The Wolverines won in more ways than one on Saturday night. Not only did Dusty May and company beat the brakes off the Arizona Wildcats in the Final Four to advance to the National Championship Game, but they also picked up a massive commitment on the recruiting trail.
At halftime of the game, 2026 five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr. went on the Fab Five Altcast and announced his commitment to Michigan. The 6-foot-5, 190-pounder won a state championship this past season at Sierra Canyon in California
and is a McDonald’s All American. He is No. 14 overall in the class on 247Sports’ composite.
After announcing his commitment, he spoke with ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi about why he picked the Wolverines.
“Coach May’s vision lined up with my vision and dreams, which are to become a pro and stay in the league long term,” McCoy said. “He said I could fill up a stat sheet, play winning basketball, be an elite defender and play multiple positions.
“I went on a visit in October, and it was amazing. I wanted to be part of a winning team that was unselfish, and I felt that was Michigan. During my visit in October, I was impressed by practice. The detailed execution stood out. The team was dialed into winning. From where they were to where they are now, they’ve improved.”
McCoy said a lot of good things there, but the most important part of his quote was about how he wants to be a part of “a winning team that was unselfish.” That’s the type of thing May preaches constantly; winning basketball isn’t about having the most talented players, it’s about the guys that are on the court working well together and feeding off each other.
Aday Mara wouldn’t have the gaudy numbers he had in the Final Four vs Arizona without the help of his teammates, particularly point guard Elliot Cadeau. Trey McKenney wouldn’t have been able to come off the bench and put up 16 points without the trust of his teammates. Everybody gets their fair share in May’s offensive system, and it’s great to hear McCoy has bought into that vision and wants to be a part of it.
This is also a massive addition because of L.J. Cason’s knee injury. He was in the midst of a breakout sophomore campaign before tearing his ACL at Illinois in February — he is expected to miss all of 2026-27 as he recovers and takes a redshirt year. McCoy will now be able to bridge the gap between now and when Cason is healthy and provide the Wolverines with another ball-handler.
McCoy joins four-star power forward/big man Quinn Costello, four-star guard Joseph Hartman, four-star small forward Lincoln Cosby, three-star small forward Malachi Brown and unranked big man Marcus Moller in Michigan’s 2026 class. The Wolverines’ class is now ranked No. 2 overall on the 247Sports composite.
