Best Michigan teams ever: Comparing 2026 squad to Fab Five years, 1989 championship team
Here's a side-by-side comparison of this year's Michigan team with the 1989 championship squad as well as the Fab Five.
Best Michigan teams ever: Comparing 2026 squad to Fab Five years, 1989 championship team originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Shortly after Michigan’s 2026 Sweet Sixteen victory over Alabama, senior star Yaxel Lendeborg made headlines by proclaiming that his Wolverines squad “might be” the best in the school’s history.
The statement sent shockwaves across social media and drew reactions from Jalen Rose, a member of the “Fab Five. ” While the 2026 Michigan squad has had a stellar season and earned a spot in the 2026 national championship, the job is far from finished. This year’s team does boast the fewest points allowed per game when compared with the 1989 title-winning team and both Fab Five squads, but basketball is about much more than numbers on a page.
Despite playing in seven national championship games, the program has a 1-6 record in those matchups. Lendeborg’s squad will look to change that and strengthen his case. If this year’s Wolverines win a title, according to Rose, “Of course it’s time to have that conversation, ’89 versus this team.
" Here is a deep dive into Michigan’s best teams and how this year’s Wolverines stack up against their predecessors MARCH MADNESS HQ: Live NCAA bracket | TV schedule | Latest news and more How 2026 Michigan compares to other great Wolverines teams The Wolverines have had multiple powerhouse teams, including this year’s squad. According to former Fab Five member Jalen Rose, no team has topped the 1989 title-winning group Michigan put on the floor. That starting five of Glen Rice, Rumeal Robinson, Loy Vaught, Terry Mills and Sean Higgins remains the only group in school history to win a championship.
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