"Our players will be in San Antonio next year for the Final Four": Michigan HC Dusty May motivates Wolverines ahead of 2024-25 NCAA season
New head coach Dusty May is optimistic about the Michigan Wolverines going into next season and their chances of making some noise in the NCAA tournament. He iterated his belief to his troops in an exclusive by CBS Sports.
The first-year head coach, who has already been active in the recruiting market, bagging the younger son of Scottie Pippen to his team, had a direct spot in mind for where he wanted to see the team go, come March next season.
"This season, we need you guys to be here. We're putting together a really, really good team," May said. "In year one, we said we didn't want to come in and rebuild. We wanted to reload, we're on the way. We need Crisler to be rocking. Our players will be in San Antonio next year in the Final Four. We need you there in masses."
The "reload" that he is talking about has already begun in full swing. Through May's first few weeks on the job, Michigan has been aggressive in the recruitment process, both for incoming players and from the transfer portal.
So far, the incoming Michigan class ranks as the fifth-best transfer group according to 247Sports, with a host of recruits also incoming.
Which players are joining Michigan Wolverines for 2024-25 season?
Currently, five transfers have signed with the Wolverines for the upcoming year, with players from around the country making their way to the Great Lake State. The complete list looks as follows:
#1. Sam Walters (Alabama)
The 6-foot-10 small forward was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, who played a complementary role for an Alabama team that made the Final Four. His biggest asset is his shooting, where he averages 39.4% from the 3-point range, tallying 5.2 points in the process.
#2. Roddy Gayle Jr (Ohio State)
A 6-foot-4 shooting guard, Roddy Gayle Jr was a major contributor for the Buckeyes this past season, tallying 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the year. He took a dramatic step back from long range, going 28% on the year, after averaging 42% in his freshman season.
However, an over 80% clip from the free-throw line suggests that the 3-point slump might be more of a misnomer than a trend.
#3. Tre Donaldson (Auburn)
After sharing point guard duties with five-star recruit Aden Holloway for most of the year, Tre Donaldson will now get a chance to showcase his full repertoire with the Wolverines.
His averages of 6.7 ppg and 3.2 apg could take a major step up with an increased role after averaging just under 20 minutes this past season. With a blistering 41.2% shooting stroke from 3-point territory, Donaldson could be a shooting nightmare from the point of attack.
#4. Danny Wolf (Yale)
The 7-foot Center was a key reason for Yale making the trip to the NCAA Tournament this past season, with his unique combination of size, athleticism and shooting touch.
Averaging 14.1 ppg and 9.7 rpg as the focal point of the offense, Wolf was a bonafide three-level scorer, shooting 47% from the field, 35% from 3-point land and 72% from the charity stripe.
His injury history (both through high school and in his freshman season when he played in only 21 games) seems to be behind him, as he played the full quota of Yale this past season.
#5. Rubin Jones (UNT)
A 6-foot-5 combo guard, Jones serves as a terrific option for Coach May in defense-heavy lineups, providing switchability from the 1 through 3 thanks to his unique combination of size and speed.
A four-year college career has seen him hover around the 41% mark from long range, giving the Wolverines another lethal option from long range.
The transfer market isn't the only place where Coach May has made progress. From the incoming class of 2024, he already has Justin Pippen committed to the program with Durral Brooks, a 3-star recruit from Grand Rapids, also signing a letter of intent with the team.
With a plethora of more experienced guards coming in from the transfer portal for Michigan, the two recruits could play a background role while developing their games this upcoming season.
Do you think Dusty May's new crew can live up to his promise of a Final Four appearance next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.