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Dusty May on Michigan 'hooper' L.J. Cason: 'He's got a chance to be a special player'

clayton-sayfieby:Clayton Sayfie•02/19/25•

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L.J. Cason
Michigan Wolverines basketball guard L.J. Cason knocked down 2 free throws and played great defense against Purdue. (Photo by Lon Horwedel / TheWolverine.com)

Michigan Wolverines basketball freshman guard L.J. Cason has made a resurgence, just in time for the stretch run. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Lakeland, Fla., native was essentially out of the rotation for a month and a half, playing only 23 minutes over a 10-game stretch that included five DNPs.

But Cason has totaled 11 minutes over the last two games and made some key plays. He played good defense, particularly at the top of the Wolverines’ 2-3 zone, in a win over Purdue, also knocking down 2 free throws. He missed a three-pointer, but Michigan got the offensive rebound and scored. Cason played a whirlwind of a three-minute stint against Ohio State, drilling a three-pointer and making a reverse layup.

Cason has come a long way in a short period of time, Michigan head coach Dusty May said on the ‘Inside Michigan Basketball’ radio show with host Brian Boesch.

“L.J., I’ve told him repeatedly how what he’s done through this stretch of getting pushed out of the rotation and then to stay with it [is commendable],” May said. “Really, to hit some adversity. He had some really tough days.

“He’s a hooper. He’s a ball player, and ball players want to play ball. And to see his attitude shift back to bringing this hard hat, lunch pail every day to work with a positive attitude, having good, positive energy every day in practice, he deserved a shot back in the rotation, and he’s taking advantage of it.

“Offensively, he’s exactly what this team needs. He’s someone that can make something out of nothing. He’s an impactful guy on that side of the ball. We’ve got to get him up to speed on the other side, but man, he’s got a chance to be a special player.”

Cason has made the most of his opportunity the last two games, and assistant coach Kyle Church mentioned that he should be ready to impact again Friday night, when Michigan takes on Michigan State.

The freshman is a very active player when he’s on the floor. His 22.3-percent usage rate is the third-highest on the team, behind only graduate center Vladislav Goldin (25.2) and junior forward/center Danny Wolf (24.9).

But Michigan doesn’t turn to Cason to be timid — the Wolverines usually bring him in the game to provide a spark. That was the case in the first half against Ohio State, when junior point guard Tre Donaldson and Wolf were each in foul trouble. In the Purdue game, it wasn’t until the Wolverines were down seven points late in the first half that the staff went to Cason. He then earned another shift in the second stanza.

“Hoopers, ballers, they’ve got a different mindset,” the Michigan coach said. “But when he steps on the court, he thinks he’s the baddest dude out there — and that’s what I love about him, and that’s what’s going to make him be the player that he ends up being.

“It’s just really difficult to be a freshman in today’s climate, when you’re playing against all these older players, so there’s a lot to learn. But he doesn’t feel like a freshman anymore. He feels like a sophomore. It’s February, he played a lot early.

“I haven’t checked the stats, but he probably leads us in shots per minute. He’s very aggressive, and we have no issues with it, as long as he’s able to read the game. And if Vlad has a matchup advantage down low and whatnot, he’s gotta get him the ball, but other than that, when he’s in the game, I told the staff, ‘We’re putting the ball in his hands and letting him go, because that’s his value to this team.’ He made some plays — he made some big, big plays.”

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