Dusty May and the Michigan basketball program got some great news on Tuesday morning when former UAB Blazer [Yaxel Lendeborg withdrew his name from the NBA Draft](https://www.maizenbrew.com/2025/5/27/24437911/yaxel-lendeborg-nba-draft-michigan-basketball-transfer-portal-dusty-may-2025-season). Lendeborg had entered the transfer portal and committed to the Wolverines in April, but was still testing the NBA waters. Even after a great showing at the combine and gaining some first-round buzz, Lendeborg will now officially be with Michigan for the 2025-26 season.
Lendeborg was considered the top overall player in the transfer portal, but May and company had already brought in a few impactful transfers in Elliot Cadeau from North Carolina, Aday Mara from UCLA and Morez Johnson from Illinois. The returns of Will Tschetter, Roddy Gayle, and Nimari Burnett only further deepen the roster. Now with Lendeborg in the fold, Michigan should have one of the best teams in the nation on paper heading into the season.
Here’s a look at what the depth chart could look like for Michigan at this point in the offseason.
### **Point Guard**
#### Starter - Elliot Cadeau
#### Depth - L.J. Cason, Trey McKenney
Of all the positions, point guard might be where Michigan is the thinnest, but there are still some talented options after Tre Donaldson opted to transfer out.
Cadeau started 37 games for North Carolina last season and should be Michigan’s starter. He averaged 9.4 points and 6.2 assists per game as a sophomore. Behind him, Cason got plenty of run during his freshman season, particularly emerging as a part of Michigan’s rotation down the stretch. He’s a less experienced option, but could be used as an offensive spark from either guard spot. The same could be said for true freshman Trey McKenney, but he’ll likely be more in play as a two guard.
### **Shooting Guard**
#### Starter - Nimari Burnett
#### Depth - Trey McKenney, Roddy Gayle Jr., L.J. Cason
Burnett started 37 games for Michigan last season, and there’s not much of a reason to think he won’t be the starter again. He represented Michigan’s best shooting threat, hitting 40 percent of his attempts last year.
The Wolverines have a plethora of options off the bench, but none bigger than McKenney, who could be a big-time offensive option in year one. Gayle and Cason could also compete for minutes at this spot, even if it’s not their natural position.
### **Small Forward**
#### Starter - Roddy Gayle Jr.
#### Depth - Nimari Burnett, Yaxel Lendeborg, Winters Grady, Patrick Liburd
Gayle had a rather inconsistent season and was a bit frustrating at times, but had a great end to the season with a 26-point outburst against [Texas A&M](https://www.goodbullhunting.com) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The starting small forward job is his to lose right now.
Behind Gayle, Burnett could compete for minutes, particularly if McKenney is making an impact as a two-guard. Lendeborg will get a majority of his minutes at power forward, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if his offensive and defensive versatility led him to get some minutes here as well.
### **Power Forward**
#### Starter - Yaxel Lendeborg
#### Depth - Will Tschetter, Oscar Goodman, Morez Johnson
Last season at UAB, Lendeborg averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game and was the AAC defensive player of the year. His potential to be a great defender while scoring both inside and outside makes him an easy pick for some major minutes.
Off the bench, Tschetter should reprise his role as a “three-and-D” player, getting minutes at both the 4 and 5. Goodman and Johnson could factor into the equation for spot minutes off the bench.
### **Center**
#### Starter - Morez Johnson
#### Depth - Aday Mara, Will Tschetter
Michigan’s center position will look much different than it did a year ago with Vlad Goldin no longer part of the equation. Johnson appears to be the favorite to get the starting nod here. Checking in at 6-foot-9, 255 pounds, he averaged 17.6 minutes per game a year ago. He wasn’t a major scoring threat with just seven points per game, but he also averaged 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.
Behind Johnson, look for Mara to be the backup. Mara appeared in 33 games last year, averaging 13.1 minutes. He’s much bigger than Johnson, standing 7-foot-3, and had 6.4 points and four rebounds per game last year. Look for Tschetter to get some minutes here as well, although maybe not as many as he did last season.