Dusty May's Parting Message Cemented Michigan's Championship Belief

As Dusty May left Ann Arbor, he had one parting message for the team.

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Changes can occur at the spur of the moment and that's what recently happened in Ann Arbor for the men's basketball program. In the blink of an eye, Dusty May parted ways for the Dallas Mavericks and Michigan quickly leaned on Mike Boynton Jr., naming him the interim head coach.

So far, all but two players have announced they would play for Michigan next season, and Boynton has done an incredible job of retaining the talent that May put together.

Appearing on 'In the Block' with Brian Boesch, transfer Jalen Reed spoke about how impressed he has been with the team since May departed. Instead of giving up and the team breaking apart, they have grown together and believe they can go win a championship this year.

"I've just been really impressed with how much guys are in the gym and how much guys really, really, really believe in each other and believe in this team," Reed told Boesch. "You know, it was easy for when Dusty left for everybody to kind of split and splinter. But everybody said, when we woke up this morning before the news broke, we thought we were a championship team and nothing's really changed."

Dusty gave the message

The thought of being a championship-contending team was talked about. In fact, according to Reed, it was Dusty May who came in to tell the team that despite him leaving for the NBA, this was a team that could go win it all once again.

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Once May delivered his parting message, Boynton reiterated what May said, and then the two leaders of the team: Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney, agreed.

"I want to say Dusty came in right after the news broke, came in the locker room and said it first," said Reed. "And everybody was like, you right? Like Coach Mike even followed up on it. And the team kind of agreed and our leaders spoke up, Elliot and Trey. And, you know, everybody just kept believing in the goal."

Can't replicate Trey McKenney and Elliot Cadeau's experience

Despite guys like Reed having years of experience at the collegiate level, you can't replicate the experience both Cadeau and McKenney have. Not many players experience what it's like, or what it takes, to win a national title. But both of those players were catalysts in the Wolverines' national title run last year.

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Reed is excited to learn more from both of them, along with helping the younger players learn that winning mentality.

"Just that experience, that winning experience. I mean, you can't replicate going out and getting the NCAA championship and you can't replicate that experience no matter what, unless you win it," said Reed. "So I feel like just them having already got it done and having that knowledge to give the young guys and even me as an older guy is special. And it's rare. You can't. You can't find that everywhere, everywhere in the country because, I mean, you got to have winners to have that."