NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early top-25 power rankings for 2021-22 season

This is a team that has plenty of seniors on the roster, none of who are projected to get drafted outside of potentially Isaiah Livers. That includes starting guards Eli Brooks and Mike Smith, as well as key defender Chaundee Brown. And one of the only non-seniors on the roster, sophomore Franz Wagner is expected to make the leap to the pros as well.

The good news for the Wolverines is that they will likely bring back their best player, Hunter Dickinson. The 7’1 center led Michigan with 14.1 ppg and 7.4 rpg this past season and was a major problem to deal with in the Big Ten. And what should worry conference opponents is what’s joining Dickinson inside.

Michigan currently has the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, led by top-10 combo forward prospect Caleb Houstan. They have another five-star frontcourt recruit joining in Moussa Diabate, along with three-star stretch forward, Will Tschetter. And after how effective Brandon Johns, Jr. was in place of Livers, the Wolverines arguably will have the best amount of frontcourt depth in the country for 2021-22.

The only question that will be is how the guards perform. Michigan does have a pair of four-star commits in Kobe Bufkin and Frankie Collins, along with a bigger role in former top-60 recruit Zeb Jackson. Throw in 6’6 wing commit Isaiah Barnes and there’s potential both short and long term with the team.

The Wolverines have been after a transfer point guard and if they can get one, they’ll be a betting favorite to win it all. The same will go if the staff can convince either Smith or Brooks to come back as well. That missing ball-handler piece is the only thing keeping them from being the preseason Big Ten favorite.