A letter from the editor:

First, a confession. Or at least an admission. I’m a Michigan State graduate. In the law of how things work in this state, I should be taking absolutely no pleasure in the run the Michigan basketball team is making right now. In my younger, much more immature days, that would have been the case. Like, say, nine months ago before I was working at The Athletic.

But as a professional journalist who can put aside feelings that were developed over four years of intense hatred rivalry, I’ve started to form a real respect for this team. Mostly because I’ve been reading Brendan Quinn every step of the way.

Quinn, who covers Michigan and Michigan State basketball for The Athletic, has been documenting this journey from the very beginning, writing stories that go beyond capturing the personalities of the players and coaches. He gets at the essence of their existence.

This week, we brainstormed a few ideas we thought subscribers would love to read about the Michigan basketball team leading up to the Final Four … and we realized Brendan had already written many of them. So we wanted to share them again and unlock them for the uninitiated. If you’re not a subscriber and you’re wondering what The Athletic is about, these seven stories on Michigan’s journey to San Antonio highlight our mission as well as anything and are now unlocked and free to read. Enjoy:

1. 24 hours inside Michigan basketball: Behind the scenes at Maui Invitational

This was the first hint at what was to come for the Michigan basketball team. In November, Brendan spent 24 hours behind the scenes with the Wolverines in Hawaii, and the result was a slice of their season that captured the coaching staff and the buy-in from players perfectly.

2. A team, a teammate and Michigan basketball’s mighty assist

This might have been my favorite because it introduced our readers to Jude Stamper. He’s an incredible kid who inspires the Wolverines team while also reflecting a glimpse into the heart of the players.

3. The improbably under-appreciated Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman

How about this little bit of foreshadowing:

It is indeed, but in the here and now, Abdur-Rahkman is operating with the charmed bliss of uncomplicated motives. He’s OK being the old man. On Monday, he was on the bench as freshman Jordan Poole, his heir apparent, hit a string of 3-pointers during a second-half scoring blitz. Abdur-Rahkman waved a towel on the bench, cheering like a walk-on. During one timeout, he pulled Poole aside. He told him not to look over his shoulder, not to worry about coming out.

“It’s your time,” Abdur-Rahkman told him.

4. John Beilein’s Michigan team a perfect reflection of the coach himself

Another hint at what was to come in this piece on the Michigan head coach. From Quinn: “This is a Michigan team that is maximizing its strengths and veiling its weaknesses. The end result is a group that’s starting to look like a quintessential Beilein team.”

5. Zavier Simpson: Lost and found in middle America

A fantastic read on “a kid who never let nobody tell him what he couldn’t do.” Perfect.

6. Two Beileins, two championships and a lifetime of lessons

On one weekend, father and son guided their teams to conference tournament championships. If you’re wondering if Patrick Beilein coaches at all like his dad, here’s a quote from him describing his team: “Our offensive style is one that no one plays in our league, and our defense keeps us in games that we’d otherwise lose if we shoot poorly.”

7. You don’t know Jordan Poole

So here’s a little about how the sausage is made. Poole hits the shot of a lifetime to beat Houston, and I get a call from Brendan. He wants to fly to Milwaukee to spend time getting to know Jordan Poole and his family, right in the middle of traveling across the country covering the Wolverines in the NCAA Tournament. I ask how much it’s going to cost. It’s not cheap. I probably sent a grimacing emoticon somewhere in this conversation. But if there’s anyone you just let do his thing, it’s Brendan. He took the trip, and five paragraphs in to this story, it was clearly worth the investment. I loved this story.

One final thought: Along this incredible run for the Wolverines, a large number of you have decided to subscribe to The Athletic. For that, we are extremely grateful. These stories aren’t told without that support. So thank you. If you’re not a subscriber but interested in supporting Brendan and his work, take advantage of this Final Four 50 percent discount on an annual subscription. Hope you enjoy the ride.

(Feature photo by Harry How/Getty Images)