What transfer commitment of Rubin Jones means for Michigan basketball

It’s been a busy day for Michigan basketball. First, Dusty May landed his first recruit, getting the commitment of Justin Pippen, a combo guard in the 2024 class.

That was a huge positive in its own right. Yet, soon after, there was a crystal ball projection for North Texas transfer guard Rubin Jones. This was one with some actual intel behind it because Jones announced his commitment to Michigan basketball, giving May his second pledge on Friday.

What Rubin Jones means for Michigan basketball

Jones has been on the Michigan basketball radar for quite some time. It was kept under wraps. Jones played against May in the American Conference last season and even complimented his coaching after one game.

The 6-foot-5 guard from Houston is known for his defense. However, he also averaged 12.4 points per game last season. That included 1.6 3-point field goals per game on 41 percent shooting. Jones also averaged 3.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 3.6 rebounds.

Jones played four seasons at North Texas. He’s a graduate transfer with one season of eligibility left. While Jones isn’t Vlad Goldin or a top-10 player in the portal, it’s a really solid addition. Not once in his four seasons did he have a defensive point-per-possession rating of over 1.0 per 100 possessions as an individual defender.

We don’t know what Nimari Burnett is going to do. But if Burnett returns for Michigan basketball next season, the Wolverines would have two very good guard/wing defenders.

A lefty, Jones became a threat last season using ball screens too. He can get to the rim, create shots for others, and is also effective at scoring on the left baseline. Jones might be called a combo-wing for the Wolverines and when you consider that May likes to use three-guard lineups, you can see Jones getting tons of minutes in the 2/3 spot next season.

This isn’t the kind of addition that gets headlines, but it does win games, which is what Dusty May is all about.

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