WATCH: Dusty May press conference, Michigan players speak at Big Ten Basketball Media Day

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball head coach Dusty May and veteran guards Nimari Burnett and Roddy Gayle Jr. represented the program at Big Ten Basketball Media Days on Thursday as one of the leading contenders to win the league crown this year.

Their full media sessions can be viewed below or on our YouTube channel.

The defending Big Ten Tournament Champions know that, despite the hype, everything goes back to zero this year. May believes that a handful of teams could walk out of this season with the crown.

 ”There’s no hidden agendas in our locker room,” May said during his media session. “Everyone wants the same thing, and that’s to chase championships. We know we’re a long way from that. The beautiful thing about being in this league, there are 18 teams, so I feel like it’s impossible to try to knock us off or knock Michigan State off. It’s going to be warfare every single night in the Big Ten. So we’re not really thinking about all those other teams as opposed to maybe what we’ll see from them.

“But I know that I’ve caught myself several times. The media has asked, ‘Who do you anticipate being this, or who do you anticipate being that?’ And I’ll rattle off four or five, six teams I think could win [the league]. And then as soon as I stopped talking, I remember three or four other teams that when I look at their roster where I think, man, they have a real shot if they can stay healthy and they can find a way to come together.

“The field is wide open. We’re going to chase it just like everyone else.”

Michigan veterans Nimari Burnett, Roddy Gayle speak

Burnett and Gayle joined the program out of the transfer portal, but will have a combined five years of experience at Michigan by the time this season comes to an end. Going from portal pieces to foundational players is something both are proud of heading into 2025-26.

 ”It means everything,” Burnett said on Thursday. “We come to Michigan to further our collegiate career, but also be in the best situation possible and doing so to win. And I feel like we’ve all done that from the guys that have transferred here or just chosen Michigan, coming out of high school.

“It’s a part of who we are and it’s going to be a part of who we are. Once our time is up and we share it with our brothers, the alumni… people that we see in airports say, ‘Go Blue.’ It is universal. So I’m excited to be a part of that brand.”