How Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg can Raise NBA Draft Stock in Final Four

College basketball has officially been whittled down to four teams: Michigan, Arizona, Illinois and UConn, all of which have 2026 NBA Draft talent.

Of the four, though, Michigan potentially has the most, with three NBA-level frontcourt players in Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara.

Lendeborg has been the catalyst for the Wolverines this season, fueling their all-time season with two-way play and positional versatility. He’s been on draft radars for some time now, dating back to seasons with UAB, but has cemented a likely mid-first case in the 2026 draft.

Lendeborg stands at 6-foot-9, able to score on or off the ball, defend across multiple positions and pass and play-make with elite feel. He’s improved time and again through his college career, and now in his fifth season has little left to prove.

So how can Lendeborg continue to elevate his draft stock against top-seeded Arizona in the Final Four? Largely by doing what he’s done all tournament long.

6'9" Yaxel Lendeborg REVERSE LAYUP AND-1 😱🔥 pic.twitter.com/0eDJPQwRQN
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 29, 2026

Where Lendeborg was a standout in the regular season, he’s been blistering in the postseason. He’s averaged 17.4 points per game on 57% shooting, hitting on a white-hot 49% of his 5.0 3-pointers attempted per game. Notably, Lendeborg has gotten better as the NCAA tournament has worn on, scoring 25 points against Saint Louis, adding 23 points and 12 rebounds against Alabama, and a blistering 27 against Tennessee.

On the season he’s now averaging 15.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per game, stuffing the stat sheet in different ways each night.

Lendeborg will turn 24 shortly after draft night 2026, but does project to immediately infuse a team with winning attributes. His age is sure to scare some away, though teams looking to win as early as the 2026-27 NBA season will assuredly give Lendeborg a glance as a big wing, forward, or even seldom small-ball five that can elevate a team’s floor.

Right now, NBA scouts and decision-makers likely want to continue to see growth from the perimeter. If one was to poke holes in Lendeborg’s game, they would start there, though he’s seen a fiery tournament in that regard. He’s combined to shoot 10-for-19 in total in his last three contests, topping out at four made threes on five attempts versus the Tide.

Right now, Lendeborg's range hovers anywhere from the middle of the first round to the late-lottery, though strong performances from here on out could certainly cement him in the latter.

The Wolverines and Wildcats will face off at 7:49 p.m. CT on Saturday night.