Believe it or not, the 2026-27 college basketball season kicks off in a little over a month, and there are plenty of new faces on Michigan coming off the program’s first national championship in 37 years.
Like pretty much every other high-major team in the sport, the Wolverines will be relying on transfers in key spots. Kenny Noland, a Columbia transfer, is expected to play an important role for the Wolverines so far.
Let’s dive into Noland’s game and project where he fits in Mike Boynton Jr.’s rotation.
What we know so far
Playing his final preps season at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut, the 6-foot-2 Noland was unranked coming out of high school. He was so unknown coming out of high school that there’s not even a photo of him on his 247Sports profile.
After averaging18.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 3.0 steals a game, Noland was named the New England Prep School Athletic Conference Class A Player of the Year. He led the Bearcats to a NEPSAC championship and 23-1 record in 2021-22, playing AAU ball with Team Loaded NC 3SSB.
After maintaining a 4.1 GPA in high school, Noland enrolled at Columbia in the Ivy League and made his debut in a 2022 game against Rutgers. He steadily progressed in his time with the Lions, going from a bench player to starting 54-of-55 games his junior and senior seasons.
Last season with Columbia, Noland averaged 17.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 44.9 percent from the field (13.4 attempts per game), 37.5 percent from three (6.9 attempts per game) and 92.1 percent from the free throw (2.7 attempts per game). Notably, he led all qualified Ivy League players in free throw percentage last season.
Noland led Columbia in scoring, with the Lions going 16-12 overall and falling to Harvard in the Ivy League Tournament. He did have eight points in 29 minutes in Columbia’s lone game against a ranked opponent, an 89-62 loss to No. 3 UConn. In Columbia’s two games against Brown last season, Noland scored 18 points in a 86-80 overtime loss on Jan. 17, and 23 points in a 80-62 win on Feb. 27. It’s no wonder Mike Martin, who was the head coach at Brown for 14 seasons before joining Boynton’s staff, wanted Noland to come to Michigan.
The fifth-year guard committed to Michigan just before the Europe trip in mid-August, but he didn’t appear in a game as he awaited a ruling on his eligibility. Just last week, he was granted a preliminary injunction; barring further litigation, Noland is slated to spend his final season of eligibility in Ann Arbor.
Scouting report
Noland is a persistent driver who finishes well around the rim. He makes up for his lack of size with his speed, as he thrives going downhill off the pick-and-roll. He’s not a lightning-quick point guard like DeVante’ Jones, but he’s shifty and is great at picking his spots. He might become your dad’s favorite player because of how well he stops on a dime and utilizes his pivot foot to create space and launch a mid-range jumper.
Additionally, Noland is incredibly patient in the pick-and-roll, reading the defense before lobbing it up to a rolling big or making the play himself. He’s a good iso scorer who has a nasty hesitation dribble, which he uses to get into his step-back. His jumper is a little unconventional with a lower release point, but it goes in consistently. Defensively, he moves his feet well, flipping his hips to the ball handler to combat downhill drives. He’s good at the point of attack and navigates screens well.
If I had to nitpick, I wouldn’t say he’s a jack of all trades, but a master of none. I also don’t like his habit of jumping on long passes, since it could put him in no-man’s land, but that’s something I’d expect to be coached out of him at this level. It’s natural to compare him to fellow Columbia transfer Mike Smith; I’d say Smith is quicker and had more of a microwave scoring ability, but I think Noland is a better playmaker.
The competition level is going to be turned up a couple of notches in the Big Ten, but Noland appears ready for it.
Where Noland fits in Michigan’s rotation
I hate saying a guy with four years of DI basketball under his belt is going to come off the bench, but it would take an astronomical preseason for Noland to best Elliot Cadeau or Trey McKenney in the starting backcourt.
That said, I think Noland slides in as a perfectly competent backup point guard. He thrives in the pick-and-roll, which Michigan runs a lot of. Michigan will need a few freshman (Quinn Costello, Joseph Hartman, Malachi Brown) to contribute off the bench, and Noland gives that young group a steady, veteran presence. I think he could be key to Hartman’s development especially; I think Noland’s slashing and Hartman’s iso game complement one another well.
If Cadeau or McKenney have to miss time due to injury, Noland could play spot minutes as a starting guard. His 6-foot-2 frame could lead to him getting pushed around in Big Ten play, but he can play through that thanks to his resiliency and high basketball IQ.
I view veteran guards in college basketball like cornerbacks, chip clips or white t-shirts — you can never have enough of them. Noland makes Michigan deeper and provides the Wolverines with an experienced big guard who is capable of playing big minutes when called upon.
