Latest news with #YaxelLendeborg
New York Times
15-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How Yaxel Lendeborg is finding his fit with Michigan basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Yaxel Lendeborg walked off the court after one of his first practices at Michigan, looking like a 6-foot-9 sponge that was ready to be wrung out. Eventually, all of this will be second nature: the cuts, the screens, the mix of structure and free-flowing improvisation. Right now, Lendeborg is still soaking it all in, still absorbing. He showed a trace of tentativeness as the Wolverines ran through their offensive sets, a hint of surprise when coach Dusty May stepped into the drill and whipped a behind-the-back pass in his direction. There was another moment when the clouds parted and Lendeborg, the No. 2 player in The Athletic's transfer portal rankings, soared above everyone for a one-handed dunk. Advertisement 'It's a lot of different play calls that I'm not really used to, so I'm having to get adjusted to that,' said Lendeborg, a transfer from UAB who opted for Michigan over the NBA Draft. 'There's certain times when I'm just looking around and I'm, like, confused on where I've got to be. I feel like I'll get there in a week or so. I'm getting a little closer now.' Lendeborg isn't the only one who's adjusting. Much as he did in Year 1, May constructed a roster that's heavy on transfers and freshmen, supported by a few returning players in key roles. Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin, the 7-footers who carried Michigan to the Sweet 16, are gone. So is point guard Tre Donaldson. And yet, expectations are firmly in place for an even deeper postseason run. Nimari Burnett, Will Tschetter, Roddy Gayle and L.J. Cason are back from last year's team, joined by five-star freshman guard Trey McKenney. Michigan added point guard Elliot Cadeau from North Carolina in hopes of solving last year's turnover struggles. Aday Mara, a 7-3 center who transferred from UCLA, provides size and rim protection, and Illinois transfer Morez Johnson is a 6-9 powerhouse in the paint. Lendeborg, a double-double machine who averaged 17.7 points and 11 rebounds last year at UAB, is the player who ties it all together. He committed to Michigan in April while also testing the NBA waters. Unlike other coaches, Lendeborg said, May didn't try to talk him out of the draft or make promises about turning him into a lottery pick. Michigan would have a good team either way, May told him, but Lendeborg was the player who could make it great. 'He said (I'm) basically like the queen on the chessboard,' Lendeborg said. 'Basically like a Danny Wolf role, trying to do the same things he was doing.' Much of Michigan's success last season came from creating mismatches with Wolf, a 7-foot point-forward who was drafted with the No. 27 pick by the Brooklyn Nets. Lendeborg isn't as tall but has similarities as a do-it-all big man who's capable of initiating offense. Cadeau described him as a 'pro playing college basketball,' and his versatility makes an impact on every column on the stat sheet. Advertisement Michigan has started to experiment with using Lendeborg as a creator in ball-screen sets with another big man, May said, similar to the way the Wolverines used Wolf last year. If this works, it will be further proof that Michigan has found its niche as a program that creates unconventional frontcourt matchups that most teams on the schedule aren't built to defend. 'I think there will be times that we roll out a really, really rare big lineup,' May said. 'There's going to be other times when we play small and quick and have one of our really skilled guys at the five. We're going to have to figure out who plays the best with who and try to align those minutes.' Building a team this way comes with tradeoffs. The Wolverines had one of the nation's best frontcourts last season but weren't a particularly good 3-point shooting team and ranked near the bottom of Division I in turnover rate. Though Michigan didn't add lights-out shooting in the offseason, May is banking on a bounce-back season from Gayle, continued efficiency from Burnett, development from Cason and enough shooting from the rest of the roster to win games in the Big Ten. The turnover issue was more vexing. May and his staff studied the problem in the offseason but didn't find many patterns behind the random, careless turnovers that plagued the Wolverines last year. Cadeau, a five-star prospect from the Class of 2023, had turnover troubles of his own at North Carolina, but he also had one of the best assist rates in the country. May said Cadeau's quickness and creativity as a facilitator jumped out immediately during summer practices. 'Last year, we were turning the ball over at this time, and we turned it over all year,' May said. 'We had to find other ways to win. This year, the turnover issue, after such a small sample size, has been cleared up simply through roster construction.' Advertisement As much as Michigan wanted to be balanced, much of the scoring load fell on Wolf last season. The Wolverines hope to have more options this year, but it won't be a surprise if the offense runs through Lendeborg. He was projected as a borderline first-round pick and performed well enough at the NBA Draft Combine to consider staying in the draft. Ultimately, he decided that having a year at Michigan to assert himself as an elite player would put him in the best position for a long NBA career. Lendeborg, who played his first three seasons at Arizona Western College, never followed the gilded path of a five-star recruit. He's discovering what he can do, along with everyone else. That means coming to terms with his own talent and thinking of himself as the best player on the floor, a realization that didn't hit him until somewhat recently. 'That's been a big thing for me,' Lendeborg said. 'I never feel like I belong on the court.' Through a few weeks of summer practices, Lendeborg is starting to feel at home. The game is still moving fast, but now that he has had some time with his new teammates, he's pretty sure he's in the right place. 'It seems like everybody's unselfish,' Lendeborg said. 'That's really new to me. I've had a lot of guys who wanted every shot, to be the man. I feel like nobody here wants to be the man. Everybody just wants to win. That's something I'm really happy to be a part of.' (Top photo courtesy of Michigan Athletics)
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Michigan Basketball Transfer Leads Team USA to FIBA Gold Medal With Strong Performance
Michigan Basketball Transfer Leads Team USA to FIBA Gold Medal With Strong Performance originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Michigan Wolverines hauled in one of the top transfer portal classes in the nation this offseason under the guidance of head coach Dusty May and his supporting staff, netting star forward Yaxel Lendeborg and athletic Illinois big man Morez Johnson Jr. among others. Advertisement On Sunday, Johnson Jr. turned in a performance to remember with the American U19 FIBA World Cup team as he stuffed the stat sheet while helping the United States to a gold medal game win over Germany. Johnson Jr.'s double double performance caught attention on social media as fans began to ponder the possibilities for him on Coach May's team. Former Illinois F and Michigan transfer Morez Johnson Jr. shoots vs. Kentucky in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. © Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images "Congratulations to @umichbball's Morez Johnson Jr., who helped lead Team USA to gold at the U19 FIBA World Cup," Alejandro Zuniga wrote on X. "Morez Johnson Jr. had a double-double against Germany in the championship game: 15 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes. Advertisement "A Michigan Beast," one fan wrote with a .GIF of ex-Wolverine Jordan Poole after a big play. "Congrats to the US team. Germany in the top 2. We have come a long way," one fan wrote under a video of the gold medal game, congratulating the Americans. Another fan gave Johnson an "honorable mention" in the comments section of a YouTube video of the game, saying they wished he had stayed with the Fighting Illini. "We're still the best in the world," another fan wrote. "Don't let them tell you otherwise," they added with trophy and gold medal emojis. Related: Big Changes Coming to Michigan Offense, QB Bryce Underwood Reveals This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan basketball schedules blockbuster Duke game in D.C. for February 2026
Though Michigan football tends to draw the most attention, Dusty May and Michigan basketball are certainly working to wrest much of the offseason hullaballoo away. Whether it's the addition of Yaxel Lendeborg, despite him appearing to be NBA draft-bound, or getting top-tier talent via high school recruiting, May has completely overhauled expectations in Ann Arbor in short order. And now, there will be another marquee matchup to go along with the rest of it. The Wolverines were already set to face an ACC team, Wake Forest, with a game held at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit this season. But Michigan basketball announced on Tuesday morning that it has finalized a late-season nonconference game against Duke to be held in Washington D.C. on February 21. The two storied programs are best known for meeting in the NCAA Tournament Championship Game back in the Fab Five era, but they last met 13 years ago in Durham. Full release: In conjunction with the Gazelle Group, the University of Michigan men's basketball team announced today (Tuesday, June 24) its inclusion in the Duel in The District against Duke on Saturday (Feb. 21) at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Scheduled near the tail end of the Big Ten regular season, the Wolverines meet the Blue Devils for the first time in 13 years. The last meeting was during the 2013 ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham. After falling behind by 10 at the half (32-22), U-M matched Duke in the second half (47-47) but was unable to overcome that first-half deficit, falling 79-69 (Dec. 4). Overall, U-M holds an 8-22 record against Duke. The Duel in The District marks the seventh neutral-site game between Michigan and Duke. Three of the previous six have been during the NCAA Tournament, including the 1992 national championship, the 1964 Final Four and the 2011 second round, when U-M fell 73-71 as a late game-tying Darius Morris lay-up rattled off the rim. The last neutral game was in the 2011 Maui Invitational (Nov. 22) -- an 82-75 Duke win. Michigan makes its way back to the nation's capital for the first time since participating in the Coaches vs. Racism match-up against Prairie View A&M (W, 77-49; Nov. 13, 2021). The Wolverines return to Capital One Arena for the first time since winning four games in four days to claim the 2017 Big Ten Tournament. That year, U-M went on its championship run after being involved in a team plane crash while leaving for the conference tournament. The Maize and Blue are guided by Dusty May, who in his first season led the Wolverines to a 27-10 record, won the Big Ten Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 for a sixth straight NCAA Tournament. Duke is led by head coach Jon Scheyer, who closed his third season with the Blue Devils posting a 35-4 record, winning the ACC (19-1) regular season and tournament titles before falling to Houston, 70-67, in the Final Four. All ticketing information, television details and tip time will be announced later. However, for early access to tickets before the public sale, sign up for email updates here. Whoever wins the game will certainly have a big advantage when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding.
USA Today
05-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Yaxel Lendeborg discusses Michigan basketball roster, sets Final Four goal for 2025
Yaxel Lendeborg discusses Michigan basketball roster, sets Final Four goal for 2025 Yaxel Lendeborg isn't wasting any time getting acclimated to Michigan basketball. The No. 1 player in the transfer portal had committed to the Wolverines earlier in the process, despite still appearing to be NBA-bound as he departed UAB. Yet, he ended up withdrawing and will play in Ann Arbor for one season after all. As it turns out, he already has a pretty good idea of what the roster looks like, what it can do, and how it can help him improve as a player. "I feel like I have a pretty good knowledge of it right now," Lendeborg told Brian Boesch on the Defend the Block Podcast. "I know our bigs are really athletic, really long shot blockers. A lot of us are pretty good rebounders, so it's going to be a little bit of a battle on the boards. "We have Elliot Cadeau, who's -- I think they said, the best passer, the best passer in college basketball, which is amazing as well. Something that I could probably try to take from him, just see what he sees on the floor, something to learn about. And, we have a lot of good shooters like Nimari Burnett. I think they said he shot 45 percent, which is ridiculous. "We just got Trey (McKenney), (Mr.) Basketball -- you know, that's great. I haven't looked into many of the other guys as much, but I know that we have a good roster formulated, and we have a lot of length, which is something great as well." Coming from UAB, Lendeborg isn't used to his team having high and lofty expectations. But the Wolverines are coming off a Big Ten Tournament championship and a Sweet 16 run. Now, those expectations are risin,g and the program is aiming higher. With Lendeborg on the roster, that helps elevate the program, as well. And he's not shying away from heightened prospects when it comes to what the maize and blue can do in 2025-26. "Oh, yeah. I'm super excited," Lendeborg said. "You know, "I feel like it's giving me more of a chip on my shoulder to try to be the best that I can be, just not let the fans down, not let the people that support us down, you know. So I am super excited. I'm happy to get up to that stage. I made a promise as well that I want to at least take us to the Final Four. So, I'm going to do whatever I can to get us there." Lendeborg joins transfers Cadeau, Morez Johnson Jr., and Aday Mara, as well as freshmen McKenney, Winters Grady, and Patrick Liburd as new faces who will reshape the Michigan basketball roster in 2025-26.
USA Today
01-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Updated Big Ten basketball power rankings for 2025-26 season after NBA draft decisions
AI-assisted summary Several key Big Ten basketball players, including Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg and Wisconsin's John Blackwell, withdrew from the NBA draft and will return to school. Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser will remain in the NBA draft, dealing a blow to the Nittany Lions. With rosters finalized, USA TODAY projects Purdue as the top Big Ten team for the 2025-26 season, followed by Michigan and UCLA. Wisconsin is projected to finish fourth in the Big Ten due to Blackwell's return and the addition of San Diego State transfer Nick Boyd. The college basketball offseason reached a significant milestone this week, as the NBA draft early-entry candidates were forced to decide whether to stay in the draft or return to college. That date saw several of the Big Ten's projected top players return to school, including Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, Wisconsin guard John Blackwell and Oregon center Nate Bittle. Lendeborg headlines that group after joining Michigan this offseason as the top-ranked player in the transfer portal. He, Blackwell and Bittle all project as 2026 draft prospects, assuming they continue their respective trajectories through the 2025-26 season. Meanwhile, one notable player to remain in the draft is Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser. The former Northern Illinois transfer led the Big Ten in blocks (2.3) last season and would've been a frontrunner for 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year had he returned. His departure is a major blow to a Penn State program that is reeling, now entering year three under Mike Rhoades. With rosters now finalized after a busy transfer window and those NBA draft decisions, here are our latest Big Ten power rankings for the 2025-26 season. 18. Penn State Nittany Lions 2024-25 Record: 16-15 (6-14 Big Ten) Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle Notable Departures: Ace Baldwin Jr. (graduation), Puff Johnson (portal), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (draft) Notable Additions: Josh Reed (Cincinnati), Kayden Mingo (high school), Mason Blackwood (high school) Konan Niederhauser's departure is crushing for Penn State's chances this season. Not only will his 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game be challenging to replicate, but his sheer presence on the court affected opposing game plans. Talents like that are hard to come by, especially at center. An NCAA Tournament berth would be a major surprise for the Nittany Lions this season. Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire 17. Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2024-25 Record: 15-17 (8-12 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Ace Bailey (draft), Dylan Harper (draft), Lathan Sommerville (portal), Jeremiah Williams (portal) Notable Additions: Baye Fall (Kansas State), Darren Buchanan (George Washington), Lino Mark (high school), Chris Nwuli (high school), Harun Zrno (international) Rutgers went 15-17 with two top-three NBA draft prospects in the lineup. With those two now gone, how can we expect the team to suddenly improve dramatically? 16. Washington Huskies 2024-25 Record: 13-18 (4-16 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Great Osobor (graduation), Tyler Harris (portal), Wilhelm Breidenbach (portal), Mekhi Mason (portal) Notable Additions: Wesley Yates III (USC), Bryson Tucker (Indiana), Jacob Ognacevic (Lipscomb), Lathan Sommerville (Rutgers), Quimari Peterson (East Tennessee State) Washington is the last team in this ranking's bottom tier. The Huskies struggled in their first year in the Big Ten, even with top transfer Great Osobor leading the way. Sprinkle has won wherever he's been, so expect some improvement in 2025-26. It still may not be enough to reach the conference tournament. Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire 15. Minnesota Golden Gophers 2024-25 Record: 15-17 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Dawson Garcia (graduation), Lu'Cye Patterson (graduation), Mike Mitchell Jr. (graduation), Femi Odukale (portal), Parker Fox (graduation) Notable Additions: Bobby Durkin (Davidson), Langston Reynolds (Northern Colorado), B.J. Omot (Cal), Jalen Crooker-Johnson (Colorado State), Chansey Willis Jr. (Western Michigan) Minnesota has newfound hope with Niko Medved at the helm. While the former Colorado State coach has an impressive track record of success, Minnesota has proven as a challenging place to win, especially with Wisconsin dominating recruiting in the state. Medved would do well to get the Gophers to the conference tournament in his first year. 14. Nebraska Cornhuskers 2024-25 Record: 21-14 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Brice Williams (graduation), Juwan Gary (graduation), Andrew Morgan (graduation), Rollie Worster (graduation) Notable Additions: Pryce Sandford (Iowa), Kendall Blue (St. Thomas), Jamarques Lawrence (Rhode Island) Nebraska was flying high midway through the 2024-25 season. It had just reached its first NCAA Tournament in 10 years and was positioned for another postseason run. Then, the team lost its last five games and six of its last seven. While it went on to win the College Basketball Crown (postseason tournament), Nebraska's end-of-year stretch clouds its 2025-26 expectations. The major question is who carries the scoring load with Brice Williams (20.4 points per game) and Juwan Gary (14.6 points per game) both gone. Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire 13. Northwestern Wildcats 2024-25 Record: 17-16 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Brooks Barnhizer (graduation), Ty Berry (graduation), Matthew Nicholson (graduation), Jalen Leach (graduation) Notable Additions: Jayden Reed (USF), Max Green (Holy Cross) Collins returns All-Big Ten forward Nick Martinelli to lead his 2025-26 team. The Wildcats battled significant injuries last season and were much better than their final record shows. While the team's ceiling is far from a conference contender, it has a stable floor around 20 wins per season. 12. Indiana Hoosiers 2024-25 Record: 19-13 (10-10 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Malik Reneau (portal), Oumar Ballo (draft), Mackenzie Mgbako (portal), Myles Rice (portal), Luke Goode (graduation), Trey Galloway (graduation), Bryson Tucker (portal), Anthony Leal (graduation) Notable Additions: Tucker DeVries (West Virginia), Reed Bailey (Davidson), Lamar Wilkerson (Sam Houston), Conor Enright (DePaul), Tayton Conerway (Troy), Nick Dorn (Elon) Indiana is a major wild card in 2025. Darian DeVries reshaped the roster after taking over as head coach. His additions were headlined by his son, Tucker, one of the portal's top-20 players. While many significant questions exist, DeVries' coaching pedigree suggests an NCAA Tournament berth as a possibility. 11. Iowa Hawkeyes 2024-25 Record: 17-16 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Everyone Notable Additions: Bennett Stirtz (Drake), Brendan Hausen (Kansas State), Tavion Banks (Drake), Alvaro Folgueiras (Robert Morris), Cam Manyawu (Drake), Isaia Howard (Drake) Iowa could be one of the Big Ten's most exciting teams in 2025. New head coach Ben McCollum takes over the program, bringing with him a five-star transfer prospect and All-Conference-caliber player in Bennett Stirtz. The Hawkeyes may be a few years away from fully rounding into form, but Stirtz's presence should ensure the team is competitive from Day 1. Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire 10. Maryland Terrapins 2024-25 Record: 27-9 (14-6 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Deriq Queen (draft), Julian Reese (portal), Ja'Kobi Gillespie (portal), Rodney Rice (portal), Selton Miguel (graduation), DeShawn Harris-Smith (portal), Notable Additions: Myles Rice (Indiana), Pharrel Payne (Texas A&M), Darius Adams (high school), Solomon Washington (Texas A&M), Isaiah Watts (Washington State), Elijah Saunders (Virginia), David Coit (Kansas) Buzz Williams takes over Maryland with a clean sheet, as nearly the team's entire rotation left for the NBA or the portal after the 2024-25 season. Rice (10.1 points per game at Indiana last season) and Payne (10.4 ppg at Texas A&M) will be key to the Terrapins' early performance. 9. USC Trojans 2024-25 Record: 17-18 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Desmond Claude (portal), Wesley Yates (portal), Chibuzo Agbo (graduation), Saint Thomas (portal), Rashaun Agee (portal), Josh Cohen (graduation) Notable Additions: Rodney Rice (Maryland), Chad Baker-Mazara (Auburn), Alijah Arenas (high school), Ezra Ausar (Utah), Jacob Cofie (Virginia), Jerry Easter (high school), Gabe Dynes (Yale), Amarion Dickerson (Robert Morris) USC disappointed last season in year one under Eric Musselman. While expectations should drop following that campaign, the team excelled in the portal this offseason, headlined by Rice and Baker-Mazara. The Trojans have an intriguing combination of experience and young talent. They project as a classic high-ceiling, low-floor team. Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire 8. Oregon Ducks 2024-25 Record: 25-10 (12-8 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Brandon Angel (graduation), T.J. Bamba (graduation), Keeshawn Barthelemy (graduation), Jadrian Tracey (portal) Notable Additions: T.K. Simpkins (Elon), Miles Goodman (Penn State), Devon Pryor (Texas) Dana Altman deserves the benefit of the doubt, as the Ducks haven't won fewer than 20 games during any year of his tenure (since 2010-11). The 2024-25 team was so-so by Altman's standards, though it still won 25 games and finished near the Big Ten's top group. Center Nate Bittle withdrawing from the draft is major news for the team's 2025-26 chances. He'll enter the year as arguably the Big Ten's best center and its preseason favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire 7. Ohio State Buckeyes 2024-25 Record: 17-15 (9-11 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Micah Parrish (graduation), Meechie Johnson (portal), Evan Mahaffey (portal), Aaron Bradshaw (portal), Sean Stewart (portal) Notable Additions: Gabe Cupps (Indiana), Brandon Noel (Wright State), Christoph Tilly (Santa Clara), A'mare Bynum (high school) Ohio State received a major boost as veteran guard Bruce Thornton withdrew from the NBA draft this week. After averaging 17.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and earning second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024-25, he'll enter 2025-26 with hopes of a first-team All-Conference breakthrough. The Buckeyes were better last season than their 17-15 record indicates. A positive regression in close games should at least make them an NCAA Tournament team. Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire 6. Illinois Fighting Illini 2024-25 Record: 22-13 (12-8 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Kasparas Jakucionis (draft), Will Riley (draft), Morez Johnson (portal), Carey Booth (portal) Notable Additions: Andrej Stojakovic (Cal), Zvonimir Ivisic (Arkansas), Brandon Lee (high school), Keaton Wagler (high school), David Mirkovic (international), Mihailo Petrovic (international) Brad Underwood reloaded the roster yet again this offseason. The Illini lost leading contributors Jakucionis, Riley and Johnson, all of whom were freshmen last season. Stojakovic (17.9 points, 4.7 rebounds per game at Cal last season) was a major transfer recruiting win. He should claim the team's No. 1 role on an offense that seems to excel regardless of the personnel. 5. Michigan State Spartans 2024-25 Record: 30-7 (17-3 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Jaden Akins (graduation), Frankie Fidler (graduation), Szymon Zapala (graduation), Tre Holloman (portal), Jase Richardson (draft), Xavier Booker (portal) Notable Additions: Kaleb Glenn (FAU), Jordan Scott (high school), Cam Ward (high school), Trey Fort (Samford) Michigan State surprised many with its Big Ten title run last season. The team then lost many of its primary contributors from that team, headlined by star freshman Jase Richardson. Since Tom Izzo is still on the sideline, expect the Spartans to again compete for a title. Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire 4. Wisconsin Badgers 2024-25 Record: 27-10 (13-7 Big Ten) Notable Departures: John Tonje (graduation), Max Klesmit (graduation), Steven Crowl (graduation), Kamari McGee (graduation), Carter Gilmore (graduation), Xavier Amos (portal) Notable Additions: Andrew Rohde (Virginia), Austin Rapp (Portland), Nick Boyd (San Diego State), Braeden Carrington (Tulsa), Zach Kinziger (high school) Wisconsin is a major winner from the early-entry deadline, as star guard John Blackwell returned to the program. The team could have one of the better starting units in the conference, headlined by Blackwell, Nolan Winter and San Diego State transfer Nick Boyd. There remains a question off the bench after the transfer departure of forward Xavier Amos. For more, here is our latest projection of Wisconsin's roster and rotation. 3. UCLA Bruins 2024-25 Record: 23-11 (13-7 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Sebastian Mack (portal), Kobe Johnson (graduation), Aday Mara (transfer), Dylan Andrews (portal), William Kyle (portal), Lazar Stefanovic (graduation) Notable Additions: Donovan Dent (New Mexico), Xavier Booker (Michigan State), Jamar Brown (Kansas City) UCLA landed one of the transfer portal's top players in Dent. While the team saw several top players depart, including center Aday Mara, it projects as a Big Ten contender this season. All it has to do is overcome significant travel disadvantages, which coach Mike Cronin likes to mention. Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions on UCLA Wire 2. Michigan Wolverines 2024-25 Record: 27-10 (14-6 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Vlad Goldin (graduation), Danny Wolf (draft), Tre Donaldson (portal), Will Tschetter (graduation), Nimari Burnett (graduation), Sam Walters (portal), Rubin Jones (graduation) Notable Additions: Aday Mara (UCLA), Morez Johnson (Illinois), Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina), Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB) Michigan officially added top-ranked transfer Yaxel Lendeborg to its roster this week, as the former UAB forward withdrew from the draft. Dusty May surprised everyone with a breakthrough 27-win season in 2024-25. That total could improve even further with another year of continuity and a terrific transfer class on the court. Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire 1. Purdue Boilermakers 2024-25 Record: 24-12 (13-7 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Caleb Furst (graduation), Cam Heide (portal), Myles Colvin (portal) Notable Additions: Oscar Cluff (South Dakota State) This ranking is pretty simple. Purdue has the two best players in the Big Ten entering 2025-26 in forward Trey Kaufman-Renn and guard Braden Smith. The team has also been the conference's best over the last decade. 2025-26 looks like another top-end Matt Painter team, assuming center Oscar Cluff is the impact addition many believe him to be. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
