Is the basketball transfer portal killing high school recruiting? It's a question that's sparking debate across college hoops, and the Michigan Wolverines are right in the middle of it.
After a dominant 2025-26 campaign that saw Dusty May and his squad cut down the nets in Indianapolis, one thing is clear: the transfer-heavy approach works. But how sustainable is it?
Some of the biggest names in the game are already sounding the alarm. St. John's head coach Rick Pitino famously declared back in 2025, "We're not recruiting any high school basketball players." Arkansas' John Calipari echoed that sentiment, pointing out that coaches are skipping the high school circuit entirely. "No one's recruiting freshmen!" Calipari said. "Kids will transfer, and they can cherry-pick. There were coaches this summer, not out one time evaluating freshmen."
May, for his part, has leaned heavily into the portal—and it's paid off. His ability to develop big men is a major selling point, just ask Yaxel Lendeborg, who transferred in last offseason and became a key piece of the puzzle. The Wolverines weren't just a collection of hired guns, though. Four starters—Elliot Cadeau, Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., and Aday Mara—played huge roles in ending that national title drought.
May has already reloaded with another strong portal class: Cincinnati center Moustapha Thiam, Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella, and LSU forward Jalen Reed are all on board. But the staff isn't ignoring high school talent entirely. Five-star Brandon McCoy Jr. and a trio of four-stars—Quinn Costello, Lincoln Cosby, and Joseph Hartman—will soon call Ann Arbor home.
And let's not forget Trey McKenney, who proved that even in this new era, freshmen are far from extinct. This past season's historic national freshman class featured names like A.J. Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darius Acuff Jr., and Caleb Wilson—plus at least five to seven more future NBA players making an impact in college.
Still, there's a downside to all this portal action. When you have a revolving door of players, it becomes harder to sustain culture and foundational values. Fans miss out on watching a freshman benchwarmer develop into a reliable upperclassman. That connection? It's harder to build when rosters turn over every year.
For now, May and his staff feel no pressure to change their methods. And honestly? With a national title and a loaded roster, why would they?