The Wolverines prepare for a challenging season with key roster changes and a new series against Marquette.
Category: Sports
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - Oscar Goodman, a forward for the Michigan Wolverines, has announced his return for the 2026-27 season during an appearance on the Kiwi Hoopers podcast. The 6-foot-7, 235-pound player, who joined the team in January 2025 from the NBA Global Academy, redshirted the 2024-25 season before playing a key reserve role in Michigan's national championship run last year.
Goodman participated in 16 games last season, averaging 1.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 5.4 minutes of play. "I’m coming back to Michigan," Goodman stated on the podcast. "I’m just taking a little bit of time off right now. I’m probably going to start working out in the next day or two, get back into that. And then I’m coming home at the end of this month, start of May. I’ll be home for a bit, just see my family, see my mates. And then I’ll come back over (to Michigan) for June workouts, summer workouts and just get ready to try to win back-to-back national championships."
Goodman’s performance last season saw him make an impressive 77.8 percent of his shots at the rim, primarily during garbage time of Michigan victories. His most notable highlight was a poster dunk against Auburn in the Player’s Era Tournament. Goodman acknowledged that competing against teammates like Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Morez Johnson Jr. significantly improved his game. "But it was challenging at first. I’ve never been blocked so much before in my life," he remarked. "In my position, I was the youngest. A bunch of the guys had already played four years of college ahead of me, so they had that experience on me, and Morez is just a dawg. He plays so hard, and I’ve kind of stolen that from him in a way. I’m just trying to get that into my game of just going 100 percent all the time. But the skill factor of Yaxel and ‘Rez and Aday is NBA level."
With Goodman’s return, he is expected to fill a more prominent role next season, particularly with the departure of Will Tschetter, who is out of eligibility and heading to Australia to play in the NBL1 West. Tschetter averaged 13.7 minutes per game, and his absence opens the door for Goodman to step into a regular bench position.
As Michigan prepares for the 2026-27 season, the program is also focused on strengthening its schedule. On April 14, Michigan announced a home-and-home series with Marquette for the next two seasons. The first game will take place in Ann Arbor on November 11, 2026, with the return game set for Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee in 2027, though the date has yet to be announced.
The Wolverines are coming off a national championship season, having played the toughest schedule in America according to KenPom. Last season, they faced six of the seven other teams that reached the Elite Eight, including all three Final Four teams. Key contributors returning for Michigan include guards Elliot Cadeau, who was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player, and Trey McKenney, a member of the Big Ten All-Freshman team, alongside Goodman.
In addition to Goodman, Michigan has made strides in roster building during the offseason. The Wolverines have secured commitments from five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr. and Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella. They are also welcoming ESPN 100 recruits Quinn Costello and Joseph Hartman. Meanwhile, Michigan is still awaiting NBA draft decisions from Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara, both of whom are considering their futures in professional basketball.
As Michigan looks to defend its title, the team will also be dealing with the loss of several key players. The Wolverines will lose Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg, along with guards Nimari Burnett and Roddy Gayle Jr., and forward Will Tschetter. The departures leave a void that Goodman and the returning players will need to fill.
The offseason has seen a massive shift in the college basketball scene, with over 2,000 players entering the transfer portal since the NCAA tournament concluded. Michigan is among those teams adapting to the new dynamics. The Wolverines have also seen end-of-bench players Winters Grady and Malick Kordel enter the portal, and L.J. Cason and incoming freshman Lincoln Cosby are expected to redshirt due to injuries.
In a bid to strengthen their roster, Michigan hosted Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris for a visit, but he did not commit. This highlights the competitive nature of the transfer portal, as teams scramble to secure talented players to fill their rosters.
As the Wolverines gear up for what another challenging season, the focus will be on integrating the new talent and ensuring that the returning players can step up to fill the gaps left by those who have departed. With Goodman’s commitment to return and the addition of new recruits, Michigan is positioning itself to maintain its status as a powerhouse in college basketball.
In the coming months, the Wolverines will continue to refine their roster and prepare for the upcoming challenges. With a mix of returning talent and new faces, to see how the team evolves and competes in the 2026-27 season.