Yaxel Lendeborg is coming to Michigan.
The UAB transfer and top-ranked player in the Transfer Portal announced Tuesday morning that he will withdraw from the NBA Draft and enroll with the Wolverines for the 2025-26 season. The move helps establish U-M among the top programs in the Big Ten — and as a national contender — as Dusty May enters his second year in Ann Arbor.
Last season, Lendeborg averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals per game at UAB. He's a two-time AAC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-AAC and considered among the best bigs in the country.
Nine days after the NBA Combine concluded, most mock drafts projected Lendeborg as a late first-round prospect. ESPN had him going 26th, The Ringer at 27th, NBADraft.net at 23rd and CBS at 24th overall. Instead, Lendeborg will bring his 7-foot-4 wingspan and diverse skill-set to Michigan.
"Could we add someone who could take us to another level and who could potentially take us from a team who you're talking about as a contender to possibly being a favorite to win the Big Ten or somewhat expected to at least make the Sweet Sixteen and maybe possibly be playing beyond that and competing for a national championship? And we identified probably five or six guys, and we talked to several of them, but there was one particular that we thought could really move the needle," U-M assistant Mike Boynton Jr. said of Lendeborg.
Several Michigan coaches and players reacted with excitement as Yaxel Lendeborg announced his decision to play with the Wolverines this season. Here are the reactions:
Yaxel Lendeborg announces his NBA Draft decision
Lendeborg announced his decision to transfer to Michigan with the following video, set to A Tribe Called Quest's song "Check The Rhime."
I’ll see you at the Crisler Center〽️
GO BLUE!〽️ pic.twitter.com/EsBucdn951
— Yaxel Lendeborg (@Yaxel_Lendeborg) May 27, 2025
"I'll see you at the Crisler Center," he wrote. "GO BLUE!"
Michigan coaches react to Yaxel Lendeborg's decision
Go Blue! 〽️
— Mike Boynton (@thacoachmike) May 27, 2025
GO BLUE 〽️ https://t.co/QppSttFWtX
— Justin Joyner (@JoynerJustin) May 27, 2025
#GoBlue https://t.co/Mypsskivgx
— Akeem Miskdeen (@CoachKeem) May 27, 2025
〽️〽️〽️〽️〽️〽️〽️〽️〽️〽️〽️〽️ https://t.co/LTcarp3nSD
— Akeem Miskdeen (@CoachKeem) May 27, 2025
#GoBLUE pic.twitter.com/c3JndtKdam
— Drew Williamson (@coach_Drew10) May 27, 2025
GO BLUE!!!
— KT Harrell (@KT_Harrell1) May 27, 2025
Michigan players react to Yaxel Lendeborg's decision
Go Blueeee〽️
— Morez Johnson Jr. (@morezjohnsonJr) May 27, 2025
On Instagram, Nimari Burnett posted "Let's get to it" with a partying face emoji. Program great Jalen Rose shared five popcorn bucket emojis. Charlie May commented a gif of Wolverine from the X-Men series. Aday Mara shared a story suggesting the Wolverines will be a Final Four contender this season, while Elliot Cadeau posted, "les work."