Ignas "Iggy" Brazdeikis is the rare freshman to lead Michigan in scoring. If he finishes the season as the team's top scorer, he'd become just the seventh first-year player in program history to do so.
Even with his recent scoring dip (21 points over the past three games), Brazdeikis is still among the top freshman scorers in Michigan basketball history.
He's behind two members of the Fab Five, the program's lone national Player of the Year, and a player whose jersey hangs in the Crisler Center rafters, among others.
See where Brazdeikis ranks below.
No. 11 Ignas Brazdeikis, 2018-19 | 14.5 points per game
Ignas Brazdeikis has been selected as 1 of 10 finalists for this year's Karl Malone Award, which recognizes the top power forward in men's basketball. pic.twitter.com/EcZxfjRDhm
— Michigan_Sports (@U_M247) February 8, 2019
The Lithuanian, by way of Canada, came to Michigan more physically ready than many of Beilein's recruits. He slid right into the starting lineup and got buckets. Like many — but not all — the players on this list, he currently leads the team in scoring. Brazdeikis is doing it inside and out (38 percent from 3) while getting to the foul line often.
No. 10 Eric Turner, 1981-82 | 14.7 points per game
Turner was the leading scorer and assist man (4.5 per game) as a freshman. Michigan struggled his first two seasons, but Turner had more help as a junior when the Wolverines won an NIT title. Turner turned pro after that season and was drafted but never played in the NBA.
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9. Trey Burke, 2011-12 | 14.8 points per game
2013 - @TreyBurke
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) June 6, 2018
2018 - @JordanPoole_2
Something about that Michigan magic… 〽️ #MarchMadness @umichbball pic.twitter.com/7v0AJHydWy
Burke was given the keys to the offense as soon as he arrived on campus — John Beilein didn't have much of a choice with the surprise departure of point guard Darius Morris — and he was up to the task. Burke led Michigan in scoring, just edging out sophomore Tim Hardaway Jr. (14.6 points per game). The Wolverines tied for first in the Big Ten that season, though the next season, in which they reached the NCAA Tournament title game, would be more memorable. Burke was named the National Player of the Year that season and became a top-10 NBA draft pick.
No. 8 Phil Hubbard, 1975-76 | 15.1 points per game
One of just five players (and the only one on this list) whose jersey hangs in the Crisler Center rafters, Hubbard averaged a double-double (11.1 rebounds) as a freshman. Ricky Green, a fellow first-year Michigan player, led the team in scoring that season after two standout years in junior college.
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The Wolverines only lost seven games that season, three of which came against undefeated Indiana, including a national championship loss. After three years at Michigan, he was the 15th overall pick by the Detroit Pistons.
No. 7 Daniel Horton, 2002-03 | 15.2 points per game
Horton, Michigan's last McDonald's All-American, was one of the better Wolverines to never reach the NCAA tournament. The 6-3 guard was second on the team in scoring and first in assists.
By his senior year, he was averaging 17.6 points per game and shooting 39 percent from 3. But Michigan couldn't get the big win needed to get a tournament bid.
No. 6 Chris Webber, 1991-92 | 15.5 points per game
The Fab Five took over college basketball as soon as they arrived on campus. Webber's 15.5 points per game were second to Jalen Rose, though Webber led the team with 10 rebounds per game.
Michigan, as you probably know, reached the national championship game two straight seasons. Webber left for the NBA — where he was the No. 1 overall pick — after his sophomore year.
No. 5 Manny Harris, 2007-08 | 16.1 points per game
Harris led Michigan in scoring during John Beilein's first season. He became more efficient throughout his career, leading Michigan to the NCAA tournament once in his three seasons.
No. 4 Jamal Crawford, 1999-00 | 16.6 points per game
Michigan's last one-and-done player led a squad that lost in the first round of the NIT. Like the Fab Five squad, Michigan's top four scorers in 1990-00 were freshmen.
Crawford, a natural scorer, is still playing in the NBA.
No. 3 Jalen Rose, 1991-92 | 17.6 points per game
Rose, in the Fab Five's first season, led Michigan in scoring and assists (4 per game), while shooting 32 percent from 3.
He lasted three years at Michigan, averaging 19.9 points his final season, before embarking on a 13-year NBA career.
"Shock the world, boys."
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) April 2, 2018
The phrase is etched into @umichbball lore, and the guys who gave the famous sign to @glenrice41 after the 1989 National Championship are back in San Antonio with the same sign.
Gotta be a good omen, right? pic.twitter.com/PBivOMJXZo
No. 2 Campy Russell, 1972-73 | 18.4 points per game
No, that's not a typo. Michigan had both a Cazzie and a Campy Russell. The latter, who came second, was quite the player too. He was second in scoring on a high-flying Michigan squad and first in rebounding (9.6 per game).
College basketball's first season of freshman eligibility came at a good time for Michigan.
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No. 1 Mike McGee, 1977-78 | 19.7 points per game
McGee might not be as much of a household name as some of the other players on this list — or even many who aren't — partially because Michigan never reached the NCAA tournament during his time. But McGee was the star during his four-year career. He has the second-most points, behind only Glen Rice, in program history.
This article is written by Andrew Kahn from MLive.com, Walker, Mich. and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.
