The Michigan men’s basketball team struck gold last season, landing big man Danny Wolf in the transfer portal from Yale.
The 7-foot Wolf made a seamless transition from the Ivy League, averaging 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 30.5 minutes per game to earn All-Big Ten second-team honors and carve out a place on NBA Draft boards. Wolf led a cast of transfers that included fellow big man Vlad Goldin and guard Roddy Gayle Jr. among others, who helped the Wolverines win the Big Ten Tournament and reach the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament in coach Dusty May’s first season.
May once again is dipping into the portal to restock the Wolverines, with what appears to be one of the better transfer classes in men’s college basketball. ESPN on Monday slotted Michigan in at No. 3 in its transfer-class rankings for next season.
It’s a four-player class that is led by UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg, who contemplated a move to the NBA before choosing to head to Michigan. The 6-foot-9 forward is considered one of the top players from the portal — if not the top player — after averaging 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals last season for the Blazers.
He’s joined by point guard Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina), forward Morez Johnson Jr. (Illinois) and big man Aday Mara (UCLA).
“Dusty May had Danny Wolf, one of last season’s most impactful transfers, and he should have one again in Lendeborg, who withdrew from the NBA draft at the deadline despite being a projected first-round pick,” writes Jeff Borzello, ESPN’s basketball recruiting insider. “He’s likely to be one of three transfer starters for the Wolverines, who are bringing in four players ranked in the top 51 of ESPN’s top 100 transfers. Johnson and Mara are poised for breakout seasons, while Cadeau holds the keys to Michigan’s 2025-26 season.”
Cadeau averaged 9.4 points, 6.2 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game in his second season as a starter for the Tar Heels, and likely fills the role vacated by Tre Donaldson, who transferred to Miami (Florida). Johnson averaged seven points and 6.7 rebounds per game for the Fighting Illini, while the 7-3 Mara averaged 6.4 points, four rebounds and 1.6 blocks as a reserve.
Michigan State, which added a group that includes guard Divine Ugochukwu (Miami), forward Kaleb Glenn (Florida Atlantic) and guard Trey Fort (Samford), was not in ESPN’s rankings, which listed its top 13 teams. N.C. State, which added former Spartans point guard Tre Holloman to its roster, checked in at No. 13.
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