College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 8 Michigan Wolverines

Top-25 College Basketball: Michigan Projected Roster & Outlook

In this series, we'll be taking a closer look at RotoWire's preseason college basketball top-25, with an in-depth roster analysis and projected rotation for the 2025-26 season for each team. Today's feature will be the Michigan Wolverines.

8. Michigan

Michigan went from an eight-win team with Juwan Howard to a 27-win team and a Sweet Sixteen appearance with Dusty May. The Wolverines were an unique team last season with their usage of two very different 7-footers in Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin. 

While the frontcourt will look very different in the 2025-26 campaign, there's a case to be made that they arguably improved in that area. First off they landed the consensus No. 1 player in the 2025 transfer portal cycle in Yaxel Lendeborg, who put up ridiculous numbers at UAB, averaging 17.7 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.8 BPG and 1.7 SPG. He'll be joined by 7-3 center Aday Mara, who was underutilized at UCLA, and Morez Johnson, who the same could probably be said of during his one year at Illinois. Those three bigs will be a nightmare for Big Ten coaches to have to prepare for. 

In the backcourt, there will be a big change as well. Tre Donaldson is off to Miami, and in comes Elliot Cadeau from North Carolina. Cadeau is a former 5-star recruit who spent the last two seasons playing in R.J. Davis' shadow. Now he will be the main piece in the backcourt for a top contending team. Cadeau is much more of a pure point guard than Tre Donaldson was, but he can be a bit of a liability from behind the arc. 

Luckily, coach May will bring back two very experienced pieces on the wings in Roddy Gayle and Nimari Burnett, who should help keep some continuity. 

The X-Factor for the Wolverines next season could be 5-star recruit Trey McKenney. He is a 6-4 225-pound combo guard who is able to score in a variety of ways, and also features a massive 6-foot-9 wingspan that will help him going up against taller players. 

Michigan is going to be in the mix to win the Big Ten.

Check out how injuries are affecting the status of other players & teams on RotoWire's college basketball injury report.

2025-26 Michigan Basketball Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Elliot Cadeau (9.4 PPG, 6.2 APG at North Carolina)

SG: Nimari Burnett (9.4 PPG)

SF: Roddy Gayle (9.8 PPG)

PF: Yaxel Lendeborg (17.7 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.8 BPG at UAB)

C: Aday Mara (6.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.6 BPG at UCLA)

Key Reserves: Morez Johnson (7.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG at Illinois), Trey McKenney (No. 20 in ESPN 100), Will Tschetter (6.4 PPG), Winters Grady (No. 86 in ESPN 100), Oscar Goodman (Redshirted), L.J. Cason (4.3 PPG)

Following another active transfer portal period, RotoWire's college basketball depth charts are updated with the latest in roster movement.

2025-26 Full Preseason College Basketball Top-25

1. Purdue Boilermakers
2. Houston Cougars
3. Florida Gators
4. Kentucky Wildcats
5. St. John's Red Storm
6. Duke Blue Devils
7. Louisville Cardinals
8. Michigan Wolverines
9. BYU Cougars
10. UConn Huskies
11. Texas Tech Red Raiders
12. Auburn Tigers
13. Arkansas Razorbacks
14. UCLA Bruins
15. Alabama Crimson Tide
16. Iowa State Cyclones
17. Arizona Wildcats
18. Michigan State Spartans
19. Gonzaga Bulldogs
20. Kansas Jayhawks
21. Tennessee Volunteers
22. North Carolina Tar Heels
23. Oregon Ducks
24. Illinois Fighting Illini
25. Wisconsin Badgers