Dusty May details impact trait that Roddy Gayle brings to Michigan

Roddy Gayle Jr. crossed enemy lines in the transfer portal with his move from Ohio State to Michigan. He’s now a player that Dusty May is very excited to see in maize & blue considering what he can bring to the Wolverines, especially in one aspect.

May spoke highly of Gayle and his game in a recent press conference. In having seen him play a few times, he watched someone who can get to the charity stripe and score, which is valuable to May considering some issues that he had with past teams.

“Well, I watched him play a few times randomly just throughout the season. I liked his game,” said May.

“I think he has got the unique ability to get downhill and draw fouls. The first couple years at FAU? We couldn’t get to the free-throw line. We just couldn’t get there. I’m reaching out to the best coaches and teachers that I know and I have access to. Finally, a good friend who I lean on a lot for advice just said, ‘Hey, you’ve got to recruit that. That’s something you have to recruit,'” May said. “It always kind of stuck with me. Then the guys that I’ve coached that got to the foul line? It was usually something that they had well before college and something that they did organically, I should say. That was the thing that most excited me.”

Gayle’s second season with the Buckeyes showed some of that skill. He averaged four free throws a game at an average of 83.2%. He finished second in makes and attempts from the line while being top-five in percentage.

That’s not all to Gayle’s game, though. He averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists as a sophomore this last year in Columbus.

All of that is why May and the Wolverines are happy to have him on their side now.

“His ability to get downhill, offensive rebound. He runs in transition. He plays off the pick and roll well, he’s very efficient playing off the pick and roll as a passer. He’s efficient with his movement in his game, he doesn’t over-dribble,” said May in his assessment. “Like I said, I believed in his jump shot. I know he didn’t shoot a great percentage last year but I think he’s a much better shooter than that. When you watched him in transition, when he had a clean look? He knocked it down a very good percentage of the time.”

Gayle was the No. 75 overall player in the portal per On3’s 2024 Transfer Portal Top Players. That’s the second highest-rated addition out of the team’s six pickups behind only Vladislav Goldin. Those ratings also had him as the No. 14 SG that transferred.

Ann Arbor is happy to have Gayle with them for more reasons than one. For May, that includes what he’ll be bringing to his first roster this season at Michigan.

“We’re excited about him on a number of levels,” said May. “I could probably go on for about another 30 minutes talking about Roddy. I think he’s a special guy.”