John Beilein Shares Whether This is the Best Michigan Team He's Seen

John Beilein had an illustrious career as a head coach. After a steady run with West Virginia, Beilein came to Ann Arbor for the 2007-08 season and he would end up winning 278 games with the Wolverines during his 12 seasons with Michigan.

Arguably the greatest coach in Michigan basketball history knows a thing or two about good teams. He led Michigan to two national championship games, yet he believes this year's Wolverines' team might be the best team he's seen.

Appearing on Go Blue Hoops! with Tim McCormick, Beilein talked about what he sees out of Dusty May's team.

Trey Burke and former Michigan head coach John Beilein pose. — Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I think they are a lot like the teams you used to play for," Beilein told McCormick. "Where people would stay, it was very rare for a freshman or sophomore to go into the draft. They would stay junior, senior year — only they're even older...You take [Trey McKenney] and L.J. Cason, two guys that are high level would be — you also have Will Tschetter — starting for every other Big Ten team and they're coming off the bench.

"They have great depth. They have amazing length, talent. And they're experienced. Take your teams, you only stayed three years, right, Tim? Imagine you as a fifth-year player, how good you would be. You saw it with Duncan Robinson and Muhammad Ali a little bit how they evolved because they were fourth and fifth year guys. Imagine Glenn Robinson and Nik Stauskas and all these guys being fourth and fifth-year guys.

"It's as good of a team as I've seen in college basketball in a long time. I am a little compared to Villanova in '18 because they both had experience and talent on their side. This team may be even better than that."

Would anything but a Final Four be a failure?

Michigan won the Big Ten title outright by four games, went 29-2 this season, and set a new program record with 19 conference wins. The Wolverines are a favorite to make the Final Four this season, but as Beilein said — it takes more than just skill to get to the national title.

"Now let me say this, that doesn't predict they're going to win a national championship," said Beilein. "You got to get lucky to get to the Final Four in the national championship. You got to stay injury-free. Don't get in crazy foul trouble in a game. A ref's call could go either way that could cost you the season because it's a tough job officiating.

"So, doesn't mean they're a failure if they don't make it to me. But they are really a talented team. Somebody's got to give them their best shot. Everybody's gonna give their best shot and they're gonna have to withstand all those things and keep winning because winning is hard to sustain and they've been able to do it."

Michigan will play its first game in the Big Ten Tournament on Friday.