Michigan Basketball: Wolverines with the Most to Prove in 2014-15

In essence, John Beilein’s entire team at Michigan has a lot to prove this season. 

And it has a few holes to plug.

The Wolverines just lost stars Nik Stauskas and Glenn Robinson III to the NBA—so there goes roughly 30 points, a couple of blocks and steals, about seven assists and 73 manpower-minutes of production per game. Dealing with those types of losses isn’t easy for any coach—not even Beilein, who is one of the game’s best.

However, the program was left in good care, as Caris LeVert, Derrick Walton and Zak Irvin will forge ahead with a robust group of recruits, looking to take another swing at the Big Ten and represent their conference in The Big Dance come March.

In one capacity or another, everyone has something to prove to himself, his coaches and his teammates. But for the sake of being specific, this piece will focus on LeVert, Walton and Irvin, the obvious leaders on the floor and in the stat columns.

And it'll take a quick glance at the newcomers. 

Irvin is Ready to Shine

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He has handles like a point guard and great marksmanship from everywhere, and he’s 6’6” and 215 pounds—Irvin is the real deal. Now a sophomore, he’s due for much more than the 15.4 minutes per game he played in 2013-14.

Given his potential, it’s easy to tab Irvin as the guy with the most to prove. His freshman numbers don’t tell the whole story. He averaged nearly seven points in those 15 minutes, so he could easily reach double digits in 25 minutes this season.

Irvin is one of the most versatile and athletic threats on the Wolverines roster, regardless of what his stats say. Look for him to become a major part of the game plan in 2014-15. He’s due for a proper introduction.

Leveling LeVert

Coming off foot surgery, LeVert, a 6’7”, 200-pound wing, is also facing high expectations. He’s among the Big Ten’s best NBA prospects and he’s certainly in the early conference player of the year conversation.

As a sophomore, he averaged 12.9 points per game, but he scored more than 20 seven times, including 23 during Michigan’s 79-70 victory on Feb. 23 over Michigan State. Just a week earlier, he put up a career-high 25 in a 75-62 loss to Wisconsin.

LeVert can score in bunches. And after a somewhat disappointing 2014 NCAA tournament in which he peaked at 14 (while playing with a fractured foot), he’s probably charged and ready to really prove that he can string together big games on a regular basis—and on the biggest stages.

The Ball’s in Walton’s Hands

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As the point guard, it’s on Walton to run plays, make smart decisions and play defense. He does that. He’ll have to prove that he can do it all of the time this season. If 2013-14 is of any indication, he will.

As a freshman, Walton certainly had his good days. He never committed more than three turnovers in a game, and he had eight games in which he committed none (two in the NCAA tournament). But he was a spotty scorer. There’d be nights that he’d erupt for 16, and nights when he’d be held to five.

That’s how the game goes. Some games are good, some aren’t.

With that said, look for Walton to prove that he’s among the Big Ten’s best and possibly even one of the better sophomores in the game today.

Meet the New Guys

Beilein’s recruited well, and his 2014 class is an incredibly well-rounded example of that. Ricky Doyle, a 6’9”, 240-pound power forward, joins the mix with an abundance of talent. But it’s Kameron Chatman, a 6’7”, 200-pound wing, who commands the most attention.

Comprised of a mixture of one part guard, one part forward and two parts athleticism, Chatman, the No. 27-ranked recruit of 2014 per the 247Sports composite, could prove to be an instant contributor for Michigan, which surpassed popular expectations by reaching the Elite Eight in 2014.

If the frosh gets going at full tilt, the Wolverines could end up becoming a team to beat in March. He’d add a dynamic inside-outside layer to an offense that’s boiling over with possibilities. Pairing a hot Chatman with LeVert and Irvin could be dangerous. A front of Chatman and Doyle/Mark Donnal certainly sparks interest, too.

And don’t sleep on a frosh tandem of Chatman and D.J. Wilson, a 6’8”, 200-pounder who lives above the rim and in the paint.

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines basketball writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81