Two days after winning its first national title in 37 years, the Michigan basketball team has had its first player enter the transfer portal.
Winters Grady, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound wing, will explore his options elsewhere after playing sparingly during his freshman year.
Visit betsport24.es for more information.
Grady appeared in nine games, tallying 26 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals in 54 minutes. He last played on Jan. 2 against USC before he was shut down for the rest of the season with a lingering foot injury that he’s been battling for some time.
“I fractured my foot my sophomore year of high school. Initially, we didn't know there was a fracture, so I kept playing on it for a while and it got 10 times worse,” Grady told The News during the NCAA Tournament last month.
“It just required a lot of rest, because it never actually fully healed. My high school career, I was very adamant on playing every game I could play in. I don't think it necessarily helped a lot. But when you're trying to get recruited, you have to be seen and give yourself the most exposure possible.”
Grady noted that his foot issue has flared up “on and off” since the fracture, including early on when he first got on Michigan’s campus. But when it became a struggle, the decision was made to sit out the rest of the campaign.
He’s expected to apply for a medical redshirt, which will give him four seasons of eligibility at his next stop.
Grady, a top-100 prospect and four-star recruit, arrived at Michigan with a reputation as a knockdown shooter. He shot 6-for-19 from 3-point range in limited action because he was buried on the depth chart behind an experienced and talented group of perimeter players that included Nimari Burnett, Roddy Gayle Jr. and Trey McKenney.
With Burnett and Gayle graduating, there was an opportunity for Grady to carve out a role in the rotation. But that’s no sure thing, with McKenney expected to return, a bunch of young talent coming in and potential portal additions to be made.
Grady, an Oregon native, picked Michigan over Oklahoma, Oregon, Colorado, Iowa and New Mexico when he committed in October 2024.
@jamesbhawkins
.oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;}
Want to comment on this story? Become a subscriber today. Click here.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan basketball freshman Winters Grady enters transfer portal