What Dusty May said about decisions for Michigan NBA Draft prospects Aday Mara, Morez Johnson Jr., Elliot Cadeau

Michigan Wolverines basketball has the majority of its 2026-27 roster set weeks after winning the national championship, featuring nine newcomers, including six freshmen and three transfers, but there are still more upcoming decisions that will impact the group.

Three Michigan players — center Aday Mara, forward Morez Johnson Jr. and point guard Elliot Cadeau — entered the 2026 NBA Draft and have until May 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET to withdraw and maintain their college eligibility. All three have different likelihoods of actually leaving the program, though.

Mara is viewed as a potential lottery pick (top 14), Johnson is seen as a projected first-round selection and it’s up in the air whether or not Cadeau will receive an invite to the G League Elite Camp or NBA Combine. Put simply, Mara is almost certainly NBA-bound, Cadeau is more than likely going to come back to Ann Arbor and Johnson’s is the most intriguing decision to watch.

Michigan has added three big men from the NCAA transfer portal — Tennessee’s J.P. Estrella, LSU’s Jalen Reed and Cincinnati’s Moustapha Thiam — but there’s still a chance Johnson returns.

“We don’t recruit against it,” head coach Dusty May said of potentially convincing Johnson to come back. “What are we going to tell Morez? I think he knows us. But, yeah, I talk to him. Yesterday was probably the first day that I haven’t talked to Morez in a couple weeks. I talk to him every day. But it’s more just supporting him, checking on him, just having a conversation about his well-being and whatnot.

“When guys declare for the draft, we don’t ever recruit them back. This is our vision — we present our vision, our plan, what we think it will look like — and then they decide what’s best for them.”

All three are working out in preparation for the draft, while receiving feedback from NBA teams.

“I can tell you they’re all training with their agencies,” the Michigan coach added. “I think Elliot has been the most clear, saying that he wanted to use this to get feedback, to have a positive experience.

“I think Morez and Aday are gauging the interest of the NBA. With the way they’ve played, they’ve positioned themselves to have a very, very difficult decision. 

“We get feedback from the NBA daily. We talk to their agents, we talk to them. I’d rather not comment on those guys. Let them comment on whatever their futures hold.”

Even though Cadeau averaged 10.5 points and 5.9 assists per game last season, earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors while helping the Wolverines win the national championship, his choice to enter his name into the draft was the most surprising. However — and it’s no surprise — May is fully backing his point guard, and Cadeau has said he’s mostly reciprocating interest from NBA teams and looking to learn about the process in anticipation for becoming a professional a year from now.

“How do I feel about it? I don’t really feel anything,” May said. “If he wants to go see what a workout’s like to prepare himself to next year, to hear what future employers are going to say about us, I’m fully supportive of it.

“I don’t feel good, I don’t feel bad. We support our players with whatever their personal ambition is outside of the season. If an NBA team says we’re going to draft you in the top 10, I’d probably tell Elliot to go to the NBA, and we’ll figure this out.”

Dusty May hasn’t signed new contract — but no need to worry

At Michigan’s national championship celebration April 11, athletic director Warde Manuel announced that he and May had agreed to a new contract extension — May’s third with the university in just over two calendar years. However, it hasn’t been finalized yet, but not because May is planning to leave.

“I haven’t signed it,” May said. “Warde and I have agreed to the terms and the structure. And then, after that, there are still some I’s to dot and T’s to cross. 

“I think anyone that’s ever dealt with attorneys knows that it’s not as if you make a red line change and it’s turned back, and same thing with agents and attorneys on the other side. 

“Yeah, Warde and I have agreed to terms, just like last year. I think we ended up signing it in July. I don’t know when this will get signed. I think it’s whenever things get turned back. But, yeah, we’ve agreed to the terms.

“There’s no second guessing or second thoughts. In my mind, it was done on the handshake.”