Elliot Cadeau (born September 4, 2004) is an American-Swedish
college basketball
College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...
player for the
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 29 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA's NCAA Division I, Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except wo ...
of the
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference, among others) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Fa ...
. He previously played for the
North Carolina Tar Heels
The North Carolina Tar Heels (also Carolina Tar Heels) are the college sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to ...
. Cadeau was born in the United States, but represents Sweden internationally.
Early life
Cadeau was born in
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, and raised in
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a suburban Township (New Jersey), township in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 48,843, an increase of 2,636 (+5.7%) from t ...
.
His father, James, is Haitian while his mother, Michelle, is Swedish, hailing from
Skåne
Scania ( ), also known by its native name of Skåne (), is the southernmost of the historical provinces of Sweden, provinces () of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous w ...
.
As a child he loved
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
and was a fan of the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
, but he was discouraged from playing the sport because his mother thought it was too dangerous, and suggested he try out for a basketball team instead.
[ He also played baseball, soccer and tennis, but decided to focus on basketball in fifth grade.
Cadeau attended The Patrick School in Hillside, New Jersey, for seventh and eighth grade.]
High school career
Cadeau began his high school career at Bergen Catholic High School
Bergen Catholic High School is an all-male Roman Catholic high school in Oradell, in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade.
Bergen Catholic operates under the supervision of the Roman ...
in Oradell, New Jersey
Oradell is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 8,244, an increase of 266 (+3.3%) from the 2010 census count of 7,978, which in turn reflected a decline ...
. He served as the Crusaders' starting point guard
The point guard (PG), also called the one or the point, is one of the Basketball positions, five positions in a regulation basketball game.
A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position and is usually the shortest player ...
during his freshman season, which was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
.MaxPreps
MaxPreps is an American website that specializes in coverage of American high school sports. The site is currently owned by PlayOn. Founded on August 1, 2002, the company has covered up to 29 sports, including boys, girls, and co-ed sports.
...
Freshman All-American First Team. Cadeau missed his entire sophomore season due to a high ankle sprain he suffered during a scrimmage against Gill St. Bernard's School in December 2021.[ He transferred to Link Academy in ]Branson, Missouri
Branson is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. Most of the city is situated in Taney County, Missouri, Taney County, with a small portion in the west extending into Stone County, Missouri, Stone County. Branson is in the Ozarks, Ozark Mountain ...
, ahead of his junior year.
Cadeau played AAU basketball for the New Heights Lightning on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League
The Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, also known as Nike EYBL, or simply EYBL, is a basketball circuit for teams of players aged 17 and under. The circuit was founded in 2010 and is composed of AAU travel teams. Both boys and girls play in the ...
(EYBL) circuit.[ He was named to the EYBL All-Underclassman team in 2021, and earned All-EYBL Third Team honors in 2022.
]
Recruiting
Before his reclassification, Cadeau was widely regarded as the top point guard in the class of 2024. Even after reclassifying to the 2023 class, he was a unanimous five-star recruit.
In September 2022, Cadeau took his first official visit to Texas Tech
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship institution of the five- ...
, which he described as his dream school growing up. This was followed by a visit to North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
the following month. On December 28, 2022, Cadeau committed to coach Hubert Davis
Hubert Ira Davis Jr. (born May 17, 1970) is an American college basketball coach and former professional player who is the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball, North Carolina Tar Heels men's team. Before his coaching care ...
of North Carolina.
He made his reclassification official on May 30, 2023, after weeks of speculation, in part due to his stellar play in the GEICO Nationals and on the EYBL circuit.
College career
North Carolina
Cadeau enrolled at the University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina is the Public university, public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referre ...
in 2023. As a freshman with the Tar Heels, he averaged 7.3 points and 4.1 assists per game. On February 10, 2024, Cadeau scored a career-high 19 points with eight assists against Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
.Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's eighteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athlet ...
(ACC) with 6.2 assists per game.[ He started 68 games in his first two collegiate seasons before entering the ]NCAA transfer portal
The NCAA transfer portal is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) application, database, and compliance tool created to manage and facilitate the process for student athletes seeking to transfer between member institutions. It is i ...
.[
]
Michigan
On March 31, 2025, Cadeau transferred to the University of Michigan
The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
to play for head coach Dusty May.[
]
National team career
Junior teams
Cadeau played a tournament in Sweden with his middle school team and caught the attention of the country's national team coaches when they discovered he had Swedish heritage.[ He was invited to the national under-15 team training camp and helped the team take first place at the 2019 North Sea Development Basketball Cup held in Denmark,][ averaging 9.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.]Estonia
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...
, Cadeau recorded 40 points, seven rebounds and five steals. He was named the MVP of the tournament.
Cadeau helped Sweden win a gold medal at the 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship Division B
The 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship Division B was the 16th edition of the Division B of the European basketball championship for national under-18 teams. It was played from 29 July to 7 August 2022 in Ploiești, Blejoi and Bucov, Romania. ...
in Romania, averaging 21.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. He recorded 36 points, five rebounds, four assists, and four steals in the championship game victory against Denmark
Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
, earning tournament MVP honors.
Senior team
Cadeau received his first call-up to the senior national team in November 2021 ahead of a pair of FIBA World Cup qualifiers against Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
and Slovenia
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
.[ Being that he was only 17 years old, he called the decision completely unexpected.][
Cadeau made his senior debut on 24 February 2023 against ]Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
in a 2023 World Cup qualifying game in Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...
, and he recorded four points and one steal in seven minutes of play.
Career statistics
College
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2023–24
, style="text-align:left;", North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
, 37 , , 31 , , 23.8 , , .417 , , .189 , , .648 , , 2.2 , , 4.1 , , 0.8 , , 0.1 , , 7.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2024–25
, style="text-align:left;", North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
, 37 , , 37 , , 27.8 , , .445, , .337 , , .670 , , 2.9 , , 6.2 , , 1.1 , , 0.3 , , 9.4
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"
Career
, 74 , , 68 , , 25.8 , , .432 , , .281 , , .660 , , 2.5 , , 5.1 , , 0.9 , , 0.2 , , 8.3
Personal life
Cadeau comes from an athletic family. His father was an avid tennis player while his older brother, Justin, plays college tennis
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is the governing body and coaches' association of United States college tennis, both an advocate and authority, overseeing men's and women's varsity tennis at all levels – NCAA Division I, NCAA Divi ...
at Howard
Howard is a masculine given name derived from the English surname Howard. ''The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names'' notes that "the use of this surname as a christian name is quite recent and there seems to be no particular reason for ...
.[ Cadeau also has congenital ]hearing loss
Hearing loss is a partial or total inability to hear. Hearing loss may be present at birth or acquired at any time afterwards. Hearing loss may occur in one or both ears. In children, hearing problems can affect the ability to acquire spo ...
and is deaf in his right ear.
Social media and endorsements
On January 1, 2022, Cadeau became the first high school basketball player to sign with Roc Nation Sports
Roc Nation Sports is the sports management division of Roc Nation.
History
Roc Nation Sports was founded by Jay-Z in early 2013 in partnership with Creative Artists Agency, a prominent talent agency based in Los Angeles. Roc Nation Sports' fir ...
for Name, Image and Likeness
In college athletics in the United States, a student-athlete who participates in a varsity sport on any and all levels is eligible to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Historically, the National Association of Intercollegiate At ...
(NIL) representation.[ He also has deals with Leaf Trading Cards, ]Wilson Sporting Goods
The Wilson Sporting Goods Company is an American sports equipment manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois. Wilson makes equipment for many sports, among them baseball, badminton, American football, basketball, fastpitch softball, golf, racquetball ...
and Swedish company Flowlife.[ In addition, he has his own clothing line called Elliot Cadeau Wear.][
]
References
External links
*
North Carolina Tar Heels bio
Swedish Basketball Federation profile
Elliot Cadeau
at RealGM
RealGM.com is a sports website created in 2000. The site was originally a basketball site, but has since expanded its scope to provide information about American football, baseball, ice hockey and soccer. According to Alexa, the site ranked in th ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cadeau, Elliot
2004 births
Living people
American men's basketball players
American people of Swedish descent
American sportspeople of Haitian descent
Basketball players from Brooklyn
Basketball players from Essex County, New Jersey
Bergen Catholic High School alumni
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball players
Point guards
Sportspeople from West Orange, New Jersey
Swedish men's basketball players
Swedish people of Haitian descent
21st-century American sportsmen
21st-century Swedish sportsmen