Joe Lunardi makes three bold predictions regarding Michigan basketball's season

The Wolverines would be in a good place if these came true

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The Michigan men's basketball team started the 2025-26 season off with a bang. Despite Yaxel Lendeborg coming off the bench due to an injured wrist, Michigan still torched the scoreboard. Michigan would go on to crush an Oakland team that went toe-to-toe with Purdue, 121-78.

The Wolverines scored a program-high 69 points in the first half, and the new-look front court was fantastic for Dusty May. Illinois transfer Morez Johnson led the way, scoring 24 points, and UCLA transfer Aday Mara had a double-double in his debut.

With as much hype as Michigan is getting this season, it's not shocking to see analysts banking on the Wolverines to get the job done this season.

Joe Lunardi's bold prediction

Recently, ESPN's Jeff Borzello, Joe Lunardi and Myron Medcalf made their college basketball predictions for the new season, and Mr. Bracketology himself, Joe Lunardi, is putting a lot of stock on the Michigan Wolverines.

Lunardi is predicting Michigan to win the national championship in Dusty May's second year as the head coach. He has Duke, Purdue, and UConn in the Final Four with the Wolverines, but Michigan is the team that Lunardi thinks comes out on top.

While winning the national championship is the ultimate goal for any college program, Lunardi has more good news coming the Wolverines' way with his predictions.

Lunardi has Yaxel Lendeborg winning the Player of the Year Award. In his debut with Michigan, coming off the bench, the UAB transfer shot the ball four times and scored 12 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists. Last year, with UAB, Lendeborg averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.

Lunardi believes coach May gets the job done

Most of the time, if your team wins the national championship, you're going to be rewarded for it. Joe Lunardi also has Dusty May winning the Coach of the Year Award this season.

Coach May came over from FAU last season and took Michigan back to the NCAA Tournament and made it to the Sweet 16, where the Wolverines lost to Auburn. Just one season before, Juwan Howard won eight games coaching the Wolverines.

So far, May has proven to be the man for the job, and that doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon.

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