Michigan Basketball has brought in several point guards through the transfer portal in recent years, but Elliot Cadeau has the potential to be the best of the bunch:
There’s a new point guard in town for the Michigan Wolverines . After two seasons at North Carolina, Elliot Cadeau transferred to Ann Arbor and will be one of Michigan’s leaders in the backcourt this winter.
Going to the transfer portal for point guards is nothing new for the Wolverines. Since 2020, four others have transferred to Michigan after primarily being a point guard at their previous school.
Today, we will break down Cadeau’s potential impact at Michigan and compare his skills to the other recent point guards to transfer in.
Mike Smith, Columbia
9.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists per game; 41.2 percent shooting from the field, 41.8 percent from three and 79.3 percent from the free throw line in 2020-21
Smith holds a special place in the hearts of Michigan fans for the role he played on a squad that made it to the Elite Eight in Juwan Howard’s best season as head coach. Despite being undersized, Smith was lightning-quick in the backcourt. His scoring ability and ball movement was crucial, as he led Michigan to a Big Ten regular season championship and an Elite Eight appearance.
DeVante’ Jones, Coastal Carolina
10.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists per game; 46.3 percent shooting from the field, 34.2 percent from three and 79.2 percent from the free throw line in 2021-22
Some players can struggle after transferring up, and Jones was no exception to that. He got off to a rough start in 2021-22, but he picked up steam as the season went on. His most memorable performance was at Ohio State in a win that ended up being pivotal for Michigan’s NCAA Tournament resume. He was certainly a serviceable Big Ten point guard and ended up being one of Michigan’s best overall players that year.
Jaelin Llewellyn, Princeton
5.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists per game; 35.4 percent shooting from the field, 32.4 percent from three and 71.4 percent from the free throw line in parts of two seasons at Michigan (2022-23, 2023-24)
Llewellyn’s Michigan legacy is a complex one. His upside appeared to be limitless after dominating the Ivy League. Michigan was hoping to rely on him, but an ACL injury shut him down after just eight games in his first season in Ann Arbor.
Tre Donaldson, Auburn
11.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists per game; 43.3 percent shooting from the field, 37.5 percent from three and 69 percent from the free throw line in 2024-25
A fan favorite for his red-hot shooting, upbeat demeanor and hair that bounced as he flew up the court, Donaldson made an impact in Dusty May’s first year at the helm. He had an up-and-down season, with a few memorable performances to boot. He was the catalyst to an offense that lacked playmaking at times. His game-winner against Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament will likely live in Michigan lore for some time.
Elliot Cadeau, North Carolina
8.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game; 43.2 percent shooting from the field, 28.1 percent from three and 66 percent from the free throw line in two seasons with Tar Heels (2023-25)
Cadeau’s shot creation is one of his best skills , with his 37.7 percent assist rate in ACC play being the highest in the conference. While he notably touched the ball for nearly a quarter of UNC’s possessions, he did lead the conference in turnovers (113), more than every Wolverine except Danny Wolf (120).
Cadeau is great in the pick-and-roll, has a smooth handle and is highly likely to lead the Wolverines in assists next season.
Can Cadeau be the best of that group?
As a former five-star high school recruit, Cadeau has the talent to be the best of the bunch. Cadeau is better than Jones and Llewellyn based on what he’s shown at UNC. Donaldson is probably a better scorer, and in my opinion, Cadeau is at about the same level as a shot creator and scorer as Smith.
Akeem Miskdeen is a former point guard himself — playing at Queens University in the mid-2000s — and has decades of experience developing guards as a coach.
“I’m excited about Elliot,” Miskdeen said on a recent episode of Defend The Block . “(There’s) going to be some times where we ask him to be a little more selfish, look for his stuff and his game, and play his game. But man, I think his bread and butter is going to be running the team and getting people shots, and that’s what I’m most excited about. He’s going to be pass-first, and hopefully if we’re up by eight or nine, we can put the ball in his hands and he can make a play for someone.”
“He’s a tough dude, man. He’s really tough, he’s going to blow up some screens, he’s a feisty guy, and those point guards tend to survive in the Big Ten.”
Development has been a testament for the Wolverines in May’s young tenure, with plenty of players improving last season. If Cadeau elevates another gear as a scorer while still chipping in several assists per game, he has the potential to be one of Michigan’s best players this upcoming season.
However, asserting himself as a scorer will be critical. As long as Cadeau can keep his turnover numbers down, he can be a steady presence for the Wolverines and be the best transfer point guard Michigan has brought in during the portal era.