Michigan basketball: The latest on Kobe Bufkin's development, others who will have expanded roles

Michigan men’s basketball will have seven new faces on the roster in 2022-23, meaning contributions will have to come from undiscovered areas. A player that may factor most heavily into that is sophomore guard Kobe Bufkin.

Michigan’s backcourt is wide open after the departures of DeVante’ Jones and Eli Brooks. Princeton transfer Jaelin Llewellyn will fill the starting point guard role, while Bufkin hopes to stake his claim to the two-guard position.

Bufkin, who was the No. 44 player in the 2021 recruiting class, averaged only 10.8 minutes per game last season. The offense struggled to find consistency with him shooting 38% from the field and 22% from three as a freshman.

Looking to make the sophomore leap, Bufkin put on 20 pounds this offseason and now measures in at 6-4, 195. Head coach Juwan Howard sees a player with the potential to make a big move.

“I’ve seen a ton of growth from Kobe,” Howard told the media on Thursday in Ann Arbor. “He knows that there have been guys in our league that have made second-year jumps. We’ve also had a guy on our team that has made a huge second-year jump, that was Franz Wagner. Kobe looks at this as an opportunity for him. And he knows we are going to need him. He’s gonna get more of an opportunity to get more minutes. We’re going to need not only just his offensive production but his defensive production. [His progress] is not coach-driven. This is Kobe driven.”

Bufkin leaning on previous Michigan stars

Bufkin stayed back on Michigan’s campus this offseason in hopes to get better. He also has put work in with a pair of previous Wolverine stars of recent memory. His head coach is pleased with the gains that have been pade.

“He’s been in here in spring and summer,” Howard said. “He could have been jet-setting all over the country. Some guys would have a workout guy in California. Some guys have a workout guy in Florida. That’s the new way and I’m not mocking it. That’s how it is.

“Kobe spent the vast majority of his time here in the summer, working out in our building with our strength coach Jon Sanderson and his staff and then also getting extra work in with our managers. Zavier Simpson has been in there with him. Franz Wagner has been with him. The kid is put on extra pounds of muscle. This is a lean muscle where it can not prohibit him from being faster and quicker and athletic. This is muscle that is athletic and muscle that will be able to move and not be knocked off your route and able to defend being a two-way player.”

Others stepping forward as contributors

Howard used the talk of Bufkin to rave about the other players with bigger upcoming roles on Michigan’s roster. Junior forwards Terrance Williams II and Jace Howard might be the ones that benefit the most from the wide-open minutes available.

“[Terrance] will have a bigger role. If you look at Terrance’s freshman year to where he is now, you’re like, ‘whoa.’ This kid has reinvented himself. He got leaner faster. He’s gonna be another one that’s gonna have a larger role. Jace Howard is as steady as it comes, but I’ve seen his midrange shot become a little bit more consistent instead of just being a guy that just could shoot spot-up threes. A guy that can be comfortable with the ball in his hands and make good decisions with so many guys that can go off.

Bufkin is one of three remaining sophomores from the 2021 class. Forward Moussa Diabate and Caleb Houstan went to the NBA Draft, while point guard Frankie Collins entered the transfer portal. That leaves Michigan with Bufkin, forward Will Tschetter and wing Isaiah Barnes.

Progress has appeared there, too.

“Will Tschetter and Isaiah Barnes, two other two guys like Kobe, they stayed here this summer,” Howard said. “They have made drastic jumps in their game. The game has slowed down to them. [Our offensive and defensive identities] as far as how we play has really become comfortable to them. They have done very well in the practices that we were able to have.”

Michigan has four more practices between now and early next week to prep for its trip to Europe. Howard told the media everyone who is available will play. The sophomore trio figures to be featured prominently.