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L.J. Cason is headed home.
Cason, the former Michigan guard from Lakeland, Florida, announced Tuesday he is transferring to Miami.
"Coming back to the crib," Cason said in an Instagram post.
Cason spent two seasons at Michigan, after committing to Florida Atlantic, where Dusty May was head coach. He followed May to Michigan, where he cracked the rotation as a freshman and was a key contributor as a sophomore. As the team’s backup point guard, he averaged 8.4 points and 2.4 assists in 18.6 minutes and shot 40.2% from 3-point range across 28 games last season.
Cason was playing his best basketball and was having a breakout campaign when he went down with a torn ACL in late February. He held off having surgery until April 9 — three days after Michigan beat UConn in the national title game — so he could still be with the team during the NCAA Tournament, where he adopted a coach-like role and provided leadership with his voice.
Cason was the lone holdover Michigan was unable to hang on to following May's departure to the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. The other 13 players on the roster previously announced their plans to stay at Michigan for the 2026-27 season and play for former assistant Mike Boynton Jr., who agreed to a two-year deal as the Wolverines' head coach this month.
"As disappointed as I am that I won't be able to coach him (Cason), I wanted him to be able to make that choice for himself," Boynton said on the program's "Defend the Block" podcast on Tuesday. "That kid's given this program a lot. He's a champion. He'll forever be a champion. He'll forever be a champion at the University of Michigan."
The typical recovery timeline from surgery for a torn ACL ranges anywhere from nine to 12 months. Given that time frame, Cason is expected to miss the start of next season, and it's possible he could return as early as January depending on his health and rehab.
Cason initially planned to redshirt and sit out the entire 2026-27 campaign. But with the NCAA approving a new five-year, age-based eligibility model in June, he can suit up at some point next season for Miami and still have two years of eligibility remaining.
"We wish him great success," Boynton said. "We hope he gets as healthy as possible and continues to be the type of player that we all know he can be. We'll miss him for sure. But he had an opportunity to make the choice that he thought was best for him, and we wish him well moving forward."
In Miami, Cason is joining a program coming off a 26-9 season (13-5 in the ACC) under first-year head coach Jai Lucas that included an appearance in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32. It marked the Hurricanes' third March Madness appearance in the last five seasons.
@jamesbhawkins
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: L.J. Cason, former Michigan guard, announces transfer destination
