Michigan-JP Estrella named Top 5 transfer portal fit this offseason

If history is any indicator, Estrella will have his best year — or years, as he has two seasons of eligibility left — in Ann Arbor. And a member of the national media believes that to be the case as well. CJ Moore from The Athletic recently put together an article highlighting five of the best fits through the transfer portal this offseason, and he included Michigan and Estrella.

Here’s what Moore had to say:

Estrella is a big who can pass and probably wasn’t utilized as much as he should have been at Tennessee based on his skill level. What could that look like when moving to Michigan?

Estrella, at 6-11, is not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison to Aday Mara, but he could be a blend between Mara and Danny Wolf, who also saw his assist rate increase in the Michigan offense after transferring from Yale in 2024-25. Estrella’s assist rate was not as high as either Mara or Wolf before their moves to Michigan, but the passes he’s able to make suggest he’s capable of being the type of hub Mara and Wolf were for the Wolverines.

And in the two-big lineups that Dusty May loves to play — Estrella figures to start next to 7-foot-2 Moustapha Thiam — and Estrella is great delivering high-low entries.

Then, similar to Mara, he’s more deserving of low-post touches because of his efficiency. Estrella has one of the best jump hooks in college basketball. Among players who shot at least 50 hooks last year, he ranked second in percentage of makes (58.6 percent), per Synergy. Estrella also had the eighth-best offensive rebounding rate in college hoops and is a capable three-point shooter who will probably get the green light to shoot more at Michigan — he made 4 of 10 3s last season.

The Vols were better on both ends when Estrella was on the floor. Tennessee had a lot of depth up front, but his production and efficiency suggest he should have been playing more than 18.3 minutes per game. The same was true for Mara at UCLA. I’m not predicting Estrella’s impact will be as great as Mara’s, but he’s another big man who could make May look smart.

What do you think? Will Estrella’s game be taken to the next level under May and company during the 2026-27 season? Let me know what you think down in the comments section below.