Yaxel Lendeborg didn’t hide his feelings when asked about his team’s performance during the post-game interview after dismantling Alabama comprehensively. Calling his team the best team to do it in college basketball, he went on to say that they are the best ever Michigan team, and that struck a nerve with a former Michigan great.

“You wanna have a conversation, go cut down the nets. Right now, we know who that is in Michigan. That’s Glen Rice, Rumeal Robinson, Loy Vaught, Terry Mills, Sean Higgins. That’s the best Michigan team. So if they go to win it all, that’s the time to have this conversation. 89 vs this team,” said Rose in a clear fashion.

Now, whatever Yaxel Lendeborg said can be misconstrued as arrogance, but he does have the numbers on his side. They mopped up Howard in the first round with a 101-80 win, then manhandled Saint Louis in the second round by a massive 95-72 margin. Then, it was coach Nate Oats Alabama’s turn, who also got thumped, 90-77.

Michigan is now soaring on a 34-3 record, and just the way they are laying waste to their opposition, Lendeborg really makes a strong case for the current roster. But then again, the 1989 squad was also quite special.

Interestingly, the Wolverines were then coached by Bill Frieder, who had left the job midway through after qualifying for the championships. His reason he had ‘defected’ towards Arizona, taking up a coaching role there, which meant assistant coach Steve Fisher had to finish the job.

And what a time to take over the reins. The team, with its ensemble of talented players like Rice, Robinson, Mills, and others, put on a show for the ages. Glen Rice, the MVP, set the NCAA Tournament scoring record with 184 points. They beat Xavier, South Alabama, North Carolina, and Virginia along the way to set up a final with Seton Hall, winning the game in pure dramatic fashion (80-79 OT) in overtime to end a classic run that to this day stands as their only championship win.

Yaxel Lendeborg knows that to be part of the discussion, he needs to replicate the same performance. However, Lendeborg is already seeing his name pop up in other discussions that involve an NBA team.

Hornets Draft Target Might Be Lendeborg

As Yaxel Lendeborg’s stock grows bigger at every passing minute, a team like the Charlotte Hornets could very well be interested in availing his services. Lendeborg has been on a tear in the NCAA playoffs so far, scoring 25 and 23 pts back to back against Saint Louis and Alabama, respectively.

The Hornets are in dire need of a plug-and-play forward who can defend multiple positions (wings and bigs), and with Yaxel, they get a player with all these qualities. Standing at 6’9″ and 240 pounds, Yaxel Lendeborg brings a whole new level of firepower that can determine the outcome of any game.

He is not only an effective scorer but can also defend when it comes to fortifying his half and dishing out passes for others to capitalize on. His fluidity also needs a special mention on how he commands the paint every time he is on.

But here’s where it gets tricky for the Hornets: their late surge would make it impossible for them to make an early draft pick. If they do not opt for a trade-up, Lendeborg would be long gone off the board, and Charlotte will have no other option but to scavenge for the remaining players.

Lendeborg’s career graph is climbing on an upward trajectory, and so he won’t be deemed a prospect anymore, but a highly productive lottery pick.

So a lot of calculations need to happen in the Hornets Board Room before they come to a decision. As far as Lendeborg is concerned, he would be setting his sights on their upcoming opponent, Tennessee, and will hope to leave no room for error that would cost them their title journey.