While the University of Michigan is known for its football program, that reputation fails to account for one of the best college basketball programs in the nation. The Wolverines are consistently in the running for the Big Ten title, winning a total of 15 division championships along with a single coveted national championship. Michigan made the championship game four other times, two of which were forfeited because of the program’s infamous scandal, when players received financial benefits from a school booster. The Wolverines fell short in their other two championship appearances, a disappointing note for such a successful program.
These numbers show that the Wolverines are a consistent force on the hardwood, a status that is unsurprisingly buoyed by countless fantastic players who passed through the program. Michigan has had 77 players selected in the NBA Draft, with the four making the list below.
1. F Chris Webber
There is no doubt that Webber is the best Wolverine to ever make it to the NBA. After only two seasons in Ann Arbor, Webber’s draft stock was as high as it could possibly get, a fact reinforced when the Orlando Magic selected him first overall in the 1993 NBA Draft. Webber was immediately dealt to the Golden State Warriors and promptly won the Rookie of the Year Award after averaging 17.5 points and 9.1 rebounds over 32.1 minutes per game.
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Forward Chris Webber during a game for the University of Michigan Wolverines, circa 1993.
That fantastic debut season was a sign of things to come for Webber, who went on to make five All-Star teams and five All-NBA teams throughout his 15-year career. His name was also consistently thrown around in the MVP race during his prime, something that no other Wolverine can claim. Remarkably, Webber only averaged single-digit points once in his career, and that was in his final injury-marred season in the NBA.
2. F Rudy Tomjanovich
Continuing the tradition of excellent forwards from Michigan was Rudy Tomjanovich. The 6’8″ forward played three seasons for the Wolverines, culminating in a fantastic junior campaign in which he averaged 30.1 points and 15.7 rebounds per game. Tomjanovich was one of the most versatile players to ever wear the maize and blue, defending well across multiple positions, scoring, and providing a presence on the glass, all at a high level. He was selected second overall in the 1970 NBA Draft by the San Diego Rockets, capping off a truly elite collegiate career.
3. F Glen Rice
While Rice did not have the same statistical production as Tomjanovich, his play was one of the biggest reasons that the Wolverines won their only national title. As a senior, Rice led the Big Ten in scoring with 25.6 points per game, and came through in a massive way in Michigan’s title matchup with Seton Hall. Rice scored 31 points while grabbing 11 rebounds, contributing massively to the narrow one-point victory over Seton Hall. Additionally, he led a storied NBA career after being drafted fourth overall by the Miami Heat in the 1989 Draft.
4. F Cazzie Russell
Russell’s inclusion on this list is in part because of his insane career in Ann Arbor. The forward played three seasons for the Wolverines, averaging more than 24 points in every single campaign while winning two All-American selections in his junior and senior seasons.Â
Unsurprisingly, Russell’s achievements in college allowed him a high status as he entered the NBA Draft. The New York Knicks selected him with the first overall pick in the 1966 draft, kicking off a solid professional career. Russell made one All-Star team, but he was a consistent double-digit scorer for the vast majority of his 12-year career. Notably, in his eighth season in the league with the Golden State Warriors, Russell played all 82 games and averaged just over 20 points per game. This indicated a truly elite level of scoring, especially considering that this happened in 1973.
5. F Juwan Howard
Despite playing in different eras, Cazzie Russell and Juwan Howard had remarkably similar careers. Both made a single All-Star team while maintaining high scoring averages for just over a decade. However, Howard managed to make an All-NBA team in the same season that he was an All-Star, placing him above Russell on this list. Additionally, Howard managed to play 19 years in the NBA, an achievement in itself. Aside from scoring, Howard provided the rebounding edge that teams expected from a 6-foot-9-inch forward while also providing surprisingly good passing, averaging three or more assists in six seasons throughout his career.
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Randy Carter #34 of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers dribbles the ball past #25 Juwan Howard of the University of Michigan Wolverines during a game.
Endearing Howard to Michigan fans even more is the fact that he had a semi-successful coaching career on campus. Under Howard’s tutelage, the Wolverines went to the NCAA tournament twice in five seasons, while notching a Big Ten championship in the 2020-21 season. Even without the ultimate achievement of a championship, Howard added to Michigan’s trophy case nicely before his departure in 2024.
6. F Jalen Rose
The fact that Jalen Rose is not a top-three Wolverine to make the big leagues shows how many great players the program has produced. Rose played 13 excellent seasons in the NBA, capturing the Most Improved Player award in his sixth season in the league, the only season in which he appeared in the NBA Finals.
The year before that, Rose was a strong contender for the Sixth Man of the Year award, losing out to Darrell Armstrong of the Orlando Magic. Notably, Rose has maintained an active presence as an analyst in today’s NBA, continuing a fantastic career in basketball long after his playing days.
7. G Jamal Crawford
Perhaps the most exciting individual player to ever play for the Wolverines, Crawford did not lead a long, storied career on campus. However, he did wow fans with his excellent ball-handling, his ability to seemingly score from anywhere on the court, and his overall athleticism. In his lone year at Michigan, Crawford scored 16.6 points per game while racking up 4.5 assists per contest. It might not have been a long stay, but it was certainly an impactful one.
From Crisler Center to the NBA
The Wolverines have a proud history of producing premium NBA talent, one that continues in today’s NBA. Players like Franz Wagner, Jordan Poole, and Caris LeVert represent the modern-day wave of Michigan players in the NBA who are sure to make Wolverines fans proud by continuing the tradition of high-level play and effort on the court.