The Michigan men’s basketball program announced the latest additions to the 2026-27 team, including three guys from the transfer portal and two from high school.
Head coach Dusty May provided quotes on all the players that have officially been added to the team:
“Brandon and Lincoln are two outstanding additions to our program. Brandon is an explosive scorer and competitor who impacts the game on both ends of the floor. Lincoln has tremendous size, versatility and upside, and we’re excited about his long-term future. Both fit the culture and vision we’re building at Michigan.”
“Brandon is a special talent and someone who has the ability to impact the game in so many ways. He has a special feel for the game and competitiveness that really stands out. He can score at all three levels, create for others, and make winning plays on both ends of the floor. What stands out most is his approach to the game and his desire to keep getting better.”
“Lincoln has great size, athleticism and versatility, and he impacts the game in a lot of ways. He can defend multiple positions, rebound, run the floor, and make plays with the ball in his hands. We’re excited to support him through his rehab process and help him come back even stronger.”
“J.P. brings size, toughness and a lot of energy to our frontcourt. He knows what it takes to win at a high level and plays the game the right way. He runs the floor, rebounds, competes on every possession and gives us a strong presence around the basket. Just as important, he’s a great teammate and someone who fits exactly what we’re building here.”
“Despite the challenges of the past two years, Jalen brings experience, toughness and a physical presence to our frontcourt. He’s shown he can play at a high level, and having someone with that experience is important for our program.”
“Moustapha is someone we’re really excited about. You don’t find many players of his size and ability to move the way he does. He protects the rim, rebounds, runs the floor and changes the game defensively. He’s still improving, too, so we’re ready to get to work.”
It was revealed in the press release that Cosby will officially redshirt during the 2026-27 season due to recovering from a torn ACL, effectively ending his first season in college before it ever started. As May said in his quote above, this will be good for Cosby’s long-term development and growth at the college level.
All these guys the Wolverines added have multiple years of eligibility left. Obviously, the true freshmen have all their eligibility still, but Thiam, Reed and Estrella all have up to two years remaining. This is good for the short-term and long-term future of the program.
In his evaluation of Thiam, Estrella and Cosby, May mentioned them running the floor well and being able to impact the game greatly on defense. This seems to be a focal point May looks for in his big men, as this is exactly how Aday Mara, Danny Wolf and other recent big men to come through Ann Arbor have played.
Even though Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. have retained their collegiate eligibility, the odds of them coming back to Michigan are incredibly low. Thiam and Estrella are two incredibly important additions to this team and can impact the game in more ways than one, especially on the defensive end of the floor.
Finally, it seems like McCoy will have an immediate impact this upcoming season as well, even though he is a true freshman. May calling him a “special talent” and “an explosive scorer and competitor” make it seem to me like McCoy’s potential is sky high and that he may be able to earn a lot of minutes right away.