NIL
UNC Five-Star’s Mother Turns Heel With Public Support For Rival
© Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Elliot Cadeau will play his third season of college basketball at Michigan after two years at North Carolina. The former five-star recruit transferred schools during the offseason after a difficult tenure in Chapel Hill. Although it is not uncommon for players to switch schools at the drop of a dime in […]
Elliot Cadeau will play his third season of college basketball at Michigan after two years at North Carolina. The former five-star recruit transferred schools during the offseason after a difficult tenure in Chapel Hill.
Although it is not uncommon for players to switch schools at the drop of a dime in the modern era of collegiate athletics, this specific move left a sour taste in the mouths of Tar Heel fans.
Rumors started to swirl as soon as Elliot Cadeau entered the college basketball transfer portal about his NIL demands. He supposedly asked for a number that hovered around $2 million. However, his brother later came out and issued a firm denial of the alleged request to say that Cadeau and UNC were simply never the right fit. There was nothing more to it. His mom, Michelle, offered a similar refutation.
Funny how my kid has asked for $2 million when he hasn’t even met or spoken with anyone from [UNC] or staff yet.
— Michelle Cadeau on Facebook
Cadeau averaged 7.3 points, 4.1 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 23.9 minutes per game as a freshman and 9.4 points, 6.2 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game as a sophomore. Although those stats are not horrible, he shot less than 20% from beyond the arc in year one and less than 35% from deep in year two. It got to the point that UNC’s opponents would not play any defense past the three-point line.
The former five-star prospect in the recruiting Class of 2023 needed a change. Elliot Cadeau transferred to Michigan.
We have loved being at UNC, loved the team, loved the friends we have met, loved all the fans who has cheered him (and me) on. This was his dream and he gave it everything he had for two years. I’m proud of him making a choice he felt he had to do to get to where he wants to be. It was not easy — because we never had in our plans to transfer but he felt this was what was needed. We are now so excited for the summer, the work, and the upcoming season. Michigan, we can’t wait to meet you!!! GO BLUE!!!
— Michelle Cadeau
He’s already back in the gym.
His mother remains supportive of his son’s former teammates. That is especially true when they leave North Carolina to play elsewhere. She shows support to everybody on the Tar Heels’ roster from last season, which is admirable. Except she does not cheer for the players who chose to stay in Chapel Hill so her son’s former fanbase has since turned against her. They were especially furious with Michelle Cadeau’s latest reaction.
Former UNC big man Ven-Allen Lubin received a crystal ball to his former team’s biggest rival. The mother of Elliot Cadeau responded with a pair of fire emojis.
I do not know whether Michelle Cadeau is being intentionally inflammatory with her reaction. I honestly don’t think she thought too much about it. And yet, she is smart enough to know what she is doing and certainly would be able to foresee the optics if she paused for a moment before she hit post. It seems as though she is actively cheering for North Carolina’s biggest rival to land one of its top players. Not great.