Michigan got a major boost for 2026-27 when Oscar Goodman decided to stay put.
After a championship season and a coaching shakeup, the 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward from New Zealand passed on the transfer portal and reaffirmed his commitment to the Wolverines. He’ll remain in Ann Arbor as Michigan tries to defend its national title under newly promoted interim head coach Mike Boynton Jr.
That matters because the offseason could have gone sideways fast. Dusty May’s departure for the Dallas Mavericks opened the door for the kind of roster movement that often follows a coaching change in the transfer-portal era. Instead, Goodman chose continuity, sticking with a program that just finished a dominant regular season and beat UConn in the National Championship Game.
Goodman’s return also gives Michigan a player with room to grow into a much bigger role. During the 2025-26 season, he was a redshirt freshman buried behind a loaded frontcourt. He played in 16 games off the bench and averaged 1.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in limited minutes.
But the numbers only tell part of the story. Goodman spent the year going against a front line that included eventual NBA lottery picks Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., and Aday Mara, and that daily grind shaped his game.
He said he picked pieces from each of them to build his own style: Lendeborg’s all-around versatility, Johnson’s rebounding edge and physicality, and Mara’s polished post work.
Now the challenge shifts from learning to producing. With those lottery-level bigs gone, Michigan has a real opening in the frontcourt, and assistant coach Drew Williamson pointed to Goodman’s frame as a real advantage. He can punish smaller guards on the block and use his quickness to make bigger centers uncomfortable around the elbow.
Goodman has also spent the offseason working on his jumper, with an emphasis on getting it higher and making it more consistent. That outside shot could be the key to unlocking more of his game, letting him stretch the floor, pull defenders away from the paint and attack closeouts.
There’s another layer to his return, too. Goodman is expected to take on more of a leadership role after absorbing the vocal tone set by Michigan’s veteran group. With a younger roster coming together under Boynton, his decision gives the Wolverines a proven piece to build around as they try to stay at the top.
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That matters because Michigan is trying to accelerate Bryce Underwoods growth while also giving its young offense a clearer structure. Beck has spent years coaching quarterbacks at multiple stops, and his work under Whittingham gives the Wolverines a built-in level of familiarity at a time when continuity can be just as valuable as scheme. The bigger question now is how fast that fit translates once the offense gets on the field. [Read more 🡒]