A lot has changed for the Michigan basketball program since the start of last season.
The Wolverines won the national championship, lost their head coach to the NBA, and had three players picked in the first round of the NBA draft, including Yaxel Lendeborg, who is taking the NBA by storm after a history-making debut.
Now, with former Oklahoma State head coach and assistant under Dusty May for the past two seasons, Mike Boynton leading the way, Michigan basketball opens its title defense tonight against Oakland.
Michigan is ranked 16th in the AP Poll to start the season and 28th in the KenPom. The ceiling would have been higher with Brandon McCoy, who suffered a season-ending injury, but Roddy Gayle coming back helps, and here are five bold predictions for the 2026-27 season.
Trey McKenney is Big Ten Player of the Year
Last March, McKenney scored 10.2 points per game in 23 minutes per game, playing a key role in the Wolverines' national title run. The 6-foot-4 guard shot 50.8 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range.
Every Michigan fan will remember his epic 3-point shot to clinch the national title victory. Yet, it feels like he was just scratching the surface of how good he can be.
Elliot Cadeau is going to take a major step forward. The Wolverines have two First-Team All-Big-Ten caliber players.
With McKenney's 3-point shot, his mid-range, and his ability to score in the post, he's going to score close to 20 points per game this season and win Big Ten Player of the Year.
Michigan keeps the Sweet 16 streak alive
The last seven times that the Wolverines have reached the NCAA Tournament, they have advanced to the Sweet 16.
Juwan Howard got Michigan to the Sweet 16 twice. Mike Boynton will also get the Wolverines there in his first season as head coach.
It feels like Michigan is good enough to finish in the top four of the Big Ten, as well as contend for the title. Illinois and Michigan State are the teams to beat in that race. The Wolverines also feel like a top-16 team in the NCAA tournament, meaning a top-four seed.
That will be good enough to get this team to the second weekend. Having McKenney and Cadeau in the backcourt is a huge advantage come tournament time, and the Wolverines will be one of the 16 teams left standing after the first weekend in the NCAA Tournament.
Quinn Costello will push for Big Ten Freshman of the Year
If Costello wasn't coming off the bench, maybe he would end up being the Big Ten Freshman of the Year; however, he's going to make a big impact this season as the Wolverines' best 3-point shooter.
Cadeau said that Costello is going to be a future NBA player, and we will see why. With two legit low-post scorers in Moustapha Thiam and J.P. Estrella, plus Cadeau and McKenney, who should take on a greater playmaking role, Costello should have plenty of 3-point opportunities.
The McDonald's All-American was a little overshadowed by McCoy, but with more minutes and a larger role, because of that injury, Costello will be in the mix for Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Wins over both rivals
Ohio State is on the schedule twice this season just like Michigan State.
It's always fascinating to see how a new coach performs in the most important games on the schedule. Boynton is a great recruiter and a great defensive coach.
He's not Dusty May. However, he's got a really good roster, one that will be good enough to beat the Spartans and the Buckeyes at home this season.
Michigan will hang a banner this season
Not a national championship banner. I don't see the Wolverines winning a second straight title. However, they will hang a banner for winning the Big Ten regular-season championship, the Big Ten tournament championship, or reaching the Final Four.
The Wolverines will achieve one of those things this season.
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