We’re going team-by-team across Big Ten men’s basketball to assess where everyone stands and how things could shake out in 2026-27.
One could say Michigan is coming off a nice season. All the Wolverines did was end the Big Ten’s 26-year national championship drought in Indianapolis, defeating UConn to win the program’s second-ever national title. Head coach Dusty May built a juggernaut in Ann Arbor with one of the best teams in the country all year long. But with May departing for the NBA, it’s anyone’s guess whether the Wolverines can stay on top.
WHO’S GONE:
- Yaxel Lendeborg (15.1 PPG) (exhausted his eligibility)
- Morez Johnson Jr. (13.1 PPG) (entered NBA Draft)
- Aday Mara (12.1 PPG) (exhausted his eligibility)
- Nimari Burnett (8.2 PPG) (exhausted his eligibility)
- Roddy Gayle Jr. (7.3 PPG) (exhausted his eligibility)
- Will Tschetter (3.5 PPG) (exhausted his eligibility)
- Winters Grady (2.9 PPG) (transfer — Minnesota)
- Malick Kordel (1.2 PPG) (transfer — Minnesota)
WHO’S BACK:
- Elliot Cadeau, G, Sr. (10.1 PPG)
- Trey McKenney, G, So. (9.5 PPG)
- L.J. Cason, G, Jr. (8.4 PPG) (likely redshirting with injury)
- Oscar Goodman, F, R-So. (1.4 PPG)
- Ricky Liburd, G/F, R-Fr. (redshirt)
WHO’S NEW:
Transfer portal
- Moustapha Thiam, C, Jr. (12.8 PPG at Cincinnati)
- J.P. Estrella, F, Sr. (10 PPG at Tennessee)
- Jalen Reed, F, Sr. (9.5 PPG at LSU)
Freshmen (Rankings from 247Sports)
- Brandon McCoy Jr., G (five-star, No. 10)
- Quinn Costello, F (four-star, No. 45)
- Lincoln Cosby, F (four-star, No. 47)
- Joseph Hartman, G (four-star, No. 96)
- Malachi Brown, F (four-star, No. 147)
- Marcus Møller, C (international)
RETURNING MINUTES: 34.1 percent (per barttorvik.com) (11th-most in the Big Ten)
Why it will work
Despite all the roster turnover, Michigan brings back two key backcourt pieces in Cadeau and McKenney. Cadeau averaged 5.9 assists per game in 2025-26 and took home Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors in April. He’ll be one of the best players in the Big Ten this coming season. McKenney grew into a nice role for the Wolverines during their championship run, and hit a 3-pointer that arguably put the game away against UConn for the title.
Beyond that duo, UM has a strong haul of newcomers that could turn into another formidable team if things go well. Estrella and Thiam were two of the more highly-regarded players in the transfer portal and should be big pieces. And the Wolverines have multiple freshmen — particularly McCoy — who should contribute immediately.
It’s just a roster with a lot of talent.
Why it won’t
The obvious reason is the loss of May to the NBA. His former assistant Mike Boynton is currently the interim head coach.
There’s always risk in overhauling a roster the way Michigan was forced to. Cadeau and McKenney are good players, but they were Michigan’s fourth and fifth-highest scoring players last season. Either they’ll have to increase their output, or newcomers will have to fill voids left by Lendeborg, Mara, and Johnson. It’s possible that neither happens and Michigan just has a bumpier ride than it did last year.
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