The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1535358
24 THE WOLVERINE ❱ JUNE/JULY 2025 2025 BASKETBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY CHRIS BALAS M any marveled at what Michi- gan head coach Dusty May was able to accomplish this year with only six weeks to put a roster together last spring. A Big Ten To u r n a m e n t c h a m p i o n s h i p, Sweet 16 appearance, outstand- ing recruiting momentum and NIL fundraising. Add it up, and it's clear the Wolverines hit a grand slam with Juwan Howard's replacement. May, though, has remained humble through it all. While others are singing his praises, he continues to keep his head down and work. "I never marvel at myself," May said in a recent sit-down. "I marvel at how our guys came together and gave us something to show as proof that we could play different ways, that we could figure it out, and that we could do it at this level [coming from Florida Atlantic]." He has, and now he's brought in out- standing talent for the second straight year. On the prep side, guard Trey Mc- Kenney (a two-time state Gatorade Player of the Year, the Hal Schram Mr. Basketball in the state as a senior and a McDonald's All-American), Oregon na- tive and versatile wing Winters Grady, and New Zealand power forward Oscar Goodman (an early enrollee who joined the U-M team in January) are all expected to vie for early playing time in 2025-26. From the portal, North Carolina point guard Elliot Cadeau, Illinois power for- ward Morez Johnson Jr., UCLA center Aday Mara, and Alabama-Birmingham's Yaxel Lendeborg contribute to On3's No. 4-ranked portal class (accounting for gains and losses). The former three are assured, while Lendeborg is still flirting with the NBA but still very interested in being a Wolverine, too. "We're excited about the guys we were able to bring in. They're all signed now [minus Lendeborg]," May said. "Starting with the fall class, it feels like it's difficult to sign freshmen early now because you don't know what your team is going to look like, and the success rate of fresh- men is so low across high majors. For ex- ample, there wasn't a freshman check- ing in during the national championship game. It's just gotten more difficult. "You just go in and try to address cer- tain needs. … What would give those guys a niche from Day 1 where they can potentially help and play big roles? Then, in the portal, we tried to go after guys we thought were really good but also fit us from a personality standpoint and fit our situation. We feel if they're really, really good at basketball, we can tweak and maximize their talent." TRIO OF TALENTED PREPS SHOULD PROVIDE IMMEDIATE HELP One trait May and his coaches were definitely looking for this cycle was shooting. They landed a pair of potentially great ones in Orchard Lake (Mich.) standout McKenney (6-4, 205, tabbed as No. 21 in the On3 Industry Rank- ing) and Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep's Grady. McKenney averaged 23.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game as a senior, finishing the season shooting 55 percent from the floor and 42 percent from three-point range, while Grady matched that three-point percentage during the adidas 3SSB AAU season a year ago. "The in-state factor matters," May said about landing Michigan's top prospect in McKenney. "Wearing 'Michigan' is im- portant to him. There's a little bit more pride in life after basketball and repre- senting his state. It does matter. It's just not as common now with the dynamics of college athletics." May was looking for immediate help when he first arrived on the Michigan campus, and McKenney was still a junior in high school. Still, the coach made him a priority in the '25 class. "I was very clear — 'I'm not going to ANOTHER BANNER CLASS Michigan Coach Dusty May Looks To Build On His Initial Success With More Recruiting Wins May's 2025 recruiting class and transfer portal additions reflect his vision for continuing to build Michigan basketball into a champion- ship program. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL