Big Ten Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2022-23 season

Last year seemed like it was going to be the year for Juwan Howard’s Wolverines. Michigan couldn’t meet the moment, but they’ll have a chance to try again this year.

Despite struggling more than expected, Michigan managed to eke its way into the NCAA Tournament, where the No. 11 seed upset Colorado State and Tennessee and made a run to the Sweet Sixteen, where it fell to Villanova.

A good season could help repair the image of Howard, who was involved in one of the ugliest incidents in recent college basketball memory, striking a Wisconsin assistant and sparking a brawl between the two teams. He was suspended for the remainder of the regular season.

Michigan lost ten players during the offseason, an absurd amount of people departing. Among the notable exits were Eli Brooks, Brandon Johns Jr., Frankie Collins, Moussa Diabate, and Caleb Houstan.

But just as important is who’s back: Hunter Dickinson. His sophomore season wasn’t as spectacular as his freshman season, but Dickinson still earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors and a spot on the All-Big Ten Defensive Team. He’s probably one of the top two players in the conference entering the season.

Kobe Bufkin is also back, expected to take a big leap this season. The highly-touted recruit barely cracked the rotation last season, but he could be one of the lead guards for the Wolverines this season.

Jaelin Llewellyn should also be a critical addition. The graduate transfer from Princeton averaged 15.7 points per game last season, hitting 38.6 percent of his threes. The All-Ivy guard should immediately become Michigan’s second or third leading scorer.

There’s good depth out on the wing as well. Joey Baker comes over from Duke, while Jett Howard comes in from his father’s house, presumably. Expect Howard to be an important player quickly.

In some ways, it doesn’t feel like Michigan has the same ceiling they had entering last year. But having a lesser weight of expectations and one of the best players in the sport should quietly help the Wolverines rise to the top of the Big Ten.