3 Michigan Players Baylor Should Target Following Dusty May Leaving For NBA

The college basketball world had shockwaves sent through it when the Michigan Wolverines lost their head coach. Dusty May chose to forgo a chance to chase back-to-back national championships in Ann Arbor in order to coach Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks.

While Michigan is picking up the pieces, they were able to buy some time by giving the interim label to Mike Boynton.

At some point, however, the transfer portal window will open and it will be open season for recruiting the current Wolverines’ roster.

One big name has already announced his intention of staying with Trey McKenney telling everyone he remains committed to Michigan, but there are other talented players on the roster who have surely been taking calls from other schools.

One of those schools should undoubtedly be the Baylor Bears. While they are prioritizing continuity, a team can never have enough talent on its roster, and the Bears are in need of a big bounce back season.

Who are some of the players that Baylor could target? Here are three potential candidates.

Guard Elliot Cadeau

Cadeau was one of the top players set to return in 2026 for Michigan’s national championship defense.

Cadeau stepped into the spotlight after a season-ending injury to guard LJ Cason and became the team’s primary ball handler. Instead of being a potential weak spot, Cadeau shined. He averaged 10.5 points-per-game on 41 percent shooting, but really upped his game when the lights shined the brightest.

In what was otherwise a defensive struggle, Cadeau was Michigan’s leading scorer with 19 points.

One of Baylor’s biggest issues a season ago was a lack of solid guard play. Isaac Williams will be back this year, but there are some holes remaining on the roster with the exit of Obi Agbim and to some degree Cameron Carr.

Cadeau is likely a pipe dream. If he were to enter the portal, he’d be a highly sought after player. That likely includes Michigan making him their top priority in an attempt to stabilize their program, but the Bears should not shy away from making a call. They learned the hard way a year ago how much a team can struggle without a point guard who can steady the ship. They should make every effort to bring the title-winning guard down to Waco.

Forward JP Estrella

Last year, Baylor went to the transfer portal and came away with a prize that was Michael Rataj. Rataj was supposed to be the big prize of the portal, and emerge as one of the stars of the team. Instead, Cameron Carr and Tounde Yessoufou took over those roles, and Rataj struggled throughout his only season in Waco. The 6-foot-8 forward from Germany scored 7.2 points-per-game and saw his role reduced throughout the season.

As a result, Baylor is looking for more size in its frontcourt and JP Estrella could right some of the wrongs that Rataj had a season ago.

Estrella transferred from Tennessee to Michigan this offseason, presumably to follow in the footsteps of Morez Johnson and Aday Mara as dominant frontcourt players who will likely be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Johnson and Mara helped spearhead a suffocating Michigan defense, but could play all over the floor. Estrella would be a perfect fit in Scott Drew’s system as someone who can give the team some size underneath the basket at 6-foot-11, while also adding some scoring punch. Estrella can play under the basket, or score from outside the paint as he shot 40 percent from 3-point land a season ago.

If Estrella decides to look elsewhere in the wake of May’s departure, there may not be a better fit for Baylor’s system.

Forward Jalen Reed

Country singer Bailey Zimmerman once said that getting back up was the only backup plan that anyone needs.

Should Baylor strike out on Estrella, their version of getting back up would be a pursuit of Jalen Reed. Reed was at LSU a season ago before transferring to Michigan for a lot of the same reasons Estrella likely did.

Reed is 6-foot-10, 245 pounds and could add more size and depth to Baylor’s front court which is looking for some punch after a lifeless season in 2025.

Reed averaged 9.5 points-per-game on 57 percent shooting, and is able to handle the ball which is more important than ever in today’s positionless basketball.

Estrella is likely a better fit for Drew’s system, but Reed would not be a bad consolation prize by any means. For a team that needs help in the front court, they should be targeting both players if they have the means to do so.

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