Fansided

Michigan basketball: All-time starting 5 – Fab Five well-represented

By Mike Phillips

8 Mar 1992: Michigan Wolverines forward Juwan Howard, guard Jalen Rose, and forward Chris Webber (l to r) look on during a game against the Indiana Pacers.
8 Mar 1992: Michigan Wolverines forward Juwan Howard, guard Jalen Rose, and forward Chris Webber (l to r) look on during a game against the Indiana Pacers. /
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Best Michigan basketball players
Jalen Rose #5 of the Michigan Wolverines (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

The list of the best Michigan basketball players is a long one, but only five can make up the all-time Michigan starting lineup. Did your favorites make it?

Most people think of Michigan as a football school, which makes sense given its history, but the Wolverines’ basketball program is no slouch. Michigan has a national championship in basketball, winning the NCAA Tournament in 1989, and has contributed its fair share of memorable players and moments to college hoops history.

Whether it was Glen Rice‘s star turn on those NCAA champions, the Fab Five era, or the Wolverine’s recent run of success under John Beilein there is no doubt that Michigan can be a national presence on the hardwood. There have been a lot of great players to wear the maize and blue, so narrowing the list down to five was a bit tricky.

A lot of people failed to make the cut, including Fab Fiver and current coach Juwan Howard, Gary Grant, Trey Burke, Bill Buntin, Roy Tarpley, and Louis Bullock. The all-time Wolverines’ team will start with one of the more prominent members of the Fab Five in guard Jalen Rose.

5. G Jalen Rose (1991-1994)

While Chris Webber drew all the headlines for being the Fab Five’s most talented player, Rose was the group’s leader. Rose led Michigan in scoring as a freshman and played a key role in the Wolverines’ runs to the national championship game in both 1992 and 1993. This lineup can use Rose as a two-guard with his unique combination of point guard skills and small forward length making him a matchup nightmare. The Fab Five had to have representation on this squad, so Rose was an obvious choice to make the team.