Regarding the University of Michigan and NIL, Michigan football has been king. However, it appears that basketball is now making a push in the industry. Today, young Michigan basketball star center Tarris Reed signed a NIL deal with Randy Wise Automotive.

Young Michigan basketball star Tarris Reed signs noteworthy NIL deal

When it comes to Randy Wise Automotive, they know a thing or two about Michigan athletics. While this is the first NIL deal they’ve signed with a Michigan basketball player, they have plenty of Michigan football players on board.

He joins a list of Michigan athletes, including stars like quarterback JJ McCarthy, linebacker Junior Colson and tight end Colston Loveland.

Valiant Management Group is thrilled to announce that Randy Wise Automotive has collaborated with University of Michigan basketball center, Tarris Reed. Tarris is the Official Center of Randy Wise Automotive.#VMG #NIL pic.twitter.com/kcp2PBfPe2

— Valiant Management Group (@valiantuofm) June 2, 2023

Historically, the automotive company has used these NIL deals in charitable ways. More specifically, the company, alongside the Michigan football program, has helped with various charities, including the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint and United Way of Genesee County as well as J.J.’s For The Kids Foundation.

Now, with Tarris Reed on board, the company has an even broader reach within the Michigan community. Not only does this expand their brand, but it also expands their options for charity events into the future.

Big things are expected of Reed in 2023

It’s been a less-than-ideal offseason for Michigan basketball so far in 2023. They’ve lost out on several big-time transfer targets, and they also happened to lose several players to the transfer portal and NBA draft.

Still, not all hope is lost, as some young studs are returning to the program. One of which is none other than center Tarris Reed who is likely to start for the Wolverines at center this upcoming season.

The 6-foot-10, 260-pound center had a solid freshman campaign in 2023, especially breaking out toward the end of the season. Recording 3.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game, he was fantastic as a backup to superstar Hunter Dickinson.

With Dickinson heading to Kansas, Tarris Reed will need to step up in a significant way for Michigan basketball. He has the size and skill to be a star in college basketball. All he needs is a chance to prove it, and that opportunity is coming up this season.

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It’s been a whirlwind couple of months for Michigan basketball fans. Even more so, it’s been a whirlwind couple of months for former Michigan basketball transfer commit Caleb Love. In March, he made his decision to enter the transfer portal, leaving North Carolina before committing to play for the Wolverines in April. Then, in a turn of events, he shockingly decommitted from Michigan and has committed to play for the Arizona Wildcats.

Former Michigan basketball transfer commit Caleb Love is an Arizona Wildcat

When shooting guard Caleb Love committed to Michigan basketball, Wolverine fans once again had something to be excited about. Following a disappointing season ending in a trip to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), things needed to change.

Naturally, coach Juwan Howard took to the transfer portal to find a potential new star for the program. It seemed like Caleb Love was going to be that guy before he surprised the world and decommitted. Now, it appears the former five-star commit is headed to Tucson, AZ.

I now present to you… “Savage Mode 2” #BearDown🐻⬇️🅰️ pic.twitter.com/brS7oXuWV0

— Caleb Love (@caleb2love) May 30, 2023

The Arizona Wildcats are getting a good one in Caleb Love. Through three seasons at North Carolina, Love recorded 14.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Not to mention, he’s an elite shot creator who is more than capable of making something out of nothing.

With Caleb Love officially headed elsewhere, Michigan basketball still has plenty of questions to attend to. Since the 2022-23 season ended, the Wolverines have lost out on stud players like Jett Howard, Kobe Bufkin, Hunter Dickinson and now Caleb Love. The team still has plenty of talent, but not much of it is proven.

If coach Juwan Howard hopes to pick up any extra pieces before next season, he needs to get on it soon. While the transfer portal is still technically open, many of the top options have already committed elsewhere. The future of Michigan basketball could still be bright, but coach Howard has plenty of work ahead of him.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

With the recent decommitment of Caleb Love, the Michigan basketball program has some questions to answer. One of the most concerning questions is the guard/wing positions. After losing small forward Jett Howard and guard Kobe Bufkin to the draft, the two positions became immediate concerns. While many Michigan fans thought guard Caleb Love would turn out to be the answer, it unfortunately was not to be. Now, it’s time for coach Juwan Howard to take a good hard look at the transfer portal yet again. One possible answer comes from SEC territory as former McDonald’s All-American Julian Phillips could be exactly what the Wolverines need.

Former McDonald’s All-American could be just what Michigan basketball needs

When we look at the Michigan basketball team heading into 2023, there are a few pretty major concerns to say the least. Possibly the biggest concern is elite guard and wing play, as most of their production from this past year is headed to the NBA. Now, as coach Juwan Howard and Michigan basketball likely turns to the transfer portal yet again, one particular name from down south might be the perfect match.

Forward Julian Phillips was a freshman this past year playing for the Tennessee Volunteers. Throughout the season, he recorded 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 41.1 percent from the field. For whatever reason, despite shooting the ball at a high rate all season long, he wasn’t put in position to be a major factor on the Volunteer offense, likely being the cause for his transfer decision.

BREAKING: Tennessee SF Julian Phillips plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, per @Cassidy_Rob.

He was a 5-star recruit in the class of 2022👀https://t.co/WyTpKeP1dW pic.twitter.com/eamewRInQQ

— On3 (@On3sports) May 10, 2023

Coming out of high school, he was listed as No. 19 player in the country and a five-star prospect per 247Sports. He also happened to be a McDonald’s All-American, so he has elite talent without a doubt. Even despite his lack of eye popping stats this past season, he was invited to the NBA Draft Combine before he elected to return and transfer. He’s that good.

With wing being a major concern for Michigan basketball heading into next season, it would be wise to at least give Julian Phillips a look. Juwan Howard knows how to get players into the NBA. Julian Phillips more than likely has NBA aspirations. This could be a perfect matchup for all parties, so keep an eye on Phillips as he continues to weigh his options for his future home.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!