Breaking into how Dusty May could create Michigan’s squad for 2024-25 season
May has a lot of scholarships to fill, so here’s how he can build his first roster at Michigan.
Dusty May was unveiled as the next head coach of Michigan men’s basketball last week, ushering in a new era for the school.
May has yet to officially appoint his staff, but he will reportedly be joined by former Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton and Georgia’s Akeem Miskdeen. May also needs to fill out Michigan’s roster, which presently has only two players committed to playing in Ann Arbor next season.
DI men’s collegiate basketball teams are given 13 scholarships, which implies that as of April 5, with the players we know are heading to Michigan, May will have 11 scholarships to fill in 2024-25.
There’s still a lot of uncertainty surrounding how May could build out this roster, so a lot of this is subject to change. But for now, let’s break down how he could fill out this roster.
Players we know are coming to Michigan
Will Tschetter, a crucial bench contributor last season, is the first player from last year’s team to publicly announce that he will return to Michigan next season.
Only one of Juwan Howard’s three 2024 pledges, in-state guard Durral Brooks, has reaffirmed his commitment now that May is in charge.
Still on the roster
Nimari Burnett and Jace Howard, both guards, are still eligible but have yet to publicly indicate where they plan to play next season.
Burnett was a critical starter last season, capable of heating up quickly despite his uneven performance. Michigan might benefit from his scoring ability next season.
Given the coaching change, Howard might transfer, but he attended May’s introductory news conference and is nearing completion of his degree, so his decision to stay at Michigan is not surprising.
Michigan players currently in the portal
Several Michigan players entered the transfer portal following the conclusion of a disastrous season, but a few could still return to Michigan.
Two players who played minimally last season are also in the portal but may return: freshman guard George Washington III and sophomore forward Youssef Khayat.
Dug McDaniel, Michigan’s best scorer last season, went through the portal and committed to Kansas State.
Additions via the transfer portal
This is where the majority of Michigan’s players are expected to come from next season.
Our portal tracker shows that Wisconsin guard Connor Essegian, Yale center Danny Wolf, and Toledo guard Dante Maddox Jr. have confirmed mutual interest. Michigan has already contacted a few portal players, and we expect to get further scholarship offers once May’s staff is confirmed.
We also can’t forget about former FAU players like center Vlad Goldin and guard Johnell Davis, who have entered the portal and could rejoin with their former head coach.
Recruiting high school prospects
This is the most difficult category to forecast because by this point in the cycle, many of the best prospects have already committed and/or signed letters of intent with certain institutions.
However, as those who follow the recruiting industry know, candidates can always be persuaded to change their minds, especially when NIL is an issue. And, as we reported earlier this week, Mike Boynton is an excellent recruiter who might tempt some top talents to come to Ann Arbor.
May appears to be working hard on the high school trail, as evidenced by a video of him already showing up to watch the country’s top high school squad. 24/7 High School Hoops reported this week that May was in Indiana to watch five-star Darius Acuff and former four-star Michigan commit Khani Rooths. We must also keep in mind that May may seek for fresh talent on a global scale.
In the following weeks, there will most certainly be a lot of recruiting news, both from the transfer portal and from high schools. Maize n Brew will keep you updated, but in the meantime, let us know what you want May to prioritize as she builds together this roster.
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