3. Michigan Wolverines
Speaking of transfer portal additions, perhaps no pick-up in this offseason’s transfer portal cycle was as big as UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg, who was projected as a late first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, yet opted to return to college.
Lendeborg is a do-it-all machine who averaged 17.7 PPG, 11.4 RPG and 4.2 APG for the Blazers last season. He was ranked as the top transfer in the country entering the 2025-26 season.
Aside from Lendeborg, the Wolverines return Nimari Burnett and Roddy Gayle Jr. and will welcome in UNC transfer Elliot Cadeau, which should (ideally) make a three-guard starting backcourt in Ann Arbor this season.
It’s no secret that Dusty May can work his frontcourt magic. I expect he will do so again with sneaky-good additions in 7-foot-3 UCLA transfer Aday Mara and Illinois transfer Morez Johnson Jr. -- both of whom are just scratching the surface with their potential.
Add in consensus top-25 recruit Trey McKenney, a true, physical three-level scorer, and the Wolverines have a unique blend of upside, proven experience and retention that will make the Wolverines among the top teams in the Big Ten and NCAA Basketball next season.