Michigan basketball head coach Dusty May recently said that the Wolverines expected to have Nimari Burnett back for next season.
Nimari Burnett is returning to Michigan next season, per his IG page.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 21, 2025
Significant Big Ten News.
On Monday, Burnett made that official, announcing his return for the 2025-26 season. The 6-foot-4 guard started 37 games for the Wolverines in 2024-25, scoring 9.4 points per game, grabbing 3.5 rebounds, and dishing out 1.5 assists.
Burnett was also Michigan's best perimeter defender. He's the definition of a three-and-D wing. In fact, he was one of the best in all of college basketball.
Burnett, a former five-star recruit, is a proven 3-point shooter. During the 2023-24 season, he shot 34.7 percent from beyond the arc, connecting on 52 3-point field goals. This past season, Burnett, in a role more tailored to his game in 2024-25, knocked down 65 triples and shot 40 percent. He made 47.6 percent of his shots from the field.
Why Michigan fans should be stoked about Nimari Burnett coming back
Burnett will also be slated to start every game for Michigan basketball next season. Elliot Cadeau is going to be the point guard. That much is clear. We also know that Aday Mara or Morez Johnson will be the starting center next season.
Outside of that, there were question marks. Roddy Gayle and Will Tschetter have announced they will return, plus Trey McKinney leads a loaded high school class that also includes Winters Grady, one of the best shooters in the 2025 class. Oscar Goodman was part of the 2025 class, but redshirted last season after joining U-M in the winter.
Yaxel Lendeborg would round out the lineup perfectly. Michigan could use more playmaking and shooting if he stays, but the roster would be good enough to hang a banner next season. That doesn't mean a national title banner, however, being one of the teams expected to spend over $10 million makes that a possibility.
Lendeborg is leaning towards the NBA draft right now, so Dusty May and Michigan aren't done with transfer portal additions, but a big question was answered in the affirmative on Monday.