Michigan basketball star Yaxel Lendeborg says goodbye to Ann Arbor
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After cementing himself as a Michigan basketball legend, Yaxel Lendeborg has said goodbye to Ann Arbor.
The 23-year-old spent just one season as a Wolverine, but made an impact that will last for decades to come. The transfer from UAB was named All-Big Ten first team, All-Defensive team, Big Ten player of the year and a first team All-American.
He propelled U-M to a program-record 37 wins, a Big Ten regular-season championship (featuring a league-record 19 wins in conference play), the Wolverines' first Final Four appearance since 2018 and, most importantly, the program's first national championship in 37 years.
Before leaving for good, however, he took to social media to send a message to all who supported him.
“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 journey 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 settle. We faced challenges but under your mentorship, I became a better player and person every single day."
Lendeborg led the Wolverines with 15.1 points in a team-high 30.2 minutes per game and finished second with 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He was a pest on defense, averaging 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals, and took the next step as a 3-point shooter − something he learned to work on when going through the NBA draft process in spring 2025 − shooting 37.3% from long range.
There was no doubt that the NBA was Lendeborg's next step, but he still appeared on ESPN's "NBA Today" earlier this week to confirm as much to Malika Andrews. He is a consensus first-round pick in mock drafts, many of which have him as a top-14 pick.
The 6-foot-9, 240-pound wing climbed the ranks from JuCo Arizona Western (three years) to UAB (two years) and finally Michigan for the final year of his career. He will exit as a program hero and have a new place that feels like home in southeastern Michigan.
“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," he continued. "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."
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan basketball star Yaxel Lendeborg says goodbye to Ann Arbor
