You gain some, and you lose some.
Michigan basketball added a big name via the transfer portal on Thursday, with former Tennessee forward JP Estrella committing to Dusty May and the Wolverines. But shortly after, the maize and blue lost another big man via the same method.
A day after sharpshooter Winters Grady entered the portal, the Wolverines lost their second to transfer. German big man Malick Kordel had one year with Michigan basketball, but was still a bit of a developmental prospect. At 7-foot-2, he could have worked to follow in Aday Mara’s footsteps, but the center will be looking for another option, as he’s entered the transfer portal, per reports.
Kordel appeared in 14 games in 2025-26, with the most he played coming in the season opener against Oakland University, when he saw eight minutes of game action. The most he scored in any game was four points, which he did twice, against McNeese State and Penn State in December and January, respectively. He averaged 1.2 points per game and 1.5 rebounds, coming into the lineup in garbage time.
Michigan is expected to target a few other top players via the portal, including No. 1 transfer Kansas center Flory Bidunga and No. 2 transfer Wake Forest guard Juke Harris.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan basketball loses center Malick Kordel to transfer portal
Reporting by Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire / Wolverines Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
