Michigan Star Yaxel Lendeborg Leads Team to Title Game

Yaxel Lendeborg was cut from his middle school basketball team because of bad grades, barely played in high school, and spent most of his time playing video games. Now at 23, he's leading Michigan to the national championship game and preparing for the NBA draft in June.

The 6'9" forward dominated the 2026 NCAA tournament, dropping 23 points against Alabama, 25 against Saint Louis, and 27 in the Elite Eight against Tennessee. His versatility as a big man who can handle the ball, shoot from outside, and defend multiple positions makes him unlike any player in college basketball.

Lendeborg's parents both played for the Dominican Republic national basketball team, so the athletic genes were always there. But academics kept him off the court throughout his youth in New Jersey. He couldn't make his freshman team at Pennsauken High School and missed most of his high school basketball career entirely.

A family connection got him into a showcase for Dominican players at the end of high school, giving him the lifeline he needed. That opportunity led to a winding path through six years of college basketball, first at UAB where he broke out as a star, then transferring to Michigan for this season.

At Michigan, he transformed his game completely. Last year he played as a center with the ball in his hands constantly. This season he moved to the wing to make room for two other NBA prospects in the frontcourt, showing the adaptability that has scouts excited.

His teammate Aday Mara summed it up perfectly: "We have an NBA player playing for us in college." That's exactly what makes Michigan so dangerous heading into Monday's title game against UConn.

Why This Inspires

Lendeborg will turn 24 shortly after the draft, making him older than typical NBA prospects. But his development timeline tells a different story than most players. He didn't get serious about basketball until his early twenties, meaning his potential is still growing while other prospects plateau.

He's playing Monday's championship game with an MCL sprain suffered in the Final Four, though some people close to him wish he'd sit out with the NBA waiting. But Lendeborg didn't wait this long and overcome this much to miss the biggest game of his life.

From middle school cuts to national championship contender, Lendeborg proves the path to success doesn't have to be linear.