Still a 'championship team': Dusty May's message on the way out permeating through Michigan program

The overwhelming majority of the 2026-27 Michigan Wolverines basketball roster has already reaffirmed that they will remain with the program through the coaching change from Dusty May to interim head coach Mike Boynton Jr., including graduate forward Jalen Reed, who spent the previous four seasons at LSU before transferring in.

Summer workouts have continued on, and Michigan players remain determined to make another deep run after winning the national championship a season ago.

“I’ve just been really impressed with how much guys are in the gym and how much guys really believe in each other and believe in this team. It was easy for when Dusty left for everybody to kind of split and splinter, but everybody said, ‘When we woke up this morning, before the news broke, we thought we were a championship team — and nothing has really changed but Dusty’s left,'” Reed said on the ‘Defend The Block’ podcast with host Brian Boesch.

“Just to see the guys continue to believe in each other and us and come out on the court every day and make those early deposits — whether it’s 6 a.m. or 7 p.m. — it’s really inspiring to see, especially all of the young guys really hungry and wanting to work and wanting to succeed and wanting this team to succeed.”

That belief that Michigan is still a “championship team” has permeated throughout the program — starting with Boynton. However, the sentiment was first shared by May, who left for the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks in June.

“I want to say Dusty came in right after the news broke, came in the locker room and said it first,” Reed revealed. “Everybody was like, ‘You’re right.’ Coach Mike B. even followed up on it, and the team kind of agreed. Our leaders spoke up — [senior guard] Elliot [Cadeau], [sophomore guard] Trey [McKenney] — and everybody just kept believing in the goal.”

Cadeau, who has spent some time overseas playing internationally for Sweden, and McKenney have indeed stepped up as Michigan’s leaders.

“Just that winning experience,” Reed said of what they bring. “You can’t replicate going out and getting an NCAA championship. You can’t replicate that experience no matter what, unless you win it. Them already having got it done and having that knowledge to give the young guys and even me as an older guy is special. It’s rare. You can’t find that everywhere in the country because you’ve got to have winners to have that.”

Boynton has landed commitments from nearly everyone on the team that they will return next season — almost a coup, considering other teams were tampering and swirling. Reed’s connection was assistant coach Akeem Miskdeen, who recruited him out of high school and then to Michigan out of the portal this offseason, but Reed has also become closer with Boynton in recent weeks. Reed described himself as loyal.

“Honestly, when the Dusty news kind of hit, it was a shock for me, but I wasn’t filled with any resentment or sour feelings,” he said. ‘I kind of took it as Dusty was kind of the No. 1 pick in the draft to me, so I was more happy for him. I know this was a dream come true for him.

“I just talked to Coach Akeem, and he kind of reassured me that he thought Coach Mike B. would get the job and it would be run really similar. Coach Dusty even said the same thing, where he felt like the program would still be honestly really similar even with him not being here physically; he would still have his hands all over the program. So, I just believed in them.

“If you look at my history, loyalty is everything. I stayed at LSU for four years, so I wasn’t going anywhere.”

Jalen Reed up to ’90 percent’ health

Reed is coming off an Achilles injury that ended his season last November, and it’s unclear if he will be ready for the beginning of Michigan’s campaign. However, he’s progressing well in his rehab, making daily strides.

“I feel really comfortable about where I am, I think coming up on seven months after surgery,” the Michigan forward said. “My strength is in a really good place. I feel like I’m closing in on 90 percent. I’m back on the court running, getting back to working out. So, I’m really excited about where I am right now and really confident in my body right now, how rehab has been, especially at Michigan and having to switch my whole rehab protocol with the transfer portal. I’m really comfortable and confident with where my rehab is right now.”

Reed explained what hurdles he has left to clear.

“I just have to get back on the court and put it all together, keep polishing my running, balancing out that strength difference in my legs,” Reed noted. “Once I get a few more months of relearning how to move and translating that to the basketball court it will all come together pretty smoothly.”