Michigan basketball has made an under-the-radar addition to its roster.
The Wolverines added a second pledge for the SEC, this time picking up 6-foot-10, 230-pound forward Jalen Reed from LSU.
Reed announced his commitment to Michigan on Thursday, April 23, on his social media.
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Members of the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team gather for a group photo beneath the “NCAA Champions Men’s Basketball 2026” banner during a celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, April 11, 2026.Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau reaches out to high-five fans as he walks in during a celebration honoring the Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan Wolverines player Yaxel Lendeborg speaks during a celebration honoring the team’s NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan head coach Dusty May smiles at the podium during a celebration honoring the Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.A banner recognizing the Michigan Wolverines as NCAA men’s basketball national champions hangs inside the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan Wolverines player Trey McKenney walks through the tunnel during a national championship celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan head coach Dusty May stands at the podium as players look on during a celebration honoring the Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, left, hugs head coach Dusty May during a celebration honoring the team’s NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, left, sits and laughs alongside head coach Dusty May and Yaxel Lendeborg during a celebration honoring the team’s NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan Wolverines player Yaxel Lendeborg stands next to head coach Dusty May during a celebration honoring the team’s NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan head coach Dusty May reaches out to high-five fans as he walks in during a celebration honoring the Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan Wolverines player Yaxel Lendeborg walks through the tunnel during a national championship celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.The scoreboard displays “National Champions” above the court inside Crisler Center during a celebration honoring the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team in Ann Arbor on Friday, April 11, 2026.Fans gather at Crisler Center during a celebration honoring the Michigan Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel takes a photos with a couple of fans during a celebration honoring the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, April 11, 2026.Michigan Wolverines player Morez Johnson Jr. walks through the tunnel during a national championship celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan Wolverines player Nimari Burnett walks through the tunnel during a national championship celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan head coach Dusty May reaches out to high-five fans as he walks in during a celebration honoring the Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Members of the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team stand next to a banner reading “NCAA Champions Men’s Basketball 2026” during a celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, April 11, 2026.A banner recognizing the Michigan Wolverines as NCAA men’s basketball national champions hangs inside the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.1 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMembers of the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team gather for a group photo beneath the “NCAA Champions Men’s Basketball 2026” banner during a celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, April 11, 2026.1 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMembers of the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team gather for a group photo beneath the “NCAA Champions Men’s Basketball 2026” banner during a celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, April 11, 2026.2 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan’s Elliot Cadeau reaches out to high-five fans as he walks in during a celebration honoring the Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.3 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan Wolverines player Yaxel Lendeborg speaks during a celebration honoring the team’s NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.4 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan head coach Dusty May smiles at the podium during a celebration honoring the Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.5 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyA banner recognizing the Michigan Wolverines as NCAA men’s basketball national champions hangs inside the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.6 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan Wolverines player Trey McKenney walks through the tunnel during a national championship celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.7 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan head coach Dusty May stands at the podium as players look on during a celebration honoring the Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.8 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan athletic director Warde Manuel, left, hugs head coach Dusty May during a celebration honoring the team’s NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.9 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan athletic director Warde Manuel, left, sits and laughs alongside head coach Dusty May and Yaxel Lendeborg during a celebration honoring the team’s NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.10 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan Wolverines player Yaxel Lendeborg stands next to head coach Dusty May during a celebration honoring the team’s NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.11 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan head coach Dusty May reaches out to high-five fans as he walks in during a celebration honoring the Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.12 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan Wolverines player Yaxel Lendeborg walks through the tunnel during a national championship celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.13 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyThe scoreboard displays “National Champions” above the court inside Crisler Center during a celebration honoring the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team in Ann Arbor on Friday, April 11, 2026.14 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyFans gather at Crisler Center during a celebration honoring the Michigan Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.15 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel takes a photos with a couple of fans during a celebration honoring the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, April 11, 2026.16 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan Wolverines player Morez Johnson Jr. walks through the tunnel during a national championship celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.17 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan Wolverines player Nimari Burnett walks through the tunnel during a national championship celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.18 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMichigan head coach Dusty May reaches out to high-five fans as he walks in during a celebration honoring the Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.19 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyMembers of the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team stand next to a banner reading “NCAA Champions Men’s Basketball 2026” during a celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, April 11, 2026.20 / 20Michigan basketball celebrates NCAA title with Crisler banner ceremonyA banner recognizing the Michigan Wolverines as NCAA men’s basketball national champions hangs inside the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Reed, a graduate transfer, spent the past four seasons in Baton Rouge and averaged 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in 18 minutes across six games last season before he was lost for the year with an Achilles injury. He averaged 11.1 points and 6.5 points across eight games the season prior, but that too was cut short after he suffered an ACL injury.
In total, Reed has played 79 games with 39 starts and shot 50.1% from the floor and 37.9% on 3-pointers (just 0.7 attempts per game). He joins former Tennessee big man J.P. Estrella as the second portal addition to the 2026-27 roster.
Michigan is still waiting for word from last year’s starting big men Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr., both of whom are mulling NBA decisions and have been leaning toward leaving.
Even without those two key pieces, Michigan is replacing much of its front court with Yaxel Lendeborg (NBA), Will Tschetter (eligibility, pro ball in Australia) and Malick Kordel (Minnesota) all having left the program.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan basketball adds LSU big man Jalen Reed from transfer portal
