Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg Again Bolstering NBA Draft Case

It’s not often a 23-year-old can return to school and help his NBA Draft stock. Though Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg has made exceeding expectations and shattering assumptions commonplace in his career.

Few players have seen college basketball ascendance like he has. It wasn’t long ago the 6-foot-9, well-built forward was played for JUCO basketball for Arizona Western, helping the Matadors in spots minutes as a freshman.

In Year 2, he would double his production to around 12.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. In his third season, he earned All-American honors before transferring to UAB.

He would become an immediate impact player for the Blazers, averaging 14.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, though he hadn’t quite stuck on pro radars. His 2024-25 season would help that case, as he stuffed the stat sheet all over in looking like one of the best players in the country.

He undoubtedly would’ve been taken at the 2025 NBA Draft, though his first-round stock was somewhat up in the air. With that being the case, transferring to Michigan to grab a country-best NIL deal, and earn the opportunity to play for one of the best teams in the country seemed a better option.

And through just a few games, it has been.

After a slow start due to ramping up from injury, Lendeborg is already back to his all-around ways, looking like a potential National Player of the Year candidate for second-ranked Michigan.

No game has been a better portrayal of that than Saturday’s beatdown of Maryland. Lendeborg scored 29 points on a blistering 8-for-11 shooting, tacking on nine assists to just one turnover, grabbing eight rebounds and issuing three blocks and two steals.

Yaxel Lendeborg puts up a season-high in a win against Maryland:

29 PTS | 8-11 FG | 4-5 3PT | 9 AST | 8 REB | 3 BLK pic.twitter.com/HDEpkGZ7xu
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) December 14, 2025

Outside of his general production — which includes using his massive frame and above-average handling for his size to get downhill, as well as high-level defense — Lendeborg seems to have yet again leveled up.

After shooting just 35% from 3-point land on low volume across two seasons at UAB, he’s off to a blazing start with the Wolverines. He’s hit 41% of his five triples attempted per game, going 4-for-5 against the Terrapins. And his free throws — 9-for-9 against Maryland and above 85% on the year — have been a good indication of touch.

Lendeborg will be nearly 24-years-old on draft night 2026, which would typically tank a prospect's stock. At least in terms of the draft lottery, where teams like to bank on youth and high-upside. But his continued growth from JUCO, to the AAC and finally helping one of the best teams in the country has been a rare case.

It's possible, even at 23, Lendeborg is far from a finished product, making him one of the more intriguing 2026 draft prospects.