David DeJulius' Transfer Decision Raises Three Questions
Why would DeJulius transfer when his path to playing time just opened so significantly?
Playing behind Zavier Simpson at the '1' and Eli Brooks at the '1' & '2' these past two years, DeJulius averaged 3.8 minutes and 20.9 minutes per game in his freshman and sophomore campaigns, respectively. With Simpson graduating and Brooks defining himself more as a off-guard instead of the main ball handler this past season, it reckoned DeJulius was the heir at point guard, needing only to battle incoming freshman Zeb Jackson for playing time.
DeJulius has not released a statement yet (and may not, though most players do) so it's impossible to say what the single greatest driving force was behind his decision, but during a season in which a number of previous role players found their groove under first-year head coach Juwan Howard - Brooks, Austin Davis and Brandon Johns Jr. - DeJulius seemed to wander aimlessly.
He was supposed to be a lethal sixth-man off the bench, instant offense, and for a seven-game stretch in November, that's exactly what he was, contributing 9.0 points per game, making 11 of 23 three-pointers (47.8%). However, DeJulius scored nine points or more in just seven of the next 24 Michigan contests and rarely appeared to be sure of himself and his role.
When Simpson was suspended for a game Jan. 28 at Nebraska, DeJulius filled the void, earning a career-high 34 minutes, yet the production didn't come - the sophomore guard making just 1 of 5 shots, 0 of 2 on threes, as he settled for five points. Four days later, Simpson was back in the lineup and DeJulius saw only six minutes of action (none in the second half) of a 69-63 win over Rutgers.
It almost felt like DeJulius had a chance to showcase himself, retreated from the moment, and never earned that opportunity again. He did score 20 in, what is now, his final college game in the maize and blue, an 83-70 loss at Maryland March 8, but that performance appears to be a closing salvo not a glimpse of future possibilities.
Whether there wasn't chemistry with Howard, confidence issues, never feeling like he belonged, or perhaps feeling his minutes might go down with the arrival of talented freshmen (and/or a possible grad-transfer), we might not know the definitive answer, but DeJulius is leaving because something just didn't feel right.
Where does DeJulius' decision leave Michigan in terms of numbers?
Adrien Nunez' announcement last week that he would be returning for a junior season threw everyone for a loop - averaging only 7.6 minutes in 2019-20 with fewer opportunities seemingly on the horizon, Nunez was a prime candidate to transfer. However, with this DeJulius' news, Michigan is dead even at the NCAA-allowed 13 scholarships for 2020-21.
| Position | Freshmen | Sophomores | Juniors | Seniors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1's | Zeb Jackson | |||
2's & 3's | Jace Howard | Cole Bajema | Adrien Nunez | Eli Brooks |
Terrance Williams | Franz Wagner | |||
4's & 5's | Isaiah Todd | Colin Castleton | Isaiah Livers | |
Hunter Dickinson | Brandon Johns Jr. | Austin Davis | ||
Total | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 (13 total) |
The Wolverines are still considered the frontrunner for five-star shooting guard Josh Christopher and the Maize and Blue are active on the grad-transfer wire, including Harvard point guard Bryce Aiken, who has U-M in his final four along with Maryland, Seton Hall and Iowa State.
If Michigan lands Christopher and a grad-transfer, there would have to be an attrition of two from the current roster/incoming recruits. Jace Howard, Juwan's son, could solve some of these issues if he walks-on to U-M (Howard made more than $140 million in his NBA career and makes a little more than $2 million per year as the coach at Michigan).
Other possibilities include more transfers out, a recruit not ultimately signing a letter of intent, junior Isaiah Livers or freshman Franz Wagner turning pro (Livers is testing the NBA Draft waters but can still return to school) or not signing either Christopher and/or a grad-transfer. DeJulius' decision April 6 makes Michigan's roster situation much more tenable than if he had decided to return for a junior campaign.
Could Michigan's 2020-21 roster be missing a major piece?
If U-M lands Christopher, as most experts are predicting, the Wolverines will still be one of the most talented teams in college basketball next year, but who will run the point? It's too early in the Howard tenure to pass judgments, but Michigan does not have a strong recent history of leaning on a freshman point guard.
Of the seven point guards Michigan has signed over the last decade, only three averaged better than 20.0 minutes per game (only one, Trey Burke, averaged better than 30.0 MPG) while only Burke averaged better than 10.0 points per contest as a freshman (14.8). The rest - Darius Morris, Spike Albrecht, Derrick Walton, Simpson, Brooks and DeJulius - were largely part-time players for the Wolverines.
Jackson could be, like Burke, the exception, but the longer the coronavirus pandemic lasts, limiting opportunities for incoming freshmen to attend summer classes and conditioning workouts, and just hang around the team and facilities to better acquaint themselves, the less likely a rookie point guard has to emerge the team's dominant '1.' Though in this case, U-M may not have a choice.
Chances are Brooks will get some more run at the point, a role he held briefly, for 12 games, from Nov. 21-Jan. 2 his freshman year in 2018. He served as backup point guard the rest of his first year and most of his second, though he was more comfortable and productive this past season as a two-guard.
Christopher is also a possibility as a secondary ball handler. One of his strengths is being able to create shots for himself at the rim, midrange or at the three, and giving a greater percentage of possessions to a team's (potentially) most prolific scorer, as long as it doesn't lead to a spike in turnovers, should be a plus.
But DeJulius' departure almost certainly pushes Michigan to be even more aggressive on the grad-transfer wire, a player like Aiken serving as a stop-gap for one season as Jackson matures and Howard replenishes the ranks with another point guard in the 2021 class.
