Michigan's Elliot Cadeau Named 2026 NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player

After helping lead Michigan to its first national title since 1989, Elliot Cadeau has been named the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Cadeau posted a game-high 19 points in Monday's championship win over No. 2 UConn, giving the Wolverines life on offense with star Yaxel Lendeborg battling left MCL and left ankle injuries.

Cadeau, who joined Michigan ahead of the 2025-26 season after two seasons with North Carolina, averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 assists this season.

He had just five points in Michigan's first-round win over Howard, but he impacted the game through his playmaking, picking up nine assists. From there, he had 12 points and seven assists against Saint Louis and 17 points and seven assists against Alabama.

Cadeau posted 10 assists in wins over Tennessee and Arizona, scoring eight and 13 in those games, respectively.

Even after it was announced that Lendeborg would play in the national championship game, it was fair to assume he'd be somewhat limited and the Wolverines would need someone to step up.

Lendeborg finished with 13 points, far from his usual production, but Cadeau stepped up to keep Michigan's title hopes alive. Now, he's been rewarded for his standout performance with both a championship and one of the most coveted individual awards in college basketball.