Le redémarrage de Michigan par Dusty May est déjà en retard

The Long Road Back to Relevancy

Look, the buzz around Michigan basketball right now isn't exactly the kind you want. Trending because your program is in a deep rebuild after hiring Dusty May from FAU? That's not a good look. We're talking about a program that just finished 8-24, dead last in the Big Ten, their worst record in 57 years. The vibe around Ann Arbor is less "March Madness contender" and more "please don't be terrible again."

May's first task was obvious: rebuild the roster from scratch. And he's certainly been busy in the transfer portal. He landed Vlad Goldin, his former center from FAU, who put up 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game last season. He also brought in Tre Donaldson from Auburn, a guard who averaged 6.7 points and 3.2 assists. Good pieces, no doubt. But are they enough to compete in a brutal Big Ten?

Transfer Portal Woes and Missed Opportunities

Here's the thing: for all the talk about May being a portal wizard, Michigan has struck out on some big names. They missed out on five-star forward Jaylin Stewart, who chose UConn. They also couldn't close the deal on former four-star recruit Javon Small from Oklahoma State, who instead opted for West Virginia. These weren't just random misses; these were players who could've been immediate impact starters.

Michigan's 2024 recruiting class, which was ranked 16th nationally under Juwan Howard, has completely fallen apart. Four-star forward Khani Rooths decommitted and signed with Florida State. Another four-star, Christian Anderson, also reopened his recruitment. This isn't just a bump in the road; it's a major setback for a program that needs young talent to build around. The Wolverines currently have zero high school commitments for 2024, which is a frankly alarming statistic for a program of Michigan's stature.

Thing is, May is inheriting a mess, but the initial returns on his roster construction aren't screaming "quick turnaround." Goldin is solid, but the rest of the incoming transfers feel like role players, not difference-makers. And that's a problem when you need to replace every starter. The Big Ten isn't going to wait around for Michigan to figure things out. Purdue still has Zach Edey, Wisconsin is always tough, and teams like Indiana and Illinois are reloading.

My hot take? Michigan misses the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year, and struggles to finish in the top half of the Big Ten. This rebuild is going to take longer than most fans want to admit, and May’s first year will be a rough one. They won't even sniff the bubble in March.