Michigan basketball reloads with 9 newcomers for potential run to another national title

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan has reloaded, shooting to repeat as college basketball national champions with nine newcomers.

Wolverines coach Dusty May announced Tuesday that three players have been added from the transfer portal and two incoming freshman are joining four high school seniors who were signed in November.

May had to add an influx of talent because All-America player Yaxel Lendeborg exhausted his eligibility while Aday Mara, Morez Johnson Jr. and Elliot Cadeau declared for the NBA draft.

Michigan landed three players from the portal: Moustapha Thiam, a 7-foot-2 center from Cincinnati; J.P. Estrella, a 6-foot-11 forward from Tennessee; and Jalen Reed, a 6-foot-10 forward from LSU.

Brandon McCoy, a guard who is ranked as the No. 14 prospect in the country by 247Sports, joins forward Lincoln Cosby to cap a recruiting class with previously signed players: Quinn Costello, Joseph Hartman, Marcus Moller and Malachi Brown.

The Wolverines won their second national championship and first since 1989 earlier this month and days later, May agreed to a deal that athletic director Warde Manuel said would put him under contract for many more years.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball