Michigan coach <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/coach/juwan-howard-132526/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Juwan Howard</a> and assistants Phil Martelli, Saddi Washington, and Howard Eisley are still looking for another guard to add to the roster for 2023-24, but the Wolverines appear to be running out of time. That could leave it up to sophomore <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/dug-mcdaniel-39315/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dug McDaniel</a> to play huge minutes again this season and give Alabama transfer <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/nimari-burnett-93455/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nimari Burnett</a> more of an opportunity to play with the ball in his hands. 



RELATED • <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/michigan-wolverines/news/inside-the-fort-aug-11-michigan-football-intel-basketball-and-more/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">INSIDE THE FORT, Aug. 11: Michigan football intel, basketball, and more</a> • <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/michigan-wolverines/news/michigan-basketball-team-visits-patients-at-mott-childrens-hospital/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michigan basketball team visits smiling patients at Mott Children’s Hospital</a>



Michigan associate head coach Martelli pretty much said as much on the recent Defend the Block podcast with play-by-play man Brian Boesch. The Wolverines are going to need ball handlers, and Burnett has been working hard on that part of his game. He’s a likely starter in 2023.



“Nimari is a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful young guy. He’s different than most young players in that he’s built defensively to offensively,” Martelli said. “You can see the physique. His shooting is improving, but needs to improve [more], and I think he’s accepting the trust that he will be given to play with the ball. I’m not saying anything about his earlier time in college, but I’m sure in this program he has the ball more than he has in other settings.”



His eyes are wide open, Martelli said, meaning his heart is open. He wants to be coached and to please, and he’s working hard knowing he has a huge role on this team. McDaniel, though, is still the straw that stirs the drink. He had some great moments a year ago, but he still has another gear to reach, especially defensively. His shot has improved, as has his conditioning. Any Michigan improvement this year likely starts with him.



 “I think Duggy is more of a grown up [now] physically,” Martelli said. “His attention to practice … he’s more of an older guy. I have noticed he is more vocal during these workouts. At the same time, by not coasting, he’s improved all areas of his game. 



“When you come in as a freshman, maybe you come in with the mindset that ‘I’m a backup,’ and then you’re having to catch speed. That wasn’t going to happen. I do notice that he’s become more of a connector. I see a little something with him and Nimari, him and [Seton Hall forward transfer] Tray Jackson — maybe that’s what that position is, to be a connector within the program, not just on the court. The one other area is his shooting. I see an improved shooter.”



Grad Jaelin Llewellyn and sophomore Youssef Khayat, meanwhile, are wildcards. Llewellyn is coming off major knee surgery that takes a long time to recover from, his second significant leg surgery in his career. He’s been working hard, but they can’t and won’t rush him back. Rumblings are he probably wouldn’t be available until later in the season. Khayat, meanwhile, is recovering from a nagging injury that kept him out of international paly this summer. 



“If people see him out and about, give him a slap on the back,” Martelli said of Llewellyn. “I’m not medical to say he’s where he should be or he’s two weeks behind or he’s two weeks ahead, but to see him out there makes you tear up a little bit. Because that was quite a blow. He’s out there. He’s not banging against anybody, but certainly out there.



“Yo-yo has had a couple bumps and bruises, so he’s held out a little bit. What I’ve noticed about him is he’s clearly stronger. He looks like a college player where probably last year when we met him in Paris, he looked like a kid. He looks better in that area. Now we need to have him on the floor consistently.”



Finally, freshman George Washington III could provide something the Wolverines desperately need in the shooting department. There’s an “excitement and joy” every time he interacts with him, Martelli said, and in everything the frosh does. He’ll likely have to play a role in 2023.



“Man, he can really shoot the ball. If there’s one thing that they’ll all tell you around here, I like when the ball goes in the basket” Martelli said. “He’s got a beautiful stroke. His ball skills are a work in progress, but his attention to detail is extraordinary for a young player. He really wants to be coached. He wants you to explain; he wants to get it right. 



“He’s a pleaser. I would pay him the ultimate compliment. I wasn’t here, but I can’t believe that Eli Brooks would have been further along than George was now as a freshman. When I say Eli 2.0 — I don’t even know what that means — but that’s what I hope for him. I hope that his career mimics Eli.”



Michigan opens the season with an exhibition against Northwood Nov. 6.

michigan-basketball-falls-at-oregon-for-second-straight-loss

The Wolverine Basketball

The Wolverine

U-M hoops assistant Phil Martelli provides intel on guards

team image

Big Ten Conference

Michigan - The Wolverine

Organization Logo

Michigan

The Fort

News

Lobby

Forums

News Feed

Roster

Schedule

Transfer Portal Ranking

Transfer Portal

Michigan Draft History

[site-team] Draft History

Football

Search

Commitments

Transfers

Team Rankings

Player Rankings

Industry Comparison

Offers

Visits

Recruiting Prediction Machine

FB Recruiting

Basketball

BB Recruiting

About

Staff

The Wolverine On3+ Subscription

[site-name] On3+ Subscription

Contact

Podcasts and Shows

Team Store

Women's Basketball

Softball

Baseball

Message Boards

Transfer Portal {{ hot }}

Transfer Portal Player Rankings

MegaBoard

Rivals300

Alabama

Arizona State

Arizona

Arkansas

Auburn

Baylor

Boston College

California

Removed

Clemson

Colorado

Duke

Florida

Florida State

Georgia

Georgia Tech

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Iowa State

Kansas

Kansas State

Kentucky

Lettermen Row

Lettermen Lounge

Louisville

Maryland

Miami

Michigan State

Minnesota

Mississippi State

Missouri

NC State

Nebraska

North Carolina

Northwestern

Notre Dame

Ohio State

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

Ole Miss

The Main Board

Oregon

Oregon State

Penn State

Pittsburgh

Purdue

Rutgers

South Carolina

Stanford

Syracuse

Tennessee

Texas A&M

Texas

Texas Tech

UCLA

Utah

Vanderbilt

Virginia

Virginia Tech

Wake Forest

Washington

Washington State

West Virginia

Wisconsin

BamaOnLine

BOL Round Table

Inside Texas

IT Members Only

DawgsHQ

Dawg Walk

Scoop Duck

Recruiting & Sports

AuburnSports

The Corner

WeAreSC

GarryP's Trojan Huddle

The Lions Den

The Wolfpacker

The Wolves’ Den

GatorsOnline

Swamp Talk

Alabama A&M

Alabama State

Albany

Alcorn State

Abilene Christian

Appalachian State

Akron

Army

Austin Peay

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Arkansas-Little Rock

Arkansas State

Air Force

Ball State

American

Wofford

Winthrop

Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Wisconsin-Green Bay

Wichita State

Western Carolina

Volleyball

Gymnastics

Men's Lacrosse

Women's Lacrosse

Men's Soccer

Women's Soccer

Women's Track

Men's Golf

Women's Golf

Men's Hockey

Women's Hockey

Men's Swimming

Women's Swimming

Wrestling

Men's Tennis

Women's Tennis

Annual $1

Annual Premium

Annual $1 

Monthly

Annual

Unlimited Access to This and All Articles.

Article (On3 Plus Rivals)

Forum (On3 Plus Rivals)

Intro

Join

College scoop, experts, and community - all in one.

Winback

Exclusive Trey Burke Q&A

'Leave your legacy'

Final portal thoughts, more movement (?)

3-2-1

Why Guarnera, Sprague came back

Behind the scenes

Michigan in too-early rankings

Mixed reviews

Who's on top?

B1G power rankings

New No. 1 overall seed

Bracketology update

Punishing players' wallets

Deion Sanders

Buckeyes hire ex-NFL HC

OSU hires OC

Most impactful transfers

Instant Impact

Goes scorched earth on Ole Miss

Dabo Swinney