Yaxel Lendeborg Assesses Michigan’s Roster and Names One Player With All-American Potential

Yaxel Lendeborg is off to the NBA, but he sees the Wolverines competing for it all once again next season.

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

In just his second season as Michigan's head coach, Dusty May put the Wolverines on top of the college basketball world after Michigan defeated UConn in the national title. If May is going to capture a second title in a row, it's going to be with a new cast of characters.

Stars like Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson Jr. are gone. Role players like Roddy Gayle, Nimari Burnett, and Will Tschetter are gone, but the cupboard isn't close to bare in Ann Arbor.

May signed one of the top freshmen classes in the 2026 cycle, landed three big men from the portal, and return some key players. Michigan can boast one of the top backcourts in the nation with Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney back, and Lendeborg views McKenney as an All-American next season.

Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I definitely think he's going to have an all-American year, especially this year," said Lendeborg during his NBA Combine interview. "He made a lot of plays for us that not many players would be able to make, especially with less opportunity. And he's a great guy.

"He could have easily pouted because he wasn't starting or wasn't getting the same shine. But he just kept his head down, kept working, and kept waiting for his opportunity. He made the biggest shot for us all year. So he will be a very, very good player next year, and I'm excited to see what he does."

McKenney averaged nearly 10 points off the bench for Michigan this season — while playing starter minutes. Not only will McKenney start next season, but he's an easy play to bet on taking a huge step forward, with an All-American ceiling.

Dusty May to get the most out of Thiam, Estrella

Despite losing talented big men, it's not the first time Dusty May will have to figure it out. He lost his two 7-footers, Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin, after his first season, and now he will have to figure out life without Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr.

While both Moustapha Thiam and J.P. Estrella add a different element to Michigan's roster, both were sought-after transfers and Yaxel Lendeborg sees May getting the most out of both big men. Thiam will come in on Day 1 and become the shot-blocker Michigan wants, along with having a nice tough around the rim.

Estrella, who can also rebound, has the ability to knock down the three. May will likely get more out of the two bigs since he's known as the 'big man whisperer'.

"I feel like Dusty May is the big man whisperer," Lendeborg said. "I've heard that term a little bit. He knows how to implement your game in ways that you don't think can work until you actually are in there and having to use it.

"Mustapha, he's had many, many good games this year. He's a very versatile kind of big. More so like Morez. Maybe not as physical as Morez, but I can see him definitely being used in that kind of role. J.P. Estrella, he's definitely just a smaller version Aday. I know he's a very, very aggressive player. I think I've heard he can shoot a little bit too. Maybe he didn't get the same amount of opportunities as Tennessee. I know Dusty is going to bring the best out of those two guys for sure."