MISSOULA — Another player has left the Montana men's basketball team.
Michael Steadman, Montana's 6-foot-10 forward who transferred to UM in 2019 from San Jose State, has entered the transfer portal. Verbal Commits first reported the news Monday morning and MTN Sports confirmed it with a team spokesman.
Steadman also confirmed his decision on Twitter, writing, "I would like to thank the University of Montana for the year and a half I spent there but I will be entering the transfer portal as a grad transfer looking for new opportunity."
I would like to thank the University of Montana for the year and a half I spent there but I will be entering the transfer portal as a grad transfer looking for new opportunity.
— Michael Steadman (@mikesteady123) February 15, 2021
The transfer spells the end of what was a highly anticipated UM career for Steadman. After spending two seasons at community college, Steadman, a Union City, California, native, played one season at San Jose State where he averaged 13.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
Steadman then transferred to Montana ahead of the 2019-20 season and redshirted to learn Montana's systems. During that stretch, Steadman also noted he lost 35 pounds through workouts and a new diet with Montana. Anticipations were high for Steadman ahead of the 2020-21 season thanks to his size and athleticism, and before the season he was a preseason all-Big Sky Conference pick.
Steadman played in all 19 of Montana's games, starting in 18 of them, and averaged 9.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. In Montana's most recent loss to Weber State, Steadman started but played just 12 minutes, including the first five minutes in the second half before subbing out and not seeing the floor again. He also played just 18 minutes in the win over Weber State last Thursday. Steadman averaged 22.6 minutes per game and shot at a 54.8% clip from the field.
Steadman's departure makes him the third Grizzly to see playing time this year transfer out of the program, joining Cameron Satterwhite and Hunter Clarke. Montana now has just 11 active players on the roster after sporting 17 at one point over the summer.
The Grizzlies (9-10, 5-7 Big Sky Conference) hit the road to take on rival Eastern Washington (10-6, 9-2) on Thursday before hosting the Eagles on Saturday.
