 points per game.

We already know the stage won’t be too big for him. He showed he isn’t afraid of the bright lights last March. As long as he improves on the little things, Poole will become one of the country’s breakout stars.

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