Dusty May had already put together a solid class before Michigan basketball went on its national championship run, but in the lead-up to the Final Four, it continued to swell with even more top prospects. With a late addition in Lincoln Cosby and another during the Final Four, with five-star Brandon McCoy joining, May and the Wolverines managed to sign an elite group of recruits in the 2026 cycle.
And some outlets are taking notice.
Last week, with the rankings being finalized, ESPN took a look at the top classes in college basketball. Michigan ended up finishing fourth, and ESPN sees a lot of upside to what May is bringing into Ann Arbor.
4. Michigan Wolverines
No. 17 G Brandon McCoyNo. 28 C Quinn CostelloNo. 47 PF Lincoln CosbyNo. 93 SG Joseph HartmanThree-star SF Malachi BrownInternational C Marcus Moller
Michigan moved into the top five on the same night it dominated Arizona in the Final Four, when McCoy committed to the Wolverines during halftime. A highly touted prospect early on, he has great positional size at 6-4 and should make a two-way impact.
It’s also no surprise to see this class has plenty of size, given the way Dusty May has operated with multiple bigs in his lineups the past couple seasons. Costello was one of the bigger breakouts last spring as a stretch big who can make shots from the perimeter, while 7-3 Danish center Moller has generated some buzz. Cosby reclassified from the 2027 class and likely won’t make a huge immediate impact given a recent ACL injury — but he was a top-10 recruit prior to moving up, and has a great deal of potential.
Hartman, meanwhile, can really shoot from 3.
Biancardi’s most important recruit: McCoy
McCoy is one of the fastest players in the class. He’s an advanced finisher and rebounder for his size, and he likes both pressure defenses and play an aggressive defense. His free throw and jumper will be the focal point in the offseason transition.
McCoy, Hartman, and Costello each could figure into the lineup in their first year, with McCoy having a chance as a potential starter. Cosby is expected to redshirt as he rehabilitates from an injury, though May had noted that his reclassification to 2026 allows him to do so under the care and supervision of the team’s medical staff. Little is known of Brown, but Moller is recovering as well from a cancer diagnosis he received earlier in the year.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan basketball’s 2026 recruiting class ranks among the nation’s best
Reporting by Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire / Wolverines Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
