Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
Yaxel Lendeborg NBA Draft debate is growing because the Michigan Wolverines forward enters the league as an older prospect with a ready-made skill set after helping win an NCAA championship.
Lendeborg turns 24 on September 30, before he plays a regulation NBA game, making his path very different from the younger names projected near the top of the draft. His case matters because teams chasing immediate help may see him as a rookie-contract player who can handle meaningful NBA minutes right away.
For more basketball coverage, read Knicks White House Visit: New York Knicks accept Trump invitation after NBA Finals run, while official draft information is available through the National Basketball Association website.
Michigan Move Changed His Role
Lendeborg arrived at Michigan after junior college, two seasons at UAB and years of playing mostly as a center or power forward.
Dusty May’s staff later added Morez Johnson and Aday Mara, pushing Lendeborg toward the perimeter. He responded by becoming a first-team Sporting News All-America selection and one of Michigan’s key players in its title run.
“They get a guy that’s ready to play and help on a winning team now,” Dusty May told Sporting News while still coach at Michigan.
“You can plug him into any situation … he has the physicality, the tools, the bandwidth mentally to play in meaningful games in the NBA now.
Skill Set Fits Modern NBA
Lendeborg measured 6-foot-8¾ and 244 pounds at the NBA combine, with a 7-foot-3¼ wingspan.
He made 67 three-pointers in his first season as a wing, shooting 37.2 percent after making 25 at 35.7 percent the previous year. His defense also stood out, with Michigan using his size and quickness across multiple matchups.
Against Tennessee in the Midwest Region final, Lendeborg had 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks in a 95-62 win. He also played 36 minutes in the NCAA title game against Connecticut despite knee and ankle pain.
“To me, this isn’t a typical 24-year-old player. This is a young 24, if that makes sense,” NBA Draft historian Matthew Maurer told Sporting News.
“I really think he’ll be a lottery-bound guy.”
