The All-Time Michigan Basketball Starting 5

When someone mentions the Michigan Wolverines, it's fair to automatically think of the success of their football program. Though not quite top of mind, the men's basketball squad is nearly as prestigious.

Yes, they only have the 1989 National Championship on their mantle, but they've reached the big game seven times in 29 NCAA Tournament berths. Many great hoops stars have passed through Ann Arbor, which makes creating an All-Time Wolverines team a difficult task, but these five players truly stand out as the best in program history.

1. Guard: Gary Grant

Gary Grant was Michigan's greatest point guard. / Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

When it comes to point guards, no one could touch Gary Grant. The 6-3 guard not only had the propensity to score, but was a dominant play maker and defender. Grant scored 2,222 career points (fourth-most in UM history), and led the program with 731 assists and 300 steals. In fact, Grant was one of a select few individuals to notch a triple double in a March Madness game, which happened in 1987 against the North Carolina Tar Heels (24 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists).

2. Guard: Jalen Rose

Jalen Rose was a key member of the Fab Five. /

You can't talk about the greatest players in Michigan basketball history without bringing up Jalen Rose. The Fab Five point guard made an immediate impact for the Wolverines, as he set the freshman scoring record by totaling 597 points and 19.0 points per game. In all of his three seasons, Rose and the Wolverines clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament, including two trips to the National Championship game. In total, Rose tallied 1,788 points, 477 rebounds, 401 assists, and 119 steals, solidifying his status as one of Michigan's greatest guards.

3. Forward: Chris Webber

Chris Webber is perhaps Michigan's most-recognized player. /

Being limited to selecting two of the best forwards in Michigan history is challenging, because there was so many elite athletes who played the position. But one person who deserves a spot in the starting lineup is perhaps the most well-known Wolverine hoops player in history: Chris Webber. The 6-9 superstar averaged 17.4 points, 10.1 boards, and 2.5 blocks per game. Of course, he reached the title game in in each of his two collegiate seasons. Had he not jumped to the NBA before his junior season, we guarantee Webber would've broken some school records, especially in the rebounds category.

4. Forward: Glen Rice

Glen Rice will go down as arguably the greatest men's basketball player in Michigan history. /

When it comes to the most prolific scorers in Michigan history, look no further than Glen Rice. During his four seasons at Ann Arbor, Glen Rice tallied 2,442 total points (most in school history), 1,002 field goals made (second all-time) and 859 rebounds (sixth all-time). Perhaps more importantly, Rice brought the Wolverines men's basketball team their first ever National Championship in 1989, where he scored 184 total points. No one has ever come close to Rice's scoring record, and perhaps no one ever will.

5. Center: Bill Buntin

Bill Buntin was a rebounding machine for Michigan. / Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Alongside Cazzie Russell during the early 1960s was 6-7 big man Bill Buntin. During his three seasons at Michigan, Buntin was the king of double-doubles, as evidenced by his collegiate average of 21.8 points and 13.1 total rebounds. Unfortunately, Buntin just lost out on tasting championship glory to the overpowering UCLA Bruins. Buntin's rebound record of 1,037 was broken by Rudy Tomjanovich just five years later, and the center would tragically pass away at the young age of 26 due to a fatal heart attack.

All-Time Bench: Cazzie Russell, Mike McGee, Juwan Howard, Rudy Tomjanovich