Yaxel Lendeborg, a 6-foot-9 transfer portal prospect, has chosen to return to college basketball with the University of Michigan. The senior forward, who played for UAB and was drafted into the NBA combine earlier this month, had been considering leaving for the professional league but will now run it back in Ann Arbor.
Lendeborg’s decision is seen as a major boost to the Wolverines, who lost their star forward Danny Wolf to graduation. The transfer portal prospect averaged 17.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game last season while playing at UAB, earning him the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year award.
Michigan coach Dusty May secured Lendeborg’s pledge in early April, following a successful visit to Ann Arbor, where the forward shared updates on social media and confirmed his interest in joining the team. The addition is part of a busy offseason for the Wolverines, who have also signed several highly touted recruits, including Elliot Cadeau, Aday Mara, Morez Johnson, Trey McKenney, Winters Grady, Oscar Goodman, and Patrick Liburd.
With Lendeborg on board, Michigan is expected to be a top-10 team next season, with some publications predicting they will slot them inside the top five. The transfer portal prospect’s addition marks the final major move in an offseason that has seen significant changes for the program.
Source: https://eu.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2025/05/27/yaxel-lendeborg-pulls-out-of-nba-draft-to-join-michigan-basketball-report/83494234007