ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan Wolverines point guard Elliot Cadeau will remain with the program despite the departure of national championship-winning coach Dusty May.
Cadeau announced his decision on his Instagram account on Thursday (June 25).
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Cadeau’s decision provides stability for Michigan as the program begins a coaching transition after May left this week to become head coach of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.
The 6’1” guard started all 40 games during Michigan’s national championship season, averaging 10.5 points and 5.9 assists after transferring from North Carolina.
Cadeau was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player after recording 13 points and 10 assists in the national semifinal against Arizona before scoring 19 points in the Wolverines’ championship victory over UConn.
He becomes the second key Michigan player to publicly commit to returning, joining guard Trey McKenney, who announced earlier this week that he plans to remain with the program.
McKenney averaged 9.9 points as a freshman while emerging as one of the nation’s top reserves.
Victors always stay #HA1L #GoBlue
— Trey McKenney (@mckenneytrey1) June 22, 2026
University of Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel named assistant coach Mike Boynton Jr. interim head coach on Tuesday following May’s departure.
Boynton Jr. said he learned of May’s decision Monday morning and acknowledged the unexpected nature of the coaching change.
“I found out Monday morning like everybody else,” Boynton Jr. said during an interview with the Big Ten Network.
Despite the surprise, Boynton Jr. praised May and said the opportunity to coach in the NBA was deserved.
“First of all, what a tremendous opportunity,” Boynton Jr. said. “Dusty’s one of the elite basketball coaches in the world. He’s obviously done great work here at Michigan with us.”
May compiled a 64-13 record in two seasons at Michigan, leading the Wolverines to the national championship, a Big Ten regular-season title, and the conference tournament championship.
He inherited a program coming off an 8-24 season under Fab Five legend Juwan Howard before engineering one of the nation’s quickest turnarounds.
In a statement released Tuesday, May thanked Michigan fans and called the decision to leave a difficult one.
“When my family and I came to Ann Arbor two years ago, we hoped we could help bring Michigan basketball back to where it belongs,” May said. “I never could have imagined how special these last two seasons would be.”
May added that the opportunity with the Mavericks “was right for my family and something I felt I needed to pursue.”
Manuel thanked May for restoring the program while expressing disappointment over his departure.
“While we are disappointed to see Dusty leave Michigan, we are deeply grateful to the May family for the lasting impact they have made on our program and our university,” Manuel said.
According to reports, because Michigan appointed an interim coach rather than a permanent replacement, the NCAA’s 15-day transfer portal window tied to a coaching change will not immediately open for Wolverines players.
Boynton Jr. said his immediate priority is maintaining continuity for a roster capable of competing for another championship.
“What we did this year is obviously the ultimate of what can be accomplished at the University of Michigan,” Boynton said. “We’ve got really good players, really good resources, a great fan base, and I’m excited to serve our players and our program.”
Michigan’s roster includes a highly regarded incoming recruiting class led by five-star freshmanBrandon McCoy Jr., along with J.P. Estrella and Moustapha Thiam.
Boynton Jr. expressed confidence that the relationships built by the coaching staff will help keep the roster intact.
“We feel good about the relationships that our staff has with the players on the team,” Boynton said. “These guys all committed to come to Michigan to play together, and the team that we put together, we feel like can compete nationally and certainly at the higher end of the Big Ten.”
He also said Michigan’s style of play will remain largely unchanged during the transition.
“We’ll continue to play the system that we’ve played the last couple of years with Dusty,” Boynton said. “We’ll play a lot through our ones and fives. Our wings will be dynamic playmakers and shooters.”
With the championship backcourt intact, let’s see how the rest of the team shapes up in the coming months ahead of the season.