8. Michigan
After a brutal season the year prior, Michigan bounced back in a major way under new head coach Dusty May, nabbing 27 wins, 2nd place in the Big Ten, and a run to the Sweet Sixteen. The Wolverines were spearheaded by 7-footers Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf, though the strategy will be a bit different for May and company this season. Those two big men are both gone alongside former point guard Tre Donaldson, but this transfer portal haul confirms Michigan’s place in the Top 10.
The Wolverines got their point guard in Elliot Cadeau, fresh off a down year at North Carolina, while adding a 7-footer in UCLA’s Aday Mara. The frontcourt got significantly better with Morez Johnson Jr. after showing his potential at Illinois but not even he’s the reason for excitement. The big splash was landing Yaxel Lendeborg, the former UAB forward who was one of the top names in the entire portal for his scoring, rebounding, and complete ability.
Throw in a top recruit in Trey McKenney and the pieces Michigan brings back (namely Nimari Burnett and Roddy Gayle Jr.) and the top eight in this rotation are about as strong as any program in the nation. Michigan has the pure talent to win important games all year long, especially if new pieces like Cadeau and Mara mesh well with this new system. The big question is if Michigan can win a Big Ten title with this group.