Things are looking better and better for the Michigan basketball roster ahead of the 2026-27 season, even after the departure of head coach Dusty May to the Dallas Mavericks.
Usually, when a team loses a head coach, there is a large exodus of players. However, Michigan basketball decided to name Mike Boynton as the interim head coach, which not only delayed when the transfer portal would open for Michigan players, officially, but more than that, it shows how much the players respect Boynton.
One name that Michigan basketball fans hoped would be targeted for the job, Billy Donovan, was hired by the Spurs as an assistant. That was the most likely "big name" hire out there. Another top college coach isn't going to leave for another college job in July.
That would make it very difficult to keep the roster together. Most of Michigan's top players would have bolted. Instead, Elliot Cadeau, Trey McKenney, Moustapha Thiam, and J.P. Estrella have all announced their return for next season, along with the report of two other players returning for next season.
Michigan freshman Joseph Hartman is staying at Michigan despite Dusty May’s departure, he told @Rivals.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) July 3, 2026
The 6-6 shooting guard was a top-100 overall recruit in the 2026 class.https://t.co/Kfq5IRRj0c pic.twitter.com/np081AyZJq
There still is no word on five-star signee Brandon McCoy or four-star forward Quinn Costello, a 6-foot-10 big man who is a dynamic 3-point shooter. However, Joseph Hartman is a 6-foot-6 combo guard who can play multiple spots in the backcourt. His return was reported by Joe Tipton. The talented shooter is ranked 92nd overall via the 247 Sports composite rankings.
Boynton was able to keep another top-100 signee, Lincoln Cosby. The upside with Cosby is enormous. The 6-foot-8 forward is ranked No. 42 overall, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings, but he won't be able to play this season due to an ACL injury.
However, having him in the fold for the future will be a huge positive. There's a chance like L.J. Cason, that he will be healthy by the end of the 2026-27 season. It would be hard to play any minutes, even if that was the case, but he could get a start on being a contributor in 2027-28.
With Cosby and Hartman back in the fold, that is now six Michigan basketball players who have confirmed their return. The three biggest names still out there are McCoy, Costello, and Jalen Reed.
It would be nice to retain Cason and Oscar Goodman, too, along with Ricky Liburd, but McCoy, Costello, and Reed would give the Wolverines three more solid rotation pieces for next season, along with Hartman, who coulld have a larger role than expected.
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