With Michigan's season concluding, attention now turns towards the available player market. There is always an abundance of players available, but with the grad transfer rule, and especially as teams like Texas Tech, North Carolina, Nevada, and Iowa State have found key contributors in the transfer market, they are more popular than ever. Michigan found gold with Charles Matthews, who sat for a year, and also picked up Jaaron Simmons as point guard depth from Ohio for the 2018 Final Four run. With the possibility of roster attrition, a one-year addition would be nice for Michigan to allow them to bounce back. Who have they reached out to? Who is considering Michigan? Here, I break down five of the biggest-name grad transfers with confirmed contact from Michigan.
Justin Pierce -- William & Mary -- 6'7" -- Guard/Forward:
2018-19 Stats: 14.9 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 4.1 APG, 32.4% (44-136) from three, 34.3 MPG
When it comes to players Michigan is looking at heavily, perhaps none are finer than Pierce. A wing from the Chicago area, Pierce had a superb sophomore season that saw him average 14.7 points on 41.6% shooting from three and shoot 79% from the line. This is a red flag, given the near-10% drop in three point shooting, and exactly 20% drop in shooting from the free throw line. Pierce, though, does a lot more than shoot. He is built as a prototypical Beilein four, meaning he will stretch the floor, but also, like Ignas Brazdeikis, he can get to the rim. Indeed, one look at his highlight tape, which you can find here, displays legitimate athleticism with outstanding finishes in traffic with a soft touch, or simply throwing down a dunk. The over-four assists per game out of the power forward spot is also an added dimension that could be added to a starting five is Brazdeikis chooses to enter the NBA Draft. In watching Pierce, I see someone whose shooting splits this season are not the result of a sudden loss in mechanics. His shot still looks good and he can score the ball in other ways. While a player like Brazdeikis offered a higher percentage, something that would really be explored with Pierce in a line-up is the ability for the stretch four to create for himself and others off the dribble with a myriad of moves. The team to beat would appear to be Notre Dame, as Mike Brey has already made an in-home visit and he is from the Chicago region.
Daniel Utomi -- Akron -- 6'6" -- Forward:
2018-19 Stats: 14.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 37.3% (93-249) from three, 33.5 MPG
Utomi, under John Groce, featured heavily for the Akron Zips with the best defense in the MAC. On offense, though, Utomi was the key shooter for the Zips, taking the most threes total for the team. Coming from a team with such a great defense would be alluring for Michigan, but the elite shooting from distance makes that even more exciting. Charles Matthews' exit to the NBA Draft would leave a hole at the small forward spot in the line-up that Utomi could theoretically fit, but Utomi is more of a power forward with the ability to shoot like a three. A starter for the past two seasons, he, like Pierce, saw a drop in production from his sophomore to junior seasons. He averaged 16.7 points on slightly-higher three point shooting 40.2% but much better two point shooting (51.2% as a sophomore compared to 45.1% as a junior). He can get to the rim in a similar manner as Brazdeikis, but in my eyes, he is going to be best served as someone whose drive you need to respect, but the shot is where he is most devastating. Utomi has a fantastic list of suitors: North Carolina and Kansas figure to be key players with the likes of Indiana, Virginia, and Virginia Tech all in the mix as well.
Jahaad Proctor -- High Point -- 6'3" -- Guard:
2018-19 Stats: 19.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 33.1% (55-166) from three, 54% (155-287) from two, 34.6 MPG
One of the most intriguing names available on the market to me is High Point's Jahaad Proctor. Proctor is one of two high-profile HPU transfers as he and fellow double-digit scorer Brandon Kamga will be seeking a university to play their senior years. Proctor played primarily off the ball, which suits him well given how dynamic of a player he is. Proctor is a high-level driver that gets to the rim and finishes incredibly well. He shows no fear getting into the paint, as you can see in some in-game footage against William and Mary here, but also knows when to pull up with a soft jumper. His greatest strength is controlling his defender and knowing where they are at all times. Proctor took a huge leap in production from two, but dropped from 38.2% shooting from three as a sophomore to just the 33.1% mark he was at last season. A more positive sign, for those looking at Proctor, especially as an off guard, is that in his last eight games of the season, he shot 50% from three (28-for-56). Over that stretch, he averaged 20.6 points per game as well. He is a high level scorer that shot the ball plenty with High Point. A native of Pennsylvania, his list of interested schools is not as eye-popping as Utomi's, but while Utomi's skill set fits into nearly any system on paper, Proctor's is more geared towards being a guy that can get shots up (either from three or closer-range) every night. Arizona, Maryland, and Seton Hall are some of the biggest names to reach out. Michigan is looking into Proctor for a good reason as a possible Jordan Poole replacement.
Dazon Ingram -- Alabama -- 6'5" -- Guard:
2018-19 Stats: 7.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.6 APG, 38.1% (16-42) from three, 22.2 MPG
Ingram is a player from Alabama that is leaving in the wake of Avery Johnson's removal as head coach of the Crimson Tide. Ingram is a strong guard that figures to be a hybrid replacement for both Jordan Poole and Charles Matthews. Versatility is the name of the game for Ingram. His skill set is much better suited for the three, as he lacks a serious perimeter jump shot, but that can always improve, as his 71% free throw percentage would imply. He is strong and able to also handle the ball well, making him (combined with being 6'5") a real nice back court mate for Zavier Simpson. Of course, the question then becomes if Simpson and Ingram are starting in the back court, where will the majority of the perimeter scoring come from? Ingram has seen his turnovers drop steadily, as they are down from 3.4 per game as a freshman during his seven games played before injury to just two per game this past season. If he can continue to improve shooting the ball from distance while also developing into the plus-defender that he very well could be, then a good program would be getting an athlete who is able to affect the game on both sides of the ball in multiple aspects. Isaiah Livers would figure to become the team's best defender heading into next season, but Ingram on the side as well means that four of the five starting positions would potentially be covered by solid defenders. As can be seen on his 2016-17 highlights here, he has the ability to play within a pick-and-roll and at such a young age in these highlights, the thought is certainly that these skills should be able to be more fleshed out at his next stop. Nevada, Oregon, and Gonzaga, interestingly all west coast teams, are the three biggest schools to reach out to Ingram, and they are joined by some additional high mid-majors.
Rayjon Tucker -- Little Rock -- 6'5" -- Guard:
2018-19 Stats: 20.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 41.1% (72-175) from three, 36.6 MPG
While in the most recent update on Jeff Goodman's list of top available transfers does not have Michigan listed, there has been confirmed contact by Michigan of the shooting guard. Tucker is probably the top available grad transfer on the market. Setting up a visit to West Virginia, Tucker is a native of North Carolina and would figure to be a heavy lean there as Roy Williams and the Tar Heels have already reached out to him. Given that he seems to no longer be considering Michigan, I'll only spend a brief bit of time on him, but it's worth it because he is a guy that could be lighting up the high-majors next season. His athleticism is next level. Not just an elite scorer, he is incredibly efficient too. Last season he scored a career-high 36 points on just fifteen shots against Louisiana. He got to the foul line 211 times last season with a 77.7% conversion rate. On ten occasions he shot eight or more free throws, and he sank two-thirds of those on seven of those games. Overall, he shot just over 49% on 381 attempts from the field and can immediately walk into a P6 school's starting five and make an impact. He can score in all facets of the game, and his athleticism and shooting prowess both make him a top-tier talent. You can check out some highlight footage of him here.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan for plenty more Michigan basketball coverage, as well as AFC Ann Arbor and Liverpool FC coverage as well!
Justin Pierce -- William & Mary -- 6'7" -- Guard/Forward:
2018-19 Stats: 14.9 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 4.1 APG, 32.4% (44-136) from three, 34.3 MPG
When it comes to players Michigan is looking at heavily, perhaps none are finer than Pierce. A wing from the Chicago area, Pierce had a superb sophomore season that saw him average 14.7 points on 41.6% shooting from three and shoot 79% from the line. This is a red flag, given the near-10% drop in three point shooting, and exactly 20% drop in shooting from the free throw line. Pierce, though, does a lot more than shoot. He is built as a prototypical Beilein four, meaning he will stretch the floor, but also, like Ignas Brazdeikis, he can get to the rim. Indeed, one look at his highlight tape, which you can find here, displays legitimate athleticism with outstanding finishes in traffic with a soft touch, or simply throwing down a dunk. The over-four assists per game out of the power forward spot is also an added dimension that could be added to a starting five is Brazdeikis chooses to enter the NBA Draft. In watching Pierce, I see someone whose shooting splits this season are not the result of a sudden loss in mechanics. His shot still looks good and he can score the ball in other ways. While a player like Brazdeikis offered a higher percentage, something that would really be explored with Pierce in a line-up is the ability for the stretch four to create for himself and others off the dribble with a myriad of moves. The team to beat would appear to be Notre Dame, as Mike Brey has already made an in-home visit and he is from the Chicago region.
Daniel Utomi -- Akron -- 6'6" -- Forward:
2018-19 Stats: 14.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 37.3% (93-249) from three, 33.5 MPG
Utomi, under John Groce, featured heavily for the Akron Zips with the best defense in the MAC. On offense, though, Utomi was the key shooter for the Zips, taking the most threes total for the team. Coming from a team with such a great defense would be alluring for Michigan, but the elite shooting from distance makes that even more exciting. Charles Matthews' exit to the NBA Draft would leave a hole at the small forward spot in the line-up that Utomi could theoretically fit, but Utomi is more of a power forward with the ability to shoot like a three. A starter for the past two seasons, he, like Pierce, saw a drop in production from his sophomore to junior seasons. He averaged 16.7 points on slightly-higher three point shooting 40.2% but much better two point shooting (51.2% as a sophomore compared to 45.1% as a junior). He can get to the rim in a similar manner as Brazdeikis, but in my eyes, he is going to be best served as someone whose drive you need to respect, but the shot is where he is most devastating. Utomi has a fantastic list of suitors: North Carolina and Kansas figure to be key players with the likes of Indiana, Virginia, and Virginia Tech all in the mix as well.
Jahaad Proctor -- High Point -- 6'3" -- Guard:
2018-19 Stats: 19.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 33.1% (55-166) from three, 54% (155-287) from two, 34.6 MPG
One of the most intriguing names available on the market to me is High Point's Jahaad Proctor. Proctor is one of two high-profile HPU transfers as he and fellow double-digit scorer Brandon Kamga will be seeking a university to play their senior years. Proctor played primarily off the ball, which suits him well given how dynamic of a player he is. Proctor is a high-level driver that gets to the rim and finishes incredibly well. He shows no fear getting into the paint, as you can see in some in-game footage against William and Mary here, but also knows when to pull up with a soft jumper. His greatest strength is controlling his defender and knowing where they are at all times. Proctor took a huge leap in production from two, but dropped from 38.2% shooting from three as a sophomore to just the 33.1% mark he was at last season. A more positive sign, for those looking at Proctor, especially as an off guard, is that in his last eight games of the season, he shot 50% from three (28-for-56). Over that stretch, he averaged 20.6 points per game as well. He is a high level scorer that shot the ball plenty with High Point. A native of Pennsylvania, his list of interested schools is not as eye-popping as Utomi's, but while Utomi's skill set fits into nearly any system on paper, Proctor's is more geared towards being a guy that can get shots up (either from three or closer-range) every night. Arizona, Maryland, and Seton Hall are some of the biggest names to reach out. Michigan is looking into Proctor for a good reason as a possible Jordan Poole replacement.
Dazon Ingram -- Alabama -- 6'5" -- Guard:
2018-19 Stats: 7.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.6 APG, 38.1% (16-42) from three, 22.2 MPG
Ingram is a player from Alabama that is leaving in the wake of Avery Johnson's removal as head coach of the Crimson Tide. Ingram is a strong guard that figures to be a hybrid replacement for both Jordan Poole and Charles Matthews. Versatility is the name of the game for Ingram. His skill set is much better suited for the three, as he lacks a serious perimeter jump shot, but that can always improve, as his 71% free throw percentage would imply. He is strong and able to also handle the ball well, making him (combined with being 6'5") a real nice back court mate for Zavier Simpson. Of course, the question then becomes if Simpson and Ingram are starting in the back court, where will the majority of the perimeter scoring come from? Ingram has seen his turnovers drop steadily, as they are down from 3.4 per game as a freshman during his seven games played before injury to just two per game this past season. If he can continue to improve shooting the ball from distance while also developing into the plus-defender that he very well could be, then a good program would be getting an athlete who is able to affect the game on both sides of the ball in multiple aspects. Isaiah Livers would figure to become the team's best defender heading into next season, but Ingram on the side as well means that four of the five starting positions would potentially be covered by solid defenders. As can be seen on his 2016-17 highlights here, he has the ability to play within a pick-and-roll and at such a young age in these highlights, the thought is certainly that these skills should be able to be more fleshed out at his next stop. Nevada, Oregon, and Gonzaga, interestingly all west coast teams, are the three biggest schools to reach out to Ingram, and they are joined by some additional high mid-majors.
Rayjon Tucker -- Little Rock -- 6'5" -- Guard:
2018-19 Stats: 20.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 41.1% (72-175) from three, 36.6 MPG
While in the most recent update on Jeff Goodman's list of top available transfers does not have Michigan listed, there has been confirmed contact by Michigan of the shooting guard. Tucker is probably the top available grad transfer on the market. Setting up a visit to West Virginia, Tucker is a native of North Carolina and would figure to be a heavy lean there as Roy Williams and the Tar Heels have already reached out to him. Given that he seems to no longer be considering Michigan, I'll only spend a brief bit of time on him, but it's worth it because he is a guy that could be lighting up the high-majors next season. His athleticism is next level. Not just an elite scorer, he is incredibly efficient too. Last season he scored a career-high 36 points on just fifteen shots against Louisiana. He got to the foul line 211 times last season with a 77.7% conversion rate. On ten occasions he shot eight or more free throws, and he sank two-thirds of those on seven of those games. Overall, he shot just over 49% on 381 attempts from the field and can immediately walk into a P6 school's starting five and make an impact. He can score in all facets of the game, and his athleticism and shooting prowess both make him a top-tier talent. You can check out some highlight footage of him here.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan for plenty more Michigan basketball coverage, as well as AFC Ann Arbor and Liverpool FC coverage as well!
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