Early Look At Michigan's Potential Basketball Ranking In 2021

College basketball expert Jon Rothstein recently posted an early top-45 basketball rankings article and put Michigan in a pretty appropriate spot, in my opinion. There are obviously still some developments that will affect U-M's standing and ability, but for now I like the ranking.

Starting Lineup

That five is possible, but if Isaiah Todd ends up in Ann Arbor, and Josh Christopher ends up committing to the Wolverines, I'm sure the five-star freshmen will have something to say about it.

Key Losses

Losing guys like Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske is a big deal. We're talking about the winningest duo in program history with 108 wins for the pair. Simpson was the head of the snake in every way and, despite a down senior year, Teske was one of the best big men in the Big Ten as a junior and certainly had a big role in U-M's recent success.

Key Newcomers

Todd is debating between Michigan and playing overseas, and Christopher is still figuring out his recruitment, but is considered a Michigan lean. Todd measures in at 6-10, 195 pounds and can really do it all. He's long, athletic and can handle, drive and shoot like a guard. Christopher is a 6-5, 215-pound combo guard who can fill it up and defend. He's a supremely athletic slasher who can also shoot from the outside. At 7-2 and more than 260 pounds, Hunter Dickson fits perfectly into the lineup as a replacement for Teske. The big lefty doesn't play above the rim but is solid on defense because of his size and has incredible hands and touch around the rim on offense. He can also step out and shoot it at at least a Teske-like clip. Zeb Jackson and Terrance Williams aren't day-one starters, but could both develop into very solid contributors. Jackson has the look of a future starter at 6-2, 160 pounds, but isn't going to be ready or needed when he arrives on campus. Williams is a bit of a tweener at 6-6, 215 pounds, but could end up being a four-year glue guy who can do a lot for his team.

Projected Bench

For some reason, Austin Davis isn't listed but he's going to be a key contributor off the bench next year. Also, don't sleep on Brandon Johns Jr. The junior-to-be started 10 games in place of Isaiah Livers in 2019 and showed that he's growing and capable. He's more suited for coming off the bench, but he's not going to go away quietly next year even with a lot of talent potentially arriving in Ann Arbor. Adrian Nunez and Colin Castleton could be on transfer watch with scholarship numbers becoming a concern but for now, they're bench bodies at the most. Cole Bajema is also someone to watch but as a rising sophomore, he might not have to make a decision yet. He barely played as a freshman but showed some promise as a shooter at 6-7, 175 pounds.

NBA Watch

Isaiah Livers' future is a bit of an unknown. At times this season, he looked like a future pro. At other times, he looked less-than-dominant in college. Throw in the fact that he missed 10 games due to various injuries and didn't get a chance to show out on the big stage, and you have to imagine him returning to Michigan.

All in all, I think No. 22 is a good and fair spot for the Wolverines. The Maize and Blue started this past season unranked before climbing into the top five after a scorching hot start. A midseason losing streak saw the Wolverines tumble out of the top 25, before they clawed back in. Another rough patch to end the year resulted in U-M finishing the year unranked in year one under Juwan Howard. Giving them respect because of Howard's ability to coach and recruit elite talent results in them coming in at No. 22 per Rothstein.

The other Big Ten teams on his list are No. 6 Iowa, No. 9 Ohio State, No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 14 Michigan State, No. 23 Indiana, No. 28 Rutgers, No. 40 Illinois, No. 43 Purdue and No. 44 Maryland.

How do you feel about Michigan's ranking? What do you think the Big Ten will look like next year? Comment below!!!