DJ Wilson To Remain in 2017 NBA Draft, Depart Michigan Wolverines

According to a report from DraftExpress, rising redshirt junior DJ Wilson will be keeping his name in the 2017 NBA Draft and won’t be returning to the Michigan Wolverines. This is a big hit to a team coming off an impressive Sweet 16 appearance.

During last season, Wilson was one of the most impressive players on Michigan’s team. Although he only saw limited minutes in his first two seasons with the program, he played 30.4 minutes a game last season, averaging 11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.

Perhaps the most impressive performance during Wilson’s time in Ann Arbor was his play against Purdue in the 2017 Big Ten Tournament. He had 26 points and eight rebounds in a dramatic overtime victory for the Wolverines. The win was part of Michigan’s incredible path to a Big Ten Tournament title.

If this report is true, Wilson will now take hit best shot at the NBA, where he is a projected as a late pick in the First Round. Many consider him to be a potential option for some of the Western Conference’s best teams, including the San Antonio Spurs and the Utah Jazz.

Michigan, on the other hand, will have to try and replace one of the most diverse players in the league. Simply put, there is no easy fix for what the team loses in Wilson. Most likely, Michigan will have to use a combination of Kentucky transfer Charles Matthews and Duncan Robinson at the four spot to try and fill Wilson’s lost minutes.

But the good news is that with Jaaron Simmons and Moritz Wagner, Michigan will have some key pieces to transition to next season. Michigan will also have one open scholarship with Wilson’s departure to use on a potential transfer or late 2017 addition. However, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Michigan “bank” the scholarship.

Either way, it appears that Wilson’s time in Ann Arbor is at a close and he will be taking his talents to the NBA. It will be interesting to see how Michigan attempts to move forward after this key departure.