Unique is one way to describe the way Michigan Basketball has been built, but it in a way it fits. Dusty May has assembled a roster which has defied what is considered normal and at the center of their success is Yaxel Lendeborg, a unicorn of sorts, both on and off of the court.
Lendeborg has worked his way through the basketball ranks, and it started with a battle to even get on the court at Pennsauken high school. Lendeborg overcame academic issues and afterwards he found his way to Arizona Western, where across 3 seasons he re-discovered his love of the game, excelling and eventually receiving an offer to UAB and there he blossomed.
At UAB, under Andy Kennedy, Lendeborg became a star, leading UAB to an NCAA tournament appearance in his first year and by year two he was one of the top players in the American conference. Lendeborg averaged a double double in both of his seasons in Birmingham, also shooting better than 35% from three both years.
Lendeborg’s versatility made him an instant fit for Dusty May and Michigan in his final season of eligibility, pairing him up with Morez Johnson Jr and Aday Mara to create a frontcourt trio that many have struggled to combat.
While Lendeborg’s ability to play both inside and out is part of his uniqueness, it is only one aspect of what makes him diverse. In fact, his personality, both in uniform and in his personal life, is eccentric and with Michigan it has gotten a bit of a spotlight.
Whether that is saying he felt disrespected by being guarded by a freshman in the NCAA tournament, or saying he will apply the belt to Purdue, Lendeborg’s personality always finds a way to shine through, for better or for worse, depending on who you ask.
Lendeborg has had no issue speaking his mind at any point throughout his career and with Michigan, in his role as a leader, that has become amplified. There’s a free-flowingness to Lendeborg which allows him to say what is on his mind and that is also exemplified in how he plays on the court.
Playing free is a trait that every player looks to attain, but for Lendeborg, it comes naturally. Whether that is as a defender, a passer, or as a scoring option, Lendeborg has a knack to make the right play and do it with ease.
It may look like it comes easy to Lendeborg on the court, but off of the court he remembers the grind to get to this point. According to Lendeborg, he was raised a certain way that won’t allow him to change who he is, so he will just keep smiling.
“I try to train my brain to think pressure isn’t real. I live happily every single day because I know I am not even supposed to be in the position I am in right now. I still find I don’t belong, so I just smile everything away, Lendeborg said.
All the pain, all the stress, just keep a smile on my face, I try to bring light to everyone around me, that’s the way I was raised and that’s the way I’m going to keep playing and going on with my life. I enjoy what I’m doing now, I’m happy, I’m grateful, there’s nothing not to smile about.”
From his teammates perspective, although Lendeborg has dominated on the court, his lighthearted personality could be seen as a distraction at times. For Michigan, that has been far from the case, as a team of different personalities has embraced Lendeborg and through him they have developed a sense of calmness that reflects their leader.
There is a lot of talent on this Michigan roster and that talent had to be blended together to allow this team to reach a common goal. In today’s age of the transfer portal, that can be difficult, but with an outgoing leader like Lendeborg, Michigan was able to gel with ease.
Roddy Gayle is in his second year with the Wolverine program, and while he has become a leader in his own right, he hasn’t always been the most vocal and as a veteran that is something you always look to improve upon.
Not only did Lendeborg help Michigan mesh as a whole, he helped Gayle develop as a leader, something that has paid off for a veteran led Wolverine squad.
“Any room Yax steps in he brightens it up immediately. I think that it allows you to get outside of your shell and I think, myself, I have always been a quiet guy, not very emotional, so a guy like that really allows me to be more vocal and be more emotional, I really appreciate,” Gayle said.
Michigan fell just short of reaching the final four in Dusty May’s first season, but they reloaded and the Wolverines are back and are looking to win their first national championship since 1989.
Lendeborg has a chance to be a focal piece in a major part of Michigan history, and while he hasn’t been this far in the NCAA tournament before, the adversity he experienced in his previous tournament appearance gave him a lot of perspective.
In 2024, UAB advanced to the NCAA tournament after winning the American Conference tournament and the Blazers were sent to Spokane, Washington for a first round matchup with San Diego State.
That trip to the big dance wasn’t nearly as magical as his current run with Michigan, as the Blazers were sent back to Birmingham after a 69-65 loss to San Diego State. While that experience was different, it gave Lendeborg a chip on his shoulder that has served as a reminder throughout the NCAA tournament.
“When I first went that year at UAB, I was just looking around in shock, in awe, we were in Spokane, Washington, it felt like I was on a different planet. It was definitely something interesting, Lendeborg said.
I’m glad I got that experience because I feel like I matured a lot more, and I realized need to play a lot more aggressive. It does end after that, you can’t get another March madness game, so it definitely helped my mindset shift.”
From an opponents perspective, Lendeborg is a handful, as between his versatility and ability to get under a matchup’s skin, it’s not a matchup you look forward to drawing. Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd has seen a lot of talented bigs in his time at Arizona, both on his team, and against him, and even he is aware of the tall task at hand.
While Lloyd knows the talent Lendeborg possesses, he notes the way he has been able to fit into Dusty May’s system as being something that has help his game shine in a way where it hasn’t before.
“You put the skill with those physical tools, and you know, looks like to me. He’s got that alpha dog in, you know, dusty done an incredible job just, you know, putting him in positions to utilize all his skills. And, you know, there’s probably not one way to guard him, you know, you probably gotta, you know, try a little bit of everything, and then hope you get a little bit lucky,” Lloyd said.
“I’m sure that’s a guy that’s going to be a household name in basketball for a long time,” he said.
From struggling to academically qualify in high school, to a household name in basketball. Yaxel Lendeborg, belongs.
