Wolverine Digest

Michigan basketball cracks top 10 in early 2025-26 rankings

A lot will depend on what Yaxel Lendeborg decides to do.

Trent Knoop

Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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After a Sweet 16 run in Year 1 of the Dusty May era, Michigan men's basketball appears to be back. In the last season of Juwan Howard, the Wolverines had their worst year, winning just eight games, but May utilized the transfer portal to get Michigan back to where fans expect it to be: winning the Big Ten Tournament and making a run in the NCAA Tournament.

Although Michigan lost key players such as Danny Wolf, Tre Donaldson, and Vlad Goldin, most analysts are higher on the Wolverines in Year 2 of May. His utilization of the transfer portal is a major reason why. Michigan has the top transfer class after landing four highly sought-after players.

College basketball analyst Andy Katz is one of those believers in the Wolverines. In his latest way-too-early Power 37 rankings, he has Michigan ranked No. 8 heading into next season. Purdue is the top-ranked team, according to Katz, and the Boilermakers are the only team ranked higher than the Wolverines in the Big Ten.

But Michigan's ranking is contingent on what the top-ranked transfer decides to do. The Wolverines landed UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg, who is currently going through the NBA Draft process. Lendeborg is considered a late first or second-round pick, and if he doesn't secure a guaranteed first-round pick, he is going to play for May in Ann Arbor. But losing Lendeborg to the NBA would be a major loss for the Wolverines.

Michigan should be a contender in the Big Ten either way, but keeping Lendeborg in the fold could make the Wolverines a national title contender.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

More Michigan News:

Michigan or Ohio State: Analysts are split on Michigan football landing 5-star prospect

Michigan Basketball: Where Danny Wolf, Yaxel Lendeborg are projected in post-lottery NBA mock draft

Where Michigan football ranks in post-spring Big Ten Power Rankings

Joel Klatt on Michigan football's latest sign-stealing saga: 'Something's coming and it's likely very large'

For additional coverage of University of Michigan athletics:

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Trent Knoop
TRENT KNOOP

Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Senior Writer for Michigan Wolverines On SI for the 2024 football season. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.

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