Michigan Basketball: Wolverines Who'll Take Biggest Leap Forward in 2014-15

For the Michigan basketball program to keep playing at an elite level, the Wolverines will need a few of their players to take big leaps in their games in 2014-15.

With the loss of Nik Stauskas, Glenn Robinson III, Mitch McGary, Jordan Morgan and Jon Horford, Michigan will need some of its complementary players to step up and make progressions in their games if it wants to contend for another Big Ten title as well as a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

In the following slideshow will be five players (listed alphabetically) who'll likely take the biggest leaps for Michigan in 2014-15. Excluded from this list will be any true freshmen, as we don't know nearly enough about them to accurately judge them.

Spike Albrecht

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As one of the elder statesmen of the team, junior Spike Albrecht will be a guy coach John Beilein counts on for experience and scoring off the bench.

One of the better pure shooters on the team, Albrecht will always be instant offense off the bench. With the loss of Stauskas and Robinson III, Albrecht may get more playing time this year. Although not likely to start, his minutes should increase, and he could conceivably be on the floor during crunch time.

Albrecht is not going to wow you with his athleticism, but with his shooting ability and basketball IQ, he could be a major X-factor for Michigan this year.

Max Bielfeldt

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While not a lot is expected out of little-used senior Max Bielfeldt, he could prove to be a big role player for Michigan this year nonetheless.

Beilein wont ask for the world from Bielfeldt, but if he can overcome his hip injury, Bielfeldt will get some decent playing time. Although he's only scored 38 points and hauled in 28 rebounds in his career, he does have some decent size and experience to work with.

With all the firepower lost down low, Bielfeldt will alleviate some pressure if he can chip in.

Mark Donnal

Yet to play a minute of college basketball, redshirt freshman Mark Donnal will be looked upon to be a presence in the middle while giving the Wolverines some rebounding and scoring down low.

If Michigan fans wanted some encouragement from Donnal on the recently completed Italy trip, they got it, as he performed admirably. He averaged a respectable 10.2 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting a magnificent 69.5 percent from the field. Those numbers should calm the nerves of some Michigan fans.

Along with true freshman Ricky Doyle, Donnal will need to be a force down low and rebound out of the 4 or 5 spot for the Wolverines to be successful.

Zak Irvin

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Coming off a freshman year where he took on more of a secondary role while coming off the bench, a lot more is expected out of talented sophomore Zak Irvin.

Noted as a gifted shooter, Irvin has to refine his overall skills to truly be great, and he did just that in the recent trip to Italy. In four games overseas, Irvin was fantastic en route to averaging 20.8 points and 7.3 rebounds ,while shooting a fabulous 68.8 percent from the field and a scorching 66.7 percent from three-point range. Or in other words, he did it all.

If Irvin can bottle it up and bring that effort once the games count for real in November, he'll be in line for a breakout season.

Derrick Walton Jr.

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After an overall solid freshman season where he was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, there is hope sophomore point guard Derrick Walton Jr. will take the next step in his game and become one of the better floor generals in the league.

Blessed with good vision and an above-average touch from beyond the perimeter, Walton Jr. has the requisite tools to break out in his sophomore season. As the point guard, he will be the engine behind Michigan's success this year.

Walton Jr. has a good chance to become All-Big Ten team material if he fully harnesses every bit of his potential.

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