yahoo - 5/21/2026 8:15:47 PM - GMT (+2 )
There were 13 former Michigan Wolverines players that logged minutes in the NBA in the 2025-26 season. With the playoffs winding down, let’s take a look at how every Michigan alum performed this year.
Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic)Wagner is definitely the best former Wolverine in the NBA right now. Despite being injured for more than half the season, he still proved to be a high-level performer, posting 20.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Unfortunately, Wagner went down with a calf injury in the first round of the playoffs and was forced to miss the final three games of the series, but he will continue to be a cornerstone of the franchise going forward.
FEROCIOUS FRANZ SLAM 💥
— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2026
Wagner is bringing the juice in a back-and-forth Game 1! pic.twitter.com/XyfSVS7rxS
Hardaway is well over a decade into his pro career and is still a very effective contributor. In his first season with the Nuggets, he led Denver in scoring off the bench with 13.5 points per game on 40.7 percent shooting from three-point territory. Playing a key veteran role and shooting at a high clip from beyond the arc, Hardaway should continue to be an impactful player in the years to come. He is set to be a free agent this summer, but there’s no doubt he’ll have a number of suitors.
Tim Hardaway Jr. from DEEP 🎯
— NBA (@NBA) January 30, 2026
He's got a game-high 19 PTS as the Nuggets hold the lead in Q2! pic.twitter.com/oLRMt3CxVI
Poole had an up-and-down season in his first year with the Pelicans, falling in and out of the lineup and playing just 39 games. After playing a significant role on the Golden State Warriors en route to winning a championship in 2022, Poole was dealt to the Washington Wizards and is now trying to find his footing in New Orleans. He averaged 13.4 points per game with the Pelicans this year.
Jordan Poole is having an INSANE 3Q 🔥
— NBA (@NBA) April 8, 2026
Up to 20 in the quarter after this nasty handles-to-three combo! pic.twitter.com/NUvAbfIyL9
Robinson was a much-needed addition for the Pistons this season, bringing one of the NBA’s premier sharpshooters back to the state that he played in college. Following a successful stint with the Miami Heat from 2018-25, Robinson scored 12.2 points per game and shot a red-hot 41 percent from three this year. The former Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year has carved out a solid role for himself after going undrafted.
Duncan Robinson for 3… GOT IT.
— NBA (@NBA) April 23, 2026
DETROIT ON A 16-3 RUN AT HOME 😱 pic.twitter.com/aJMQ0YK8hH
Wolf was selected late in the first round last summer following his lone season at Michigan, and he immediately showed why he was one of the Big Ten’s most versatile players, scoring 22 points, four assists and four rebounds early in his rookie year. Later in the season, he was thrust into the starting lineup due to injury and he scored a career-high 23 points and nine rebounds in March. Following a solid debut season, there’s no doubt he will be a part of the Nets’ future.
DANNY WOLF THROWS IT DOWN 💪
— NBA (@NBA) December 2, 2025
Brooklyn leads in the 4Q: https://t.co/ncRdJ4zvFlpic.twitter.com/KJtaqsZHLe
Diabaté experienced a breakout season in fourth year in the NBA, racking up career-highs including 7.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 26 minutes per game on 63.1 percent shooting from the field. The former All-Big Ten Freshman honoree has seemingly found a home in Charlotte, showing major strides this season and eventually earning the NBA’s Hustle Award. Now, he will attempt to build on his breakout campaign next season and beyond.
The winner of the 2025-26 @Kia NBA Hustle Award is… Moussa Diabaté!
— NBA (@NBA) April 30, 2026
The award honors a player who makes the effort plays that do not often appear in the box score but help determine team success. pic.twitter.com/ktNJlBCfZF
LeVert came to the Pistons with hopes of being a secondary playmaker off the bench, but he ended up having a much lesser role than expected and played a career-low 19.2 minutes per game. He also averaged single-digit scoring for just the second time in his career, posting 7.4 points per game. The 2016 first-round pick showed he can still be a valuable player though, erupting for a season-best 24 points and four rebounds in a playoff game this month.
Caris LeVert sinks his 3rd three 🎯
— NBA (@NBA) May 12, 2026
He's got 17 PTS at the break!
Pistons lead by 4 in Game 4. pic.twitter.com/UpP2BSHNoW
Wagner’s pro career has been a bit overshadowed by his younger brother, but he has carved out a role with the Magic as well. Wagner was selected in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft and has spent the last six seasons in Orlando. Coming off a season-ending ACL injury, he returned to the court after missing nearly two full years. In 36 games, Wagner averaged 6.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game and will now enter free agency.
A standing ovation for Mo Wagner 👏
— NBA (@NBA) January 11, 2026
He check into his first NBA game since Dec. 2024! pic.twitter.com/MOLTjlXTr5
Howard is another former lottery pick from Michigan, and although he hasn’t exactly hit the ground running to start his career, he has displayed glimpses of impressive upside. Most notably, Howard went off for a career-high 30 points, including a 22-point fourth quarter in November. Howard scored 5.5 points per game on a career-best 37.2 percent shooting from three-point range in a slightly expanded role off the bench, so perhaps he’ll continue to make strides next season.
Jett Howard with the one-handed jam 😤
— NBA (@NBA) October 5, 2025
He's got 5 PTS in 6 MINS on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/WxNEMbJrmk
Bufkin hasn’t quite been able to carve out a consistent role in three years in the NBA, but he was one of the best players in the G-League this season by averaging 24.8 points and 4.4 assists in 17 games with the South Bay Lakers. He was eventually called up to the NBA, scoring 2.9 points per game in 16 appearances with the Lakers. In the final weeks of the season, Bufkin was waived by the Lakers, so he’ll try to find a new home this summer.
INSANE ENDING IN SOUTH BAY! 🤯🚨
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) January 4, 2026
Kobe Bufkin scored 26 PTS including the OT game-winning bucket in the @southbaylakers 125-121 victory over the Hustle. pic.twitter.com/t6zv7KbvpF
Houstan was one of the highest-rated recruits in Michigan history and went onto be a second-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. After playing the first three years of his pro career with the Magic, Houstan spent this past season with the Atlanta Hawks on a two-way contract, splitting time between the NBA and G-League. In 18 games with the Hawks, Houstan averaged just 2.3 points on 53.8 percent from three. Unfortunately, he was waived late in the season and is currently a free agent.
CALEB. HOUSTAN. 🤯
— NBA (@NBA) October 14, 2025
He drills the game-winning triple in OT for the Hawks!
WHAT. AN. ENDING. pic.twitter.com/Zxa1JQtNBh
Livers spent the first three seasons of his career with his hometown Pistons before signing with the Phoenix Suns last summer. He wasn’t really a part of Phoenix’s rotation for most of this season, putting up just 1.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 36 appearances. Livers has proven he can be a relatively effective option off the bench with the Pistons, scoring 6.6 points per game in his first two seasons, but he hasn’t been able to recreate that success the last two years.
Isaiah Livers beats the 3Q buzzer from WAYYY DOWNTOWN 😲 pic.twitter.com/25RCSIJB5D
— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2026
Goldin went undrafted after receiving All-Big Ten recognition in his only season with Michigan, but he quickly signed a two-way contract with the Miami Heat. He put up 23 points and nine rebounds in his G-League debut and eventually made his NBA debut in December. Goldin wasn’t much of a factor with the Heat, averaging only 0.8 points per game, but his G-League statistics — 11.3 points, seven rebounds, two blocks — were impressive.
VLAD 💪 pic.twitter.com/S3Albl5OYG
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) July 5, 2025
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