Why Michigan's Elliot Cadeau declared for NBA Draft after returning to school originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With the 2026 NBA Draft just two months away, the entry deadline on Friday caught many by surprise. Several projected top picks waited until the last day to announce their intentions, but one name was a bit interesting.
Elliot Cadeau, Michigan's starting point guard in 2025-26 and the Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four, entered the 2026 NBA Draft. This comes after the Wolverines standout already announced he would be returning to Ann Arbor next season. The move was on the condition Cadeau would keep his eligibility and not hire an agent.
The expectation is he'll be headed to Michigan next season, but also testing out the water to see if he'll land with a team next season. Cadeau signed a new deal to stay with Michigan for his final season. Dusty May's team added former Cincinnati center Moustapha Thiam from the transfer portal on Friday as well. Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara both enter their names for the NBA Draft.
More:Former UNC coach to Michael Malone: 'Embrace history, but don’t be paralyzed by it'At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Cadeau plays bigger than his profile numbers. He averaged 12.3 points and 7.5 assists in six NCAA Tournament games on the way to a national championship win. The North Carolina transfer hasn't skipped a beat since joining Michigan.
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