The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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42 THE WOLVERINE ❱ OCTOBER 2025 BY CHRIS BALAS M ichigan head basketball coach Dusty May brought in a well-re- garded recruiting class of freshmen and transfers to complement the returnees, and it's meshing extremely well. Assis- tant coach Kyle Church told U-M hoops play-by-play man Brian Boesch on the "Defend the Block" podcast recently that the new transfers have been as good as advertised, leading to what should be an outstanding team. "I've told almost everybody I've talked to, we have a really, really tal- ented team and a significantly talented, deep, athletic, tall, physical team," Church said. "Before they become a good team, which we're not there yet … but I think we could get there, and we could become a great team. We have the talent prerequisite. But you need to become a really good team. "I've really enjoyed working with t h e se g uys t h i s s u m m e r. T h ey 've brought it every single day. We've had a bunch of moving parts every single day. I think we have a chance to be really, really special. We certainly have a long way to go, but we've given ourselves a chance." Here's Church's breakdown of each of the incoming transfers: Yaxel Lendeborg, Graduate, PF: "He is a special talent. His size and length, strength and skill level … He just has a combination of all these things you want in a basketball player. He's one of those guys you design on a 2K video game. That's what Yaxel ends up look- ing like. Then you put all that together. "Having coached him, the passing ability is what really stands out." Aday Mara, Jr., C: "Aday is a spe- cial player, just a unique talent. To have his skill level is almost unheard of at 7-foot-3, and to be able to move like he does and pass like he does. His as- sist-to-turnover ratio for a big guy is pretty special, both in workouts since he's been here and what he did last year at UCLA. "His skill level, his ability to finish around the rim, and his ability to protect the rim defensively will be a real weapon for us." Morez Johnson Jr., So., PF.: "He's the definition of a beast. That's just what he is. He's physical, he's tough. … He's just blue collar through and through. He makes every hustle play, every physical play, goes after every re- bound. His basketball life depends on it. "He's just a guy you want on your team. … Whatever the team needs, he does. Whatever position he's asked to play, he does. He's just a consum- mate team player and just brings a lot of toughness and physicality to the roster. "You add on the improved skill level, the improved jump shot, and I think he's going to be one of the best big guys in the league. … I think you're going to see an expanded game and hopefully a more improved game. I think he's got a huge year ahead." Elliot Cadeau, Jr., PG: "Elliot's pass- ing ability and his speed are the first two things that really are going to pop for our fans. His ability to get where he wants to go with his speed is tremendous. Then, once he gets there, his vision, his abil- ity to spray the ball all over the court, to throw lobs, to find shooters is really spe- cial. Those are his gifts as a basketball player and why he was considered one of the top point guards in the country com- ing out of high school and one of the top point guards in the portal this go-around. "I've been really impressed with his shot, too. A lot has been made of his jump shot, but he's shot the ball, par- ticularly on catch-and-shoot threes, very well this summer." ❑ ❱ MICHIGAN BASKETBALL U-M Transfers Made Great Strides This Summer Morez Johnson Jr. (left) and Aday Mara (right) joined the Wolverines from Illinois and UCLA, respec- tively. The two big men are among a host of talented transfers on the U-M roster this season. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY