The Michigan men’s basketball team has seen plenty of exits this offseason.
With guard Kobe Bufkin and wing Jett Howard leaving for the NBA Draft, and center Hunter Dickinson in the transfer portal, the picture of the Wolverines’ upcoming lineup is unclear.
But on Friday, they got another piece. Seton Hall graduate transfer Tray Jackson announced that he committed to Michigan, first reported by On3.
While Michigan coach Juwan Howard has consistently dipped into the transfer portal throughout his time at the helm of the Wolverines, most of the players he finds are guards. Jackson is a power forward — a position where Michigan desperately needs an extra punch.
This isn’t the first time that Jackson has found a new team via the transfer portal. Jackson originally committed to Missouri, but averaged just 2.9 points in his freshman year, and decided to transfer to Seton Hall.
In his first season with the Pirates, Jackson only played in three games, seeing just 14 minutes of court time. But in the two seasons that followed that, Jackson increased his role with the team. This past season, he averaged 6.5 points and 2.2 rebounds.
“I chose Michigan because It’s close to home and it means a lot for me to be able to come and play in front of my family,” Jackson said to On3, referencing his Detroit roots. “I chose Coach (Juwan) Howard because of his experience being around the game at a high level, but also the vision he has for my development on and off the court.”
Although his 6-foot-10, 215-pound size is a welcome addition with Dickinson’s departure, based on his numbers, he seems to be more of a supplement than any sort of suitable substitution. This past season at Seton Hall, Jackson averaged just 14.7 minutes per game — 3.2 minutes fewer than the prior season.
Michigan needs production at the power forward spot. Simple as that.
That was the position that brought it the most trouble, and proved to be the greatest weakness. And with Dickinson gone at center, it leaves the Wolverines’ weakness even more vulnerable.
But Jackson could provide a solution. At least, that’s what Michigan hopes for.