From The Sports Desk: Michigan’s ‘Mercenaries’

College basketballFrom The Sports Desk: Michigan’s ‘Mercenaries’The Wolverines became the first team to win the national title with a starting lineup featuring all transfers.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Head coach Dusty May of the Michigan Wolverines hoists the trophy after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 6, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.Andy Lyons / Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 7, 2026, 3:02 PM EDTBy Tim RohanThe National Championship game was ugly. But in the end, Michigan outlasted UConn to win, 69-63, its first national title since 1989. The Wolverines bludgeoned teams throughout the NCAA Tournament. How’d they do it? By building a team largely through the transfer portal.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Meanwhile, the Huskies just missed out on calling themselves a “dynasty.” We’ll dive in below and, as always, check out NBC News for more coverage.The VictorsLast year, Michigan lost in the Sweet 16, ending coach Dusty May’s first season at the school on a somewhat sour note. Over the next few weeks, then, the news began trickling in: Michigan received commitments from four top transfers.Elliot Cadeau, a point guard from North Carolina, Aday Mara, a 7-foot-3 center from UCLA, Morez Johnson Jr., a bruising forward from Illinois, and 6-foot-9 forward Yaxel Lendeborg, arguably the best player available in the transfer portal, from UAB. The cavalry was coming.One year later, the Wolverines cut down the nets. “They might still be calling us mercenaries but we’re the hardest-playing team in national basketball,” Lendeborg said afterward on the TBS broadcast. “We’re the best team in college basketball.” Elliot Cadeau of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after defeating the UConn Huskies, 69-63, in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men's Bask...