Former Michigan guard L.J. Cason is transferring to Miami, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported on Tuesday. Cason entered the transfer portal earlier this month shortly after Dusty May unexpectedly departed the Wolverines to become the coach of the Dallas Mavericks after leading Michigan to the 2026 NCAA Tournament championship.
Cason, who tore his ACL in February, told Rothstein that he will sit out the 2026-27 season. With the NCAA’s new 5-for-5 legislation coming, Cason would lose this season of eligibility regardless of whether he plays or not. May noted before he left for the NBA that the plan was to get Cason practicing sometime in November and bring him on slowly.
Most Michigan players choose to stay
After May’s departure, Michigan players had an extended window to enter the transfer portal to look for other opportunities, but Cason was the only player on the national title roster who entered the transfer portal. Returning players such as Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney, as well as key transfers such as J.P. Estrella and Moustapha Thiam, decided to remain at Michigan to play for Mike Boynton Jr., who was appointed as May’s successor earlier this month.
Cason, the No. 56 overall ranked player in the 2026 College Basketball Transfer Portal Top Prospects rankings, averaged 8.4 points, 2.4 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 28 games. Cason appeared in 30 games as a freshman for the Wolverines during the 2024-25 campaign and came off the bench in all of those games in May’s first season at the helm of the program.
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Cason latest transfer to commit to Canes
Year 1 of the Jai Lucas era at Miami was a massive success. The Hurricanes won 26 games and won an NCAA Tournament game before being eliminated by Purdue in the second round.
Heading into his second season, Miami is poised to make a jump and be a serious contender once again in the ACC because of its busy offseason. The Hurricanes added Somto Cyril, Acaden Lewis and DeSean Goode via the transfer portal and bring back Shelton Henderson, a former five-star wing who projects as a potential first-round NBA Draft pick in 2027.
Even if Cason doesn’t play this season — which appears to be the plan — Miami will be set up for success. Cason was a key member of one of the most dominant college basketball teams in recent memory and provided valuable minutes off the bench as the backup point guard. If Cason stayed at Michigan — and played this season — he would’ve likely been in a similar role as last season.
Notably, Texas Tech star JT Toppin, who tore his ACL a few weeks before Cason did, could be in line to play this season. Texas Tech’s official men’s basketball account on X teased that Toppin would be suiting up this season.
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