The Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team has long been one of the most consistent and successful in the college basketball scene. They’ve won one NCAA Championship as well as two National Invitation Tournaments, 15 Big Ten Conference titles and two Big Ten Tournament titles.
The team has sent numerous names into the NBA and, in total, has so far had 35 All-Americans selected.
The current crop of Wolverines players are an exciting bunch and entered this season as one of the Big Ten favorites, however some underwhelming performances have left them with plenty of work to do in order to reach the NCAA tournament.
In recent weeks, Michigan have pulled off some huge wins – including an 80-62 rout of Indiana and a dominant 84-63 win over Maryland – showing signs of the excellent team many tipped them to be.
So, those interested in betting on college basketball should not write the Wolverines off; they’ve got an uphill struggle, but their roster is packed with plenty of talent.
Their standout star is Hunter Dickinson, the towering center who is known for his rebounding prowess and imposing presence on the court. At 7’1’’, Dickinson is one of the largest collegiate players in the US and uses every inch of his frame.
He’s a prolific point-scorer but is also a huge attribute in defence, as well. He was instrumental in the wins over Indiana and Maryland, in which he scored 18 and 21 points respectively.
This is his second season with Michigan and he looks set to improve on his statistics from last season. At the time of writing, he has made nine three-pointers from 23 attempts. Last season, he didn’t score any threes and only attempted four across 28 appearances.
Dickinson’s .611 field goal percentage is currently higher than last season’s and he’s also on course to achieve more rebounds than he managed in the 2020-21 campaign.
The left-handed sophomore seems destined to become a star not just as a college basketball player but also a professional one, if he chooses to make the transition.
In his freshman year with Michigan, Caleb Houstan has also proven himself one to watch. A consensus five-star recruit, Houstan was Michigan’s highest-rated recruit since Glenn Robinson III in 2012.
A stoic player despite his youth, Houstan has a very high basketball IQ and can spot plays way before his opponents. He is also excellent at shooting from range and despite a slump in form earlier this season, is back netting three-pointers for the Wolverines almost at will.
As he continues to fill out into his 6’8’’ frame, expect Caleb to become even more of a problem for Michigan’s opponents. He’s already an integral part of the Wolverines setup and could be set for big things within the sport.
Frenchman Moussa Diabate, currently in his freshman year, joined the Michigan fold with fairly high expectations. So far this season, the five-star recruit hasn’t quite had the impact some would have hoped, but he has still shown glimpses of brilliance.
His workrate on the court is almost unrivalled and he is not afraid to get in opponents’ faces and use aggressive play to win back the ball or charge forward. At 6’11’’, the fledgling forward is known for his rebound play both in offence and defence.
His natural length makes him a real threat under the net and he is growing into more of an all-round talent with each passing game he plays in.
Guard Jace Howard plays at Michigan with a dose of added pressure; his father, Juwan, is head coach of the team. The Miami native doesn’t let that get to him, though.
Like Diabate, he plays with tons of energy and is usually one of the strongest players on the court in terms of physical power. He uses that to great effect while playing defence and can boss games from the back.
He has also displayed improving shooting ability, as well as a more offensive-minded approach from mid-court. Having grown up around the game, Howard is a true student of basketball and this shows in his game.
Though he’s not typically a starter for Michigan, Howard always makes an impact when he comes off the bench.
The current Wolverines team might be struggling to replicate the form of last season, but there are a number of names on the roster who could develop into potential superstars over the next few years.
Michigan has sent numerous high profile names to the NBA and the likes of Dickinson and Houstan look set to follow in their footsteps.
