Michigan basketball's George Washington III withdraws from transfer portal

George Washington III was the first Wolverine to enter the transfer portal shortly after Michigan basketball’s season ended and Juwan Howard was fired.

Nearly a month later, he’s opted to withdraw his name from the database, a program spokesperson confirmed Thursday.

Washington, the lone freshman on Michigan’s roster, played sparingly during his first year in Ann Arbor. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound guard appeared in 22 games and tallied 26 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 144 minutes while shooting 18.5% from the field (5-for-27).

Washington, a former top-100 recruit who has three years of eligibility remaining, will look to play a larger role as a sophomore under new coach Dusty May after serving as a depth option off the bench.

Before withdrawing his name, Washington was one of five Michigan players to enter the transfer portal since the end of the 2023-24 season, along with guard Dug McDaniel (Kanas State), forward Youssef Khayat (Bowling Green), center Tarris Reed Jr. and forward Terrance Williams II, who also declared for the NBA Draft.

Washington, though, never ruled out a return to Michigan, an option that Williams also is considering.

Washington is the second scholarship Wolverine who’s committed to returning to the program next season, along with forward Will Tschetter. Nimari Burnett and Jace Howard both have remaining eligibility, but haven’t announced their future plans.

jhawkins@detroitnews.com

@jamesbhawkins