Yaxel Lendeborg has been a key player for the Michigan Wolverines this season. However, there was a point in his life when he had planned to quit the sport completely.
On Tuesday, “Front Office Sports” shared a post on social media about Lendeborg’s rise as a basketball player. According to the video, his mom coerced him and supported him to pursue a career as a basketball player.
“Yaxel Lendeborg was basically forced to play college basketball. And now, he’s leading Michigan to the Final Four. Both of Yaxel’s parents played basketball for the Dominican national team. So the game was in his blood. But it just never came easily to him,” the host said.
“He didn’t make his middle school team three years in a row. He got cut from his high school team because of his grades, and then he barely played his senior year. So after graduation, Yaxel started working in a warehouse alongside his mom, Yissel. But then everything changed,” she added.
“Yissel used her connections from her playing career to get her son invited to basketball camp in New York for the top Dominican players. And that’s where he caught the attention of Arizona Western. Now, Yaxel still wasn’t completely sold on basketball and didn’t want to move to Arizona. But his mom believed in him so much that his mom basically forced him onto that plane. And that decision changed his life forever,” she concluded.
The video then talks about Yaxel Lendeborg’s journey from Arizona Western to Michigan. After three years at JUCO, he spent two seasons with the UAB Blazers, averaging 15.8 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. He was honored as the AAC Defensive Player of the Year twice before joining the Michigan Wolverines last April.
So far in 38 games this season, Lendeborg has averaged 15.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg, and 3.3 apg. He was named the 2026 Big Ten Player of the Year and a Consensus All-American.
Yaxel Lendeborg has been a key player for Michigan in this year’s March Madness
Yaxel Lendeborg has been a major contributor to Dusty May’s team in the NCAA Tournament. After defeating Howard and Saint Louis in the first two rounds, Michigan took on Alabama in the Sweet 16. In that game, Lendeborg scored 23 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals, helping his team to a 90-77 victory.
In the Elite Eight contest against Tennessee, the 2026 Big Ten Player of the Year was the top scorer of the game with 27 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. This helped them secure a 95-62 victory and advance to the Final Four.
The Wolverines will now face Arizona in the Final Four on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium. Can Lendeborg end his collegiate career with a national championship?
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