Well, it's time to pick your jaw up off the floor and get comfortable with the idea that Elliot Cadeau might not be a Michigan Wolverine next season.
Despite expressing every intention of winning another National Championship with Dusty May and the Wolverines, Cadeau just announced he planned to declare for the 2026 NBA Draft.
All of a sudden, the Michigan starting lineup that was looking primed for another natty run was missing its starting point guard and a major contributor both on and off the court for the Wolverines.
However, it isn't time to hit the panic button quite yet. Unlike college football, where players forfeit the rest of the eligiblity to declare for the NFL Draft, college basketball players can maintain their eligibility when they declare for the NBA Draft.
That is exactly what Cadeau has done.
Elliot Cadeau has one foot in the NBA Draft and one in Ann Arbor
Reportedly, Cadeau declared for the Draft in hopes of "building momentum going into next year," with the opportunity to compete in the NBA Draft Combine, showcase his talents, and still return to Ann Arbor for another season.
NEWS: Michigan's Elliot Cadeau will declare for the NBA Draft while maintaining his eligibility, per Drew Gross of WME Basketball.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 24, 2026
National champion and Final Four Most Outstanding Player will go through the draft process with an eye on building momentum going into next year. pic.twitter.com/GXhelSkWTw
Yet, it's far from guaranteed that Cadeau will return. If he has an incredible showing at the Combine and receives a high draft grade, there's a massive risk that he would fly into the first round of the NBA Draft, likely cementing his place in the league.
In other words, if Cadeau plays to his usual elite level, the Wolverines could easily be waving goodbye to their starting point guard, much to the shock of Michigan fans across the board.
During Michigan's National Championship run, Cadeau averaged 10.5 points, 5.9 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game, running the Wolverines' offensive charge on virtually ever single posession.
Cadeau isn't the only Wolverine to declare for the 2026 NBA Draft either, joining the likes of star forward Yaxel Lendeborg, center Aday Mara, and young-gun Morez Johnson Jr., who all declared ahead of the April 24 midnight deadline.
Also read: Michigan center Aday Mara declares for NBA Draft but doesn't leave behind gaping hole
While the loss of Cadeau in the backcourt wouldn't entirely spoil May's plan to repeat his national title win, it would undeniably put a wrench in the current game plan.
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