Michigan coach talks every player on 2025-26 roster including an 'all-time Michigan shooter'

The Michigan basketball team finished Year 1 of the Dusty May as well as it possibly could have. After winning just eight games in the final year with Juwan Howard as the head coach, May came in and turned the Wolverines right around. Michigan would go on to win the Big Ten Tournament and make it to the Sweet 16, where it would fall to Auburn.

Michigan lost its top scoring threats from last season. Both Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin left for the NBA, and point guard Tre Donaldson transferred away. Despite the losses, Michigan is expected to be as good, if not better, this upcoming season. May went out and landed another great recruiting class, and hit the portal better than anyone else.

Recently, assistant coach and General Manager, Kyle Church, sat down and went over every player on the Wolverines' roster for the upcoming season. Here is what he said.

Guard Elliott Cadeau

"Elliott's passing ability and his speed, I think, 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 pretty tremendous. And then once he gets there, his vision, his ability to spray the ball over the court, to throw lobs, to find shooters is really, really special.

"Those are his gifts as a basketball player and why he was considered one of the top point guards in the country coming 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. You know, a lot's been made of his jump shot, but he's shot the ball, especially, particularly on catch and shoot threes very well this summer.

“I think his rim decision-making has made a big jump as far as when to go and finish, when to kick it out. You know, what's the right shot type based on what the defense presents at the rim has made a jump. And then I think defensively he can, and with his speed and stings, he can be a real pest, both guarding the ball and off the ball.”

Forward Morez Johnson

“He's the definition of a beast.

"I mean, that's just what he is. I mean, he's physical, he's tough, he's just blue collar through and through. Just makes every hustle play, every physical play goes after every rebound.

"You know, like his basketball life depends on it. And he's just a guy you want on your team. Just rugged, just whatever the team needs, he does.

"Whatever position he has to play, he's just a consummate 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. I think, you know, I think he's going to be one of the best big guys in the league.”

Center Aday Mara

"Sure, Aday is a special player, just a really unique talent. For somebody his size, to have his skill level is almost unheard of at 7'3, and to be able to move like he does and pass like he does. His assist to turn over for a big guy is pretty special, both in workouts since he's been here and what he did last year at UCLA.

"And like you said, he found something. The big guys are, sometimes it takes them a little bit longer to develop, especially coming from Europe. There's a transition with the speed of play, the physicality, especially moving into a league like the Big Ten.

"But he found something in those last 10 to 15 games where we even saw him going back to his days playing U-18 in Spain, where he was a high, high level college prospect, high level NBA prospect. And he really started to reach that potential at the latter half of his last year at UCLA. And I think that's just carried over.

“I think you're going to see that guy. You saw UCLA the last 15 games or so all season and hopefully just continue to improve. Obviously, the bigger workload is like you talked about, filling out his body is going to be important as he takes on a bigger role.

But his skill level, his ability to finish around the rim, his ability to protect the rim defensively will be a real weapon for us. And I know him and Cadeau have developed a really, really nice relationship above the rim there.”

Forward Yaxel Lendeborg

“Yaxel is a really special talent. I mean, his size and length and strength and skill level, he just has a combination of all these things you want in a basketball player. He's one of those, you know, he's kind of the guy you design on a 2K video game, is kind of what Yaxel ends up looking like.

"And then, you know, you put all that together and having coached them, the passing ability is what really stands out. And so, you know, these four guys are talking about the transfer portal, you know, they could score, you know, they're physically imposing, they're really fast, you know, what have you, but all four of them, their ability to pass the ball and their willingness to pass the ball is really, really special...

“And I think that's the biggest, the coolest thing that surprised me about Yax is his unselfishness and how well he can create for others.”

Guard Trey McKenney

“I mean, Trey McKenney, obviously his maturity level, you know, being a McDonald's All-American, but that's to the side.

"It's really his approach every day is extremely impressive. You know, both physical maturity, emotional maturity, mental maturity, he's as advanced as an 18, 19-year-old as I've been around, and he's been really, really fun to coach, and he's going to have a great career here.”

Wing Winters Grady

“Winners Grady, his shooting ability, his work ethic, I think he's in the gym every morning at 6 a.m. He's working his butt off every day.

"His stroke is really, really impressive. I think he's going to be one of these all-time Michigan shooters that we've seen over the years. I think the fans are going to love him and what he brings to the table as far as stretch the floor, and especially when you look at the rest of the roster, that's a potential need, potential weakness, and I think he could address it here from day one.”

Center Malick Kordel

“Malick Kordel is a really fun project, he just started playing basketball a couple years ago, and he's coming over from playing in the third division in Germany, and so it's just a big change for him on the court. But he's hit the ground running this summer, he's got a ton of potential. He reminds us of a young Vlad Goldin, it was kind of very similar, not to put that expectation on him necessarily, that he's going to average 20 in game in the Big Ten as a senior, but he's going to be a darn good player.

"He's got a chance to, his physical attributes, really jump off the page to see a guy that can run and move, and with his size and height is really special. Really excited to work with him over the coming years, and hopefully develop him to a really special player.”

Forward Oscar Goodman

“Oscar Goodman, tough.

"He's really shooting the ball well. He's made a nice jump coming off his summer with New Zealand. I think he's going to have a really good career, just a blue collar, got a lot of pop around the rim.”

Forward Patrick Liburd

“Ricky Liburd, who's most likely going to redshirt this year, just a beautiful kid, great family, just really love working with him every day, got a ton of potential. Obviously, the fans won't see it this year if he ends up redshirting his plan, but he'll bring a lot to our team and a practice role and eventually can develop into a stud player.

"I got a soft spot for Ricky because he asked how he did on the interview on the podcast a couple of weeks back. So I appreciated that about him. He has been an awesome addition.”

Combo Nimari Burnett

“Nimari spent a ton of time working on his body, really strengthening his legs, really working on his game this summer. He had a fantastic summer.

"He was as good as anybody on our team, shot the ball at extremely high level, which we knew he could, but the conditioning he's in, the strength he's added is noticeable and I think should lead to a monster [sixth] season."

Combo Roddy Gayle

“Roddy Gale saved the day. He's brought a consistent energy. He's such an athletic, dynamic player and obviously his struggles in the middle of last year are obviously well documented, but to what he did in the NCAA tournament game, the NCAA tournament run, particularly the Texas A&M game was so special and so cool.

"He deserved that so much and I think that positive end on the season for him has carried over to the summer and I think he's got a chance to be one of the best perimeter defensive players in the Big Ten. His length and his anticipation and his intelligence, I think, has led to him really standing out on that side of the ball while also continuing to develop his offensive game where he could play two, three, even four different positions for us this year."

Guard LJ Cason

“LJ Cason has made a massive jump, another guy that had some rough spots, as most freshmen do, and really came out on the other end and was huge for us those last 10 games or so, and as a sixth, seventh man off the bench, providing the score and punch.

"And his passing and playmaking, I think, or what's gonna stand out to the fans is, we knew he could score the ball, and he's gonna continue to score the ball, but I think he's really developed into a true point guard and a guy that really has gotten much better with his decisions in the paint. And I think you'll see that in his, a much better assist to turnover ratio, also much more efficient scoring the ball. I expect, you see across college basketball, guys make jumps from their freshman to sophomore years.

"There's typically a time to make a big jump. And I think he'll be a guy right there that makes that jump.”

Forward Will Tschetter

“And obviously, last but not least, Will Tschetter, who's just the consummate Michigan man.

"He's everything you want in a teammate and a guy you want to coach that just cares so much, just poured so much into this program. He had other options, as all four of those guys did, to maybe do other things and take on bigger roles. And he wanted to see this thing through here in Michigan, and we couldn't be more excited to have him back.

"He's, as he's been the last couple of years, kind of the heart and soul and a leader who's also a really, really good basketball player. And so we love our depth. I think that's one thing that we've really improved from year one to year two.”

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