Michigan Basketball in Contact With Nebraska Starter in the Transfer Portal

According to a report, the Wolverines are looking to add a former Husker.

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According to a report by the Field of 68, Michigan and three other schools are in contact with fifth-year senior Jamarques Lawrence. USC, Fresno State, and Troy are the other three programs that are in known contact with Lawrence.

With the NCAA passing the five-for-five rule, allowing players to have five years of eligibility, the 2022 recruiting class wanted a piece of the pie. An injunction granted allowed those players, who exhausted their eligibility in the spring of this past year, to have another year of playing ability.

Lawrence is an experienced starter

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The 6'3" guard began his season at Nebraska, where he played two seasons before transferring to Rhode Island for his junior season. But he opted to head back to Lincoln and finish his collegiate career with the Huskers.

In four years of basketball, Lawrence played in 128 career games and started 101 of those. In this past season, Lawrence averaged 9.8 points, .1 points less than last season at Rhode Island, and also had a career-high 3.8 assists per game.

Lawrence has been a career 36% 3-point shooter in his four-year career. He also gets it done on the defensive end of the court, averaging almost one steal per game.

Could fill the LJ Cason void

Following the exit of Dusty May, Mike Boynton Jr. was able to retain the entire Michigan roster, except guard LJ Cason. After sustaining a season-ending injury, Cason opted to leave the Wolverines and he transferred to Miami.

Cason was arguably the best backup point guard in the country last season before getting hurt. And even though Michigan has Elliot Cadeau returning at point guard, the Wolverines need a reliable backup.

Lawrence is used to starting, but he would have to accept a backup role at Michigan — unless Trey McKenney shifted to the '3' and Lawrence started at the '2'.

Either way, it would give Michigan another ballhandler for when Cadeau needed a breather.

Is Roddy Gayle out?

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With news of Michigan being in contact with Lawrence, what does that mean for Roddy Gayle Jr.?

The first thought for many Michigan fans was that Gayle Jr. could come back to Michigan for another season and give the Wolverines their starting '3' and another player who could run the offense. Both Gayle Jr. and Boynton Jr. were open to a reunion, per reports, but nothing has come to fruition yet.

Either Michigan is keeping all of its options on the table, or Gayle Jr. won't be back in Ann Arbor in 2026-27.