People can talk all they want about the transfer portal being the reason Michigan basketball won the national championship.
That was part of it. Dusty May was able to Identify talent in the portal, build a team, and develop those players, as individuals and as part of a team.
It wasn't an easy thing to do. May seems like an expert at it. But Michigan's success was about more than finding players in the portal.
Trey McKenney was a five-star freshman, one who grew immensely as the season wore on. He finished scoring 9.9 points per game while shooting 39 percent from 3-point range. McKenney was billed as a lights-out shooter, but 39 percent was even better than most expected.
McKenney delivered in big moments, too. Beyond just the national championship game, where he made a critical mid-range jumper, as well as the final 3-point dagger. Other times during the NCAA Tournament, or even during Big Ten play when Michigan needed a scoring boost, McKenney was often there to provide it off the bench.
The kid feels like he can be Big Ten Player of the Year this season. That's one X-factor for this season. Another will be May's ability to find another secret weapon, just like McKenney, who makes a bigger contribution than expected as a freshman.
That's what you need to win championships, outliers. Players who exceed expectations. The Wolverines have a bunch of those guys last season, and looking ahead to 2026-27, one who could follow in McKenney's footsteps is freshman Quinn Costello.
Dusty May found another secret weapon in Quinn Costello
Costello is a near five-star recruit who is ranked 32nd overall via the 247 Sports composite rankings for the 2026 class. The deadly shooter, who is 6-foot-10, was also a McDonald's All-American.
Costello is often brought up this season as a rotational player, which is what he's expected to be. Like McKenney, even if he exceeds expectations, it's hard to see him cracking the starting linuep. That doesn't mean he won't be impactful, though.
For one, the Wolverines need 3-point shooting. Nimari Burnett and Yaxel Lendeborg were two of the team's best 3-point shooters, are gone. Will Tschetter was right there, too. Jalen Davis can shoot the three, but it's hard to count on him until he proves he can stay healthy.
J.P. Estrella isn't a 3-point shooter, so it feels like Costello will have a role as a floor spacer. The big key is whether or not he can play the three. If he can, Michigan can recreate some of its three-big lineups from last season.
Playing the three really means guarding the three or the four, while someone else guards the three. Michigan just needs to make sure Costello isn't a massive liability on defense, or the Wolverines need to minimize it as much as possible, because, as far as 3-point shooting, Costello should be a weapon, just like McKenney was as a true freshman coming off the bench.
Brandon McCoy will make a huge impact, too. He will start from game one, though. The No. 3 overall recruit is almost viewed as a transfer portal prospect by the Michigan coaching staff, that's how good he is.
Yet, if Costello could have a similar season to McKenney, as a scorer and shooter, that would be huge. It feels like the Wolverines need another piece or two to emerge. Moustapha Thiam and Estrella could each take big leaps this season, along with McKenney.
But if Costello's impact is more along the lines of McKenney last year and McCoy this season, then the Wolverines could really have something. His shooting is an X-factor. You can see it in a recent video, and if Costello can do that consistently this season, Michigan has a much better chance of defending its national title.
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