The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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34 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MAY 2026 ❱ MICHIGAN BASKETBALL U -M graduate forward Yaxel Lend- eborg was the linchpin player on the national championship squad and, by the time the season wrapped up, had plenty of hardware to show for it. After averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 re- bounds and 3.2 assists per game, Lend- eborg was named the Big Ten's Player of the Year, a first-team all-conference performer and a member of the confer- ence's All-Defense team. Beyond that, he was tabbed as a consensus first-team All-American by the Associated Press, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Sporting News and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Despite being the No. 1 player in the transfer portal last offseason, there was still a lot of work that had to be put in for him to realize how good a player he could be. "It took him a while [to figure out his potential], and I think our guys have constantly reminded him," head coach Dusty May said at the Final Four. "He's so unselfish. ... He wants to be one of the guys. They've encouraged him to be more aggressive, to shoot more, to hunt some more individual accolades all year, and he simply refused because he didn't care about any of those things. "It's allowed us to have a real selfless group, and it's improved our environ- ment because he's been so unselfish." Lendeborg and his teammates went out national champions, and now his fo- cus is on the 2026 NBA Draft with his collegiate eligibility expired. The star forward posted a farewell to Michigan and its fans on social media on April 15. "As I reflect and prepare to take the next step in my career, I am so grateful," Lendeborg wrote. "It's amazing how so much can change in a year, and this jour- ney has been incredible. I'll remember it for the rest of my life. "To the entire coaching staff, you saw something in me and took a chance. Thank you for pushing me to never set- tle. We faced challenges, but under your mentorship, I became a better player and person every single day. "To my teammates, thank you for grinding with me. It was an honor to play with you all, and I'm looking forward to continuing to celebrate your successes the same way you all have celebrated mine. What we built wasn't given, it was earned, and our legacy is forever stamped in Michigan's history. We shocked the world. Job complete. "To the best fans in the nation, thank you for embracing me through it all. The energy, the support, the love; I felt it every time I stepped on that floor. You made Ann Arbor home. "To my mom, everything I am is be- cause of you, your sacrifices, your belief, your strength. You never let me quit, even when things got hard. This journey is just as much yours as it is mine. I love you! "I will forever cherish the experiences and lessons that brought me to this point, and I am even more excited for what lies ahead." Lendeborg is expected by many to be a lottery pick in this summer's NBA Draft. J. Kyle Mann of The Ringer had the U-M star rated as the No. 13 overall pick to the Miami Heat in an April 7 mock draft. "The Heat could probably use another Yaxel Lendeborg capped off his final collegiate season with a national championship and consensus first-team All-America recognition from the Associated Press, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Sporting News and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. PHOTO BY ERIC BRONSON / MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY LENDEBORG LANDS AS CONSENSUS ALL-AMERICAN, BIDS FAREWELL