After being forced to stay in Ann Arbor for six of the Michigan men’s basketball team’s road games with a suspension, sophomore guard Dug McDaniel is now leaving the city once and for all.
The Wolverines’ leading scorer has entered the transfer portal, as first reported by On3’s Joe Tipton via X and confirmed to The Michigan Daily by a Michigan spokesperson. McDaniel’s decision comes after Michigan coach Juwan Howard was fired on Friday, signaling an offseason likely filled with turnover for the Wolverines.
McDaniel started the season scorching hot, setting a new career-high mark for points twice in the first three games. He was Michigan’s clear “head of the snake” from the get go, with the team going as he went. And, despite some struggles in the latter half of the season and missing those six road games, he was the Wolverines’ overall leading scorer.
But now, Michigan will need to try to find a replacement for McDaniel’s 16.3 points, 4.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. While the Wolverines turned to graduate guard Jaelin Llewellyn during McDaniel’s suspension, he won’t be an option next year, having exhausted his eligibility. In addition to Llewellyn, two more players in Michigan’s eight-man rotation — graduate forwards Olivier Nkamhoua and Tray Jackson — are out of eligibility, meaning that McDaniel entering the portal signals the departure of half of the Wolverines who saw meaningful minutes during the season.
Where Michigan turns to pick up slack at point guard is an open question. With no natural ball handlers besides McDaniel and Llewellyn on the roster, there aren’t any options on the current squad. The incoming recruiting class contains two guards who, while inexperienced, may be quickly called upon. In addition, the Wolverines have made a habit of picking up graduate transfers in recent years, especially at guard, so the program’s eyes are almost certainly already on the portal.
When McDaniel rejoined Michigan on the road at the conclusion of his suspension, it signified a potential spark to get the Wolverines out of their rut. That spark never turned to flames, however, and Michigan ended its worst season in program history on a nine-game skid.
And while McDaniel could have been a building block around which to start a rebuild, his departure instead leaves behind an even shakier foundation.