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Yaxel Lendeborg’s Unusual Path Powers Michigan’s Final Four Push

His rise from junior college to All-American at Michigan spotlights how age and development paths shape draft views.

Overview

  • Lendeborg, who leads Michigan into a Final Four game Saturday, April 4, has averaged 25 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists since the first round while shooting 61% from the field.
  • He is the Big Ten Player of the Year and a consensus first-team All-American, serving as Michigan’s leading scorer on a 35–3 team that has dominated the tournament.
  • His route ran from limited high school play to Arizona Western in the NJCAA, then to UAB where he led the nation in double-doubles, set a 420-rebound single-season mark and joined Larry Bird in the rare 600 points/400 rebounds/150 assists club.
  • The 23-year-old forward will turn 24 on Sept. 30, 2026, and he shares a 2020 recruiting class with NBA stars like Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes and Jalen Suggs despite a far longer college stay.
  • Mock drafts place him in the 2026 lottery, and some analysts frame him as an immediate NBA contributor, with one outlet pointing to a potential fit for the Bucks’ win-now needs.