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Only one player on the Michigan men’s basketball team has first-hand collegiate experience playing for Wolverines coach Dusty May. Graduate center Vlad Goldin is by far the most knowledgeable of May’s coaching style and culture after playing with him for four years at Florida Atlantic.
But another player now on Michigan’s roster has plenty of experience with May’s coaching, just on the other side. After six conference matchups against May’s Owls in four years at North Texas, graduate guard Rubin Jones elected to spend his final year of eligibility with the Wolverines — now on the same side as May.
And both Goldin and May certainly remember what it was like to play against Jones.
“I’ve played against Rubin plenty of times, and I know how physical he is,” Goldin said at Big Ten Media Days Oct. 3. “He’s a great guy. He knows what winning is, and that’s probably the best quality because when things go wrong, he’s able to bring the leadership and put everybody together.”
For the Mean Green, Jones was synonymous with winning. He ended his career as the programs all-time winningest player with 93 wins. And as Michigan is coming off the most losses in a single season in program history, Jones’ leadership and winning ability could help set the tone immediately.
Last season as a captain for North Texas, Jones recorded 12.1 points per game, shooting 39.6% from the field and 41.6% from beyond the arc. Jones’ versatility allows him to play multiple positions, which is a welcome addition to a team that wants to utilize a fast-paced offense, while also maximizing Jones’ stellar long-range shooting.
“Rubin is awesome,” junior forward Danny Wolf said. “He’s such a talented player, and he’s extremely quick and fast, which is great for how we want to play. He’s a winner. He’s won a ton of games, and brings a lot of versatility. Can play multiple positions, and he’s awesome to play with.”
May has emphasized the desire for multiple players on the court to handle the ball like a point guard at any given time. So despite currently battling a minor injury, after a hamstring injury kept him out of multiple games last season, Jones will likely end up playing anywhere from the one to the three and mix up his role this season.
“Rubin is just a guy that you can kind of plug into any spot,” May said Thursday. “He shot the ball really well. He’s had a few minor injuries, so he doesn’t have the volume that (junior guard Tre Donaldson) does right now in practice, which hopefully throughout the season will be very beneficial. But Rubin is just a guy that we can plug and play in any situation, big lineups, small lineups and he’ll be a playmaker.”
Jones’ versatility isn’t just limited to the offensive side of the ball, either. After being named to the Conference USA All-Defensive Team, he led North Texas to win the 2023 NIT Tournament during his junior season. Naturally, his 6-foot-5 frame allows him to defend nearly every position and will add to an already tall Michigan guard core.
In an offense that wants to run and a defense that looks to utilize length, Jones checks both boxes. So no matter the lineup combinations May decides to implement, Jones’ ability to play and defend nearly every position will allow him to fit right into almost any rotation.
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