Since replacing Juwan Howard, Dusty May has been actively marketing the Michigan basketball brand to a who’s who of portal stars.
Recently, Davis Moseley of 247sports.com has been rather active reporting on the Michigan basketball team’s new coaching staff. He’s been bringing up a long list of potential players for May’s starting lineup come winter. There’s no denying that the names are simultaneously thrilling and fascinating. Cade Tyson is Belmont’s top scorer among the names he has looked up, but he isn’t the best transfer option.
According to Moseley, these four names are among the hottest and could—I can’t stress this enough—be starters or reserves if and when they transfer to Ann Arbor in the near future. He also brings up Liam McNeeley, the nation’s top uncommitted prospect who may be leaning toward Michigan basketball right now and possibly a Kansas product.
1. Toledo’s Dante Maddox Jr.-Guard
There are only eight schools left in Maddox, one of which is within an hour’s drive from Toledo. In three of his four years of college, the Rockets guard has shot over 40% from three-point range. Maddox Jr. has scored ten or more points in each of his past six Rockets games. In fact, between 2023–24, he only scored in the single digits five times. In a November loss to New Mexico, the champion of the Mountain West tournament, he shot 50% from the field.
Good news for Maddox’s chances of getting into the university—assuming he chooses to, anyway—is that he is a graduate transfer. Maddox had already transferred from Cal State Fullerton and scored two points during Michigan basketball’s NIT loss in March of last year. Maddox believes the Wolverines and May may benefit greatly from having him as a reserve.
2. Wisconsin’s Connor Essegian-Guard
Moseley said a while back that the Badger and the Wolverines would both be interested in joining. When comparing his sophomore year to his freshman year, he saw a considerable decline in playing time. As a rookie at Michigan, he set a career best of 24, but as a sophomore, he only got over 10 twice. Additionally, in eight of his previous twelve games wearing a Badger uniform, he went scoreless. One of those was the Michigan defeat.
Essegian scored 47 points in those two games as a rookie. He was obviously motivated to exact revenge on Juwan Howard and the Wolverines for not trying harder to recruit him. Because of his disappointing sophomore season, Essegian is not seen as an impact transfer in the rankings on 247sports and on3. However, Michigan should be well aware of the weapons at his disposal.
3. Danny Wolf, a Yale power forward and center
At 247sports, Wolf is Moseley’s highest-rated transfer available. A walking double-double, that’s him. Throughout his second season, Wolf never finished a game with fewer than five rebounds. Michigan may or may not be interested in hiring the seven-foot stretch big. It is said that he already knows where he wants to go. The Ivey Leaguer should have no trouble getting into Michigan, but if it doesn’t work out, don’t be disappointed or shocked.
Wolf’s breakthrough performance came from the Auburn upset and his increased numbers in all the key categories. Wolf’s development earned him a spot on the first team of the Ivy League. In an ideal world, if May can sign his big man from FAU with him, he would be an important reserve player.
4 Florida Atlantic’s Vlad Goldin-Center
All Florida Atlantic players should be the most connected coupling between Michigan and the transfer site, for obvious reasons.
Out of the four, Goldin has the highest score average and is familiar with the method. Additionally, he will be a graduate transfer, which is encouraging for his prospects of switching schools. Just picture Wolf and him both on the court at the same moment.
Giancarlo Rosado and Nick Boyd, two of his teammates, left the program to join him. Moseley anticipates the arrival of Alijah Martin and their top scorer, Johnell Davis, shortly.
Yale transfer basketball seems to be favored by Michigan basketball. Danny Wolf
When combined, the team might quickly put Michigan back in the running to make it to the Big Dance, but there’s no assurance of that or anything like.
