Michigan basketball has suffered through a lot of changes this offseason. However, the Wolverines' status in the Rothstein 40, a list of top college basketball teams, has mostly been unchanged.
That is, until this week. Rothstein released a new top 40 on Wednesday, which dropped Michigan basketball down to seventh. What's even more interesting is that Rothstein now has the Wolverines ranked third in the Big Ten behind Michigan State and Illinois.
Big Ten Preseason Power Rankings. pic.twitter.com/vB4ZLUBMWm
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 15, 2026
Both teams are formidable and bring back more of their core groups than Michigan; however, the Wolverines are bringing back more than people realize. Elliot Cadeau is as good as any point guard in college basketball. He proved that last season, and Trey McKenney is going to take a huge leap this season, to the point that he could be the Big Ten Player of the Year.
Mike Boynton, the new Michigan basketball head coach, doesn't have the resume of Dusty May. He does have some solid chops, especially on the defensive end, coaching three top-20 defenses in seven seasons at Oklahoma State.
This roster will be the most talented he has ever had, although he was able to sign Cade Cunningham out of high school at Oklahoma State.
If Boynton can replicate that elite defense at Michigan, which he did the past two seasons, and can recruit at a high level in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines' new head coach should have plenty of success.
McKenney can certainly be counted among the believers in Boynton.
'I think he's going to bring a lot of energy to this school. And I don't think there will be a big gap between last year and this year," McKenney said to Hail Media Group.
Are people underrating Michigan basketball with Mike Boynton?
Boynton was able to retain 13 of the 14 players on the Michigan basketball roster after Dusty May left for the Dallas Mavericks. The lone departure was LJ Cason, who announced earlier this week that he was going to enter the transfer portal.
While losing Cason is a blow, he was expected to miss a chunk of the season due to injury. He would have played a key role down the stretch, though. Still, it doesn't seem like the Wolverines should have dropped three spots because of that, or Boynton being named the head coach after a two-year deal.
Plenty of people are underrating what Boynton can do. With Cadeau and McKenney in the backcourt, plus proven additions at forward and center, along with five-star Brandon McCoy, scoring the ball shouldn't be an issue. If the defense is elite again, a trip to Detroit for the Final Four isn't off the table.
Rothstein reflects that by having the Wolverines ranked seventh. It just seems like some people are writing off the defending national champions a little too quickly.
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