Michigan Basketball Eyes Big Ten Center in the Transfer Portal

Would this fit work? Let's dive in.

Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan's front court could look a lot different in the 2026-27 season. The Wolverines lost Yaxel Lendeborg and Will Tschetter from their national title team. And Michigan could also lose both Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. since both are projected first-round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.

So far, Michigan has landed one player from the portal — Tennessee big man J.P. Estrella — and the Wolverines are going to need to make more moves to shore up their front court.

There is a chane Johnson Jr. comes back — more so than Mara. Getting one of the two back would be a big win for Dusty May and Co. and since May had already had success with Big Ten transfers, he is taking a look at another.

According to On3's Jamie Shaw, Michigan and other schools are interested in Washington center Franck Kepnang. But the Wolverines are going to need to fend off Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and UConn, among others, to land the veteran center.

Potential seventh year center

Kepnang has been around the block a time or two, and that's because he has played six years of college basketball. He started his journey with Oregon, where he played two seasons before transferring to Washington, where he has been for the last four seasons.

Kepnang was a COVID recruit and he received a free year. He had also suffered a pair of season-ending injuries and he is searching for another medical waiver so he can play a seventh year of basketball.

This past season, the 6'11", 253-pound center started 25 of 27 games for Washington. He averaged 6.2 points and 6.3 rebounds in 22.9 minutes per game. But he would immediately bring a presence on the block. Kepnang averaged over two blocks per game and finished second in the Big Ten Conference behind Aday Mara.

Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

The question for Kepnang is his health. He played in 52 games in his first two seasons with Oregon, but since transferring to Washington, he saw action in 59 games in his four seasons with the Huskies. Kepnang did have a mostly healthy season this past season, which bodes well for his potential outlook.

Does the fit make sense?

Mara clearly played better than what most people expected when he came to Michigan. He not only played good defense but he could score. The thing about the Wolverines next season, is that they don't need a scoring center — especially if Johnson Jr. returns.

Michigan will have plenty of scorers on the court, but what the Wolverines need is for someone to clog the lane and prevent easy shots. Kepnang does make sense in that regard.

But there are also some more proven and healthier options on the table. May is leaving no stone unturned, however, in his quest for a back-to-back.