Dusty May’s Michigan is a robust bunch that wages war every time they are on the floor. Senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg is a mentality monster leading the way for the Wolverines. And he is ready to look past any advice he gets for the National Championship game against UConn, including his own mother’s.

Lendeborg’s mental resilience shone in Michigan’s Final Four game against Arizona. The senior forward rolled his ankle, suffering a sprained MCL in the first half against the Wildcats. At halftime, Michigan led by 16 points. However, Lendeborg insisted on returning to the floor in the second half, despite being advised against it by his agent and his mother.

Talking post-game, Lendeborg revealed that once the trainer told him he could decide whether he wanted to go back out, the forward wasn’t thinking about anything else, highlighting his hunger to perform and be present for his teammates. And there is no way he is going to miss the National Championship game, despite his fitness being a contentious issue, with everyone keeping one eye on the upcoming NBA Draft.

Lendeborg said, “I’m in charge of my body. I was telling them I was good, and they trusted me. I was going back in there, and they couldn’t stop me. It doesn’t feel too good right now, though. We’re going to get an MRI later.”

“I’m going to push through. There’s no way I’m missing the game on Monday. No matter what goes on. I’m going to play unless I can’t walk at all,” the Michigan forward added.

Lendeborg was forced out of the game because of the injury with over 8 minutes left in the first half. And while he played only 14 minutes, the senior forward came out with a protective brace, finishing the night with 11 points, hitting two three-pointers after coming back on.

The 23-year-old has had an adversity-filled journey from being cut from his high school team and missing two seasons because of poor grades to making it to the National Championship game in 2026 after entering college basketball as a JUCO at Arizona Western.

His mentality has shaped him into the player he is, and under Dusty May, he has gone from an outsider looking in to making the lottery projections for the upcoming NBA Draft.

Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg is a potential 2026 first-round lottery pick

“Reality is what you make it,” and nothing justifies the statement more than Yaxel Lendeborg’s college basketball journey.

A year ago, Yaxel Lendeborg was playing in the American Conference. Fast forward to 2026, and the 23-year-old is not only a centerpiece of a Michigan team favored for the National Championship title going into the final against UConn, but the forward is also skyrocketing in NBA Draft projections.

Lendeborg belonged to an elite recruiting class that featured current NBA superstars such as Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes, and Jalen Green, all coming from the same 2020 High School class.

And while his journey has been a little different from his peers, the 23-year-old is primed to finally make it to the big leagues after his senior year with Michigan. His 2025-26 exploits with the Wolverines, averaging 25.5 points, rebounds, and assists per game, have helped his draft stock considerably.

While Lendeborg withdrew from the 2025 NBA Draft despite a draft combine catapulting him into a late first-round pick, his Michigan gamble has paid off, with the 23-year-old now projected as a lottery pick in several mock drafts, thanks in major part to his leadership role in Michigan and his 38.3% three-point accuracy this season.

Some even project him to go in the top 10 in 2026, while almost every mock draft views him as a safe top-20 pick. With the current NBA playstyle favoring 3-and-D role players, Lendeborg could be an instant impact player for several top NBA teams next season.

The 23-year-old’s winning mentality and growth as a player will appeal to scouts, and it will be interesting where he ends up playing his rookie year in the NBA.

Lendeborg is shaping his own reality, and the 23-year-old looks like an unstoppable force set to take the NBA by storm.