Michigan Basketball Hit Hard by NBA Draft Early Entries

The Wolverines will be keeping close attention to the NBA Combine and workouts

Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau (3), left, celebrates a play against Wisconsin with forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) during the second half at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Michigan basketball team is hoping to put a roster together that can compete for another National Championship, but the Wolverines were hit hard by the NBA Draft early entry deadline as three key players will be getting feedback.

Aday Mara, Elliot Cadeau, and Morez Johnson have all made the decision to declare for the draft but none of the decisions are the same.

Mara was expected to enter the draft, and he will not return to the Wolverines after many projections have him as a Top 20 pick. The UCLA transfer averaged shined on the big stage for Michigan by averaging 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game

Head coach Dusty May already replaced his 7-foot-3 center in the transfer portal by landing a commitment from 7-foot-2 Cincinnati transfer Moustapha Thiam on Friday.

Point guard Elliot Cadeu, the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, has already inked a deal to return to the Wolverines but wants to see where he stands in terms of being selected in the NBA Draft.

Cadeau silenced a lot of critics this season after his two years at North Carolina following a year in which he posted 10.5 points and 5.9 assists per game on 41.1-percent shooting from the floor and a career-high 37.6-percent from 3-point range.

The expectation remains that he will return to the Wolverines for his senior season.

There are a lot more questions around Morez Johnson after his breakout season with Michigan following his transfer from Illinois. Johnson is thought of as a first-round pick after he went for 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game.

He overwhelmed his competition at times, shooting 62.3-percent from the floor and 34.3-percent from 3-point range while starting all 40 games. There is an expectation that Johnson could remain in the NBA Draft after the Wolverines added Tennessee transfer JP Estrella earlier in the offseason.

The deadline for college players to withdraw from the NBA Draft and maintain its eligbility is May 27.