Michigan basketball working with ‘urgency’ to fill last scholarship

Michigan baskeball has one scholarship spot left heading into the 2024-25 season and head coach Dusty May said the the Wolverines are working to fill it.

“We are working with a sense of urgency, but we don’t feel like there’s any panic to add someone just to be adding. In our profession, too, there are times when you kind of sit and wait and you have a really potential big-time player that can kind of fall to you because of the situation,” May said via the Defend The Block Podcast.

A big-time player might have fallen into the Wolverines’ lap in Florida State standout Jamir Watkins. The 6-foot-7 forward withdrew his name from the NBA draft last week, which immediately made him one of the best players available in the portal.

Source: Florida State transfer Jamir Watkins is considering the following programs.

St. John's
Michigan
Florida State
Oregon
Kansas State
Cincinnati

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) June 3, 2024

Michigan basketball is a top contender for Jamir Watkins

Michigan baskeball was mentioned as one of the top teams in contention, along with St. John’s. On Monday, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported that there are six contenders for Watkins. Florida State is still in the mix, along with Kansas State, Oregon, and Cincinnati.

Watkins is a New Jersey native so there could be some appeal to playing for St. John’s. But the 15-points-per-game scorer for FSU, who also averaged six rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.9 steals, would be a perfect addition for Michigan basketball.

The Wolverines’ one weakness is at the four. There isn’t a true four on the team. Watkins isn’t a four, but he can defend the position, which could be key because undersized fours who can shoot could terrorize the Wolverines this season, just as they have in the past.

I love Danny Wolf and Sam Walters, but their defensive assets are limited. Watkins is a stellar defender though. He’s a solid 3-point shooter too, making 34 percent in each of the last two seasons.

The Michigan basketball team already has a roster capable of winning the NCAA tournament, but if you add Watkins, it might be capable of winning the Big Ten.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms.