Michigan basketball dips back into portal, gets two more transfer commitments

Michigan basketball has dipped into the transfer portal and picked up players from the American Athletic Conference, Ivy League and Southeastern Conference.

The Wolverines added a Big Ten rival and another SEC program to the list on Monday, when Ohio State transfer Roddy Gayle Jr. and Alabama transfer Sam Walters became the latest to announce they’re coming to Ann Arbor to play for new coach Dusty May.

Gayle, a former top-50 recruit who has two years of eligibility remaining, and Walters, former top-100 recruit who has three years of eligibility left, were both on campus for a visit this past weekend.

Gayle entered the portal on April 3 after two seasons with the Buckeyes. During his sophomore campaign, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He played in all 36 games, with 35 starts, for an Ohio State squad that went 22-14, finished strong after a late-season coaching change and reached the NIT quarterfinals.  

Gayle was Ohio State’s third-leading scorer and logged the second-most minutes. He scored in double figures 28 times and had four 20-point outings, highlighted by a career-high 32-point performance against West Virginia.

Compared to his freshman season, Gayle saw his shooting numbers improve inside the arc (51.1% on 2-pointers) and at the free-throw line (83.2%) as a sophomore. However, his 3-point percentage took a step back with higher volume, going from 42.9% (21-for-49) in Year 1 to 28.4% (29-for-102) in Year 2.

For his career, Gayle averaged 9.1 points and made 46 starts in 71 games with the Buckeyes. He also went 1-2 against the Wolverines, scoring 15 in a win in Columbus last season and totaling 15 points in two losses in Ann Arbor.

Walters entered the transfer portal last week after one season with the Crimson Tide. The 6-10, 198-pound forward averaged 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 37 appearances off the bench for an Alabama team that finished 25-12 and made a run to the Final Four as a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Walters is a 3-point specialist who thrived in catch-and-shoot situations as a freshman. The lefty shot 39.4% from beyond the arc (39-for-99), made multiple 3s in 12 contests and averaged one made deep ball in 12.3 minutes per game. He also scored in double figures seven times.

While he was primarily a floor spacer for the Tide, Walters has the ability to put the ball on the floor and attack the rim. He can play both forward spots, and his size and shooting stroke — 49% on 2-pointers and 82.5% on free throws — make him an intriguing frontcourt option.

Gayle, a New York native, and Walters, a Florida native, are Michigan’s fifth and sixth roster additions in four days. Four-star guard Justin Pippen and North Texas grad transfer Rubin Jones committed on Friday, Yale transfer Danny Wolf pledged on Saturday and Auburn transfer Tre Donaldson followed suit on Sunday.

The Wolverines have nine of the allotted 13 scholarship spots filled for next season, a total that includes returning players Will Tschetter and George Washington III and incoming freshman Durral Brooks. May has at least two more scholarships at his disposal, but that number depends on whether Nimari Burnett and Jace Howard — who both have remaining eligibility — decide to stay or go.

jhawkins@detroitnews.com

@jamesbhawkins