Michigan Basketball: 3 biggest 2020 offseason storylines for Wolverines

By Adam Childs | Jun 7, 2020

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 27: Isaiah Livers #2 of the Michigan Wolverines gets direction from Head Coach Juwan Howard during the first half of a college basketball game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Crisler Arena on February 27, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) /

3 of 4

EVANSTON, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 12: Isaiah Livers #2 of the Michigan Wolverines (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

2. Impact of Isaiah Livers decision for Michigan Basketball

Isaiah Livers was having a great year last year before it got derailed by injuries. He suffered a pulled groin muscle and he was never quite the same when he came back.

But before that injury, he had made the leap that most Wolverines fans were hoping he would. Michigan was a completely different team when he was on the court. When he was at his best, the team rolled through the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament and looked primed to compete for the Big Ten championship. In a year when they started the year unranked, he had helped them climb all the way to number four in the country.

Unfortunately, the injury happened and the Wolverines faltered a little bit, before finally getting back into their stride towards the end of the season. Livers used his good year to put his name on into the early entry list for the NBA draft, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, everything has been put on hold, until they finally came to an agreement to return to play earlier this week.

With the new plan, the NCAA has announced that the players have until 10 days after the NBA combine or August 3rd, whichever comes first to withdraw their name from the draft. So Wolverines fans will have to wait a little longer to find out if LIvers will return.

It will be big news when it happens and one Michigan fans hope ends up with him coming back. Early returns made it seem like he would return but with so much in flux, it is still up in the air.

If Livers returns he will be the best player on the Wolverines and instantly raise their stock among the experts. He would be one of the top returning shooters in the Big Ten and also is a very good defender. He is a matchup problem for most teams as he can score from anywhere on the court and is great out on the break.

I wrote earlier on how the Wolverines need him to return and I still believe that. Michigan has a lot of talent without him, but having him would make this a top-five Big Ten team.

Home/Michigan Wolverines