Michigan basketball surges to the top following massive transfer portal commitment
It has been a successful week for Dusty May and Michigan men’s basketball. Despite losing starting point guard Tre Donaldson to Miami, while also losing Jace Howard and Sam Walters — Michigan has made up for it.
It all started when former five-star point guard Elliot Cadeau chose to come to Ann Arbor to play after starting for the Tar Heels. Then former Illinois’ big man Morez Johnson committed to Michigan after playing his freshman season with the Illini. And then the big fish happened. On Saturday morning, Michigan landed one of the top college basketball players in America when UAB’s Yaxel Lendeborg committed to the Wolverines.
After landing the top-ranked player in the transfer portal, plus adding two top-50 transfers, the Wolverines have surged toward the top of the transfer portal rankings. Both 247Sports and On3 have Michigan as the second-ranked class in America. 247Sports has Michigan behind Louisville and On3 has the Wolverines behind Baylor.
Here is a closer look to what each player did last season with their respective team:
Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina)
Cadeau appeared in 74 games and made 68 starts during his two seasons with the Tar Heels. He averaged 9.4 points and 6.2 assists per game during the 2024-25 season.
Morez Johnson (Illinois)
The 6-9 forward finished his freshman season with the Illini. Johnson averaged seven points and 6.7 rebounds in 17 minutes per game. The former Fighting Illini doesn’t have an outside game, he didn’t attempt a single 3-point shot this season, but he is an athletic big who isn’t afraid to bang around in the paint. Johnson led Illinois’ team shooting 64.2% from the field.
Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB)
The 6-9 forward was one of the top players in college basketball this past season. He averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, while shooting over 35% from deep. Lendeborg has similarities to Danny Wolf as in he can dribble, pass, and create his own shot.
