Michigan’s title defense will ask a lot of its newcomers, but the early message out of the program is clear: this group is not arriving to wait its turn.
Returning guards Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney have seen enough in the early stages of preparation to believe Michigan’s freshmen and transfers can help right away, even as the Wolverines try to replace a massive chunk of last season’s production after a historic championship run.
That task is no small one. Michigan is trying to reload after losing three lottery picks, all of whom could legitimately play center.
Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. brought elite size and NBA-level talent to college basketball, and replacing that kind of frontcourt firepower is never simple. Even so, the players back in the program like what they’re seeing from the new group, especially a freshman class they think can make an immediate dent.
Quinn Costello has drawn particular praise. Cadeau and McKenney both pointed to the newcomer’s shooting and his potential to help at both ends.
"He's a really good shooter, and he's improving on defense," McKenney said. "He's a hard worker, and I can tell he really wants to, you know, make a really big impact this year."
Cadeau went even further when talking about Costello’s ceiling.
"I feel like I played with a lot of NBA players, seen a lot of NBA players, and he's for sure an NBA player," Cadeau said.
The confidence around the freshmen doesn’t stop there. Michigan’s returners believe the class has the kind of talent that can surprise people, though how quickly those players adapt to the college game will decide how much they actually play.
The Wolverines aren’t expecting the newcomers to do it alone. Experienced players are back to reinforce the program’s standards, giving the younger pieces room to learn without being forced to carry the load from day one.
The transfer group could be especially important as Michigan tweaks its offense. Cadeau singled out JP Estrella and Moustapha Thiam for their ability to stretch the floor.
"I feel like they can really, really knock down the three, and it'll just give us a lot more space to do what we do," Cadeau said.
McKenney sees the same upside, especially if Michigan can put multiple shooters on the floor at once. That kind of spacing could open things up in ball-screen action and make life harder for defenses trying to help on Cadeau and the other creators.
Assistant coach Dylan Murphy has also brought a new layer to the offense, according to McKenney, who praised the NBA perspective Murphy has added to the staff.
Even with all that offensive potential, Michigan’s veterans know the formula has to stay rooted in the same unselfish approach that powered last season’s championship team. Cadeau said freshmen and transfers are encouraged to speak up in huddles and know their voices carry weight no matter how long they’ve been in the program.
There’s also another boost in the mix: Roddy Gayle Jr. is eligible to return, giving Michigan another experienced guard after five-star freshman Brandon McCoy’s injury created a hole in the rotation. Cadeau and McKenney believe Gayle’s comfort with Michigan’s culture, along with his two-way ability, will matter.
For Michigan, the path forward is pretty straightforward. The newcomers have to settle in quickly, and the veterans have to keep steering the group in the right direction. The early signs are encouraging, especially with the freshmen’s confidence and shooting drawing rave reviews.
The championship from last season doesn’t carry over on its own. But with new talent, returning leadership and a locker room built around unselfish basketball, Michigan thinks it has the ingredients to make another run.
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