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Michigan coach Dusty May: 'We think we're extremely deep' and 'have a lot of different ways we can play'

clayton-sayfieby: Clayton Sayfie07/06/25CSayf23
Dusty May
Michigan Wolverines basketball head coach Dusty May led his team to an NCAA Tournament win over UC San Diego. (Photo by Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines basketball coaches will have a lot of tough decisions to make in 2025-26, with a loaded roster that includes returners, studs from the transfer portal and a high-level incoming freshman class.

Michigan has been lauded for landing four talented transfers — forwards Morez Johnson Jr. (Illinois) and Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB), center Aday Mara (UCLA) and point guard Elliot Cadeau (UNC) — but on ‘The Sideline’ with Andy Katz, head coach Dusty May deflected much of the praise.

“To be honest, I’m gonna give our staff and returning players a lot of credit,” May said. “What gives me the most hope is how much better [graduate guard] Nimari Burnett, [senior guard] Roddy Gayle [Jr.], [sophomore guard] L.J. Cason and [graduate forward] Will Tschetter … they manage our locker room, they are the greatest human beings I’ve been around.

“So, obviously, we were able to go into the portal and add some instant impact guys, but the returners have really … and then [forward] Oscar Goodman was with us for a semester last year, who’s playing with New Zealand on the U19 team.

“So, we’re extremely deep, and if you watched the playoffs, the Pacers and the Thunder, probably their biggest competitive advantage other than their effort and togetherness was simply depth.”

One of Michigan’s advantages will be its size. Mara stands 7-foot-3, while Johnson and Lendeborg are both 6-9. Those three could play together at the same time, and Tschetter is a 6-foot-8 forward who can both offensive rebound and hit outside shots.

With a lot of versatile players, Michigan can play big or small.

“We think we’re extremely deep,” May reiterated. “We have a lot of different ways we can play.

“And with Yaxel, Aday, Morez, those guys coming out of the portal, and then Elliot Cadeau. It’s a lot like [former Michigan big man] Danny [Wolf], where we think this situation at this time fits who [Cadeau] is and what we need. We’re very optimistic that all of those guys are going to be able to contribute.”

While some will question if Michigan’s big men can play together — like they did with Wolf and Vladislav Goldin last season — the Wolverines will explore those looks.

“It starts with they’re all three extremely unselfish, and they can all pass the ball,” May said. “So it’s not as if you’re putting non-skilled bigs on the court.

“Morez Johnson has been a real pleasant surprise, obviously with his effort and rebounding and ability to run the floor are impressive, but he’s worked diligently on his jump shot, at improving on dribble handoffs, becoming a better screener and playing off space.

“We’re optimistic that we can find a way to use those guys. We did it last year more later than early with Will Tschetter, who had been a ‘5’ under [former Michigan head] Coach [Juwan] Howard. We played him, Danny and Vlad together in our biggest minutes in the Big Ten Tournament and it was successful.

“So, we think it’s a little bit underrated. As long as guys are unselfish and know how to play off of each other and they can pass and they’re threats, then we think we can find a way to get our best guys on the court for that particular game.”

Michigan’s freshmen will have roles, too, especially guards Trey McKenney and Winters Grady. Overall, May and Co. are pleased with the roster they’ve assembled.

“We have what we think is a dynamite freshman class with Trey McKenney and Winters Grady, and we signed a guy late out of Miami that we think is gonna be a really good player in a couple years [Patrick Liburd]. We signed another big kid out of Germany [Malick Kordel]. We think we have a lot of pieces that can really help, and they’re hard working and they’re great teammates, so that gives us hope.”

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