Yaxel Lendeborg certainly doesn’t lack confidence, as the top player in the transfer portal this offseason recently said Michigan Basketball will have one of the top frontcourts this upcoming season. Here is why he thinks that:
New Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg is good at a lot of things . He can score the ball from all three levels, he can create shots for his teammates and he can excel guarding multiple positions. Combine his athletic ability with his basketball IQ, and there aren’t many things the UAB transfer lacks.
One thing is for certain — Lendeborg certainly doesn’t lack confidence.
“I think we will be the best frontcourt in the league,” Lendeborg said at a recent media availability.
After being projected as a mid-to-late first round NBA draft pick, Lendeborg came back to college to join a Michigan team he can lead through a deep postseason run. Lendeborg headlines a deep frontcourt that can beat you in more ways than one, and at summer practices, he’s already establishing chemistry with his fellow transfers.
“Morez (Johnson Jr. is a) super brute force inside, he can do anything you need and (he’s) a really good defensive player,” Lendeborg said. “Aday (Mara), super tall, super long, you can throw the ball up in the air, he can go up and get it over everybody, that’s something different. Me, I just try to move the ball around, create for those guys. Those guys are lob threats and I’m more of an under-the-rim player.”
Similar to Danny Wolf last season, Lendeborg is a matchup nightmare that can serve as a playmaker in a Michigan offense that values versatility and adaptability. We know Dusty May loves a ball screen and the ripple effect it has on an offense , and Lendeborg is already getting reps as a playmaker.
“(May) wants me coming off ball screens and creating for my teammates, which is what I love to do,” Lendeborg said. “That’s all I’ve been doing so far. I haven’t really taken many shots anyway. It’s been super fun just getting assists.”
“He enjoys passing the ball,” May said of Lendeborg. “When you have a guy that’s been as publicized as Yax, if they’re selfish, they’re about numbers, they can present a lot of challenges. And with Yaxel, he’s so team-oriented that he’s been a very smooth transition.”
May said the focus of the next few weeks is determining which lineups fit best together. With his shot creation, Lendeborg pretty much fits well with everyone.
In a college basketball landscape that features more players with NBA interest opting to return to school and rosters changing year over year, being multi-faceted is as important as ever. That’s exactly what this Michigan team is.
“Just how versatile we are,” Lendeborg said when asked about what excites him about the team the most. “We have so many assets 1-5, I’m so excited to play with Aday and Morez. Aday is a super interesting passer, super long, the tallest guy I’ve ever met in my life to be honest with you, so it’s really interesting to see him every day. And Morez, super strong, those two guys, I’m really excited to play with.”
As fans loved last season, having a height advantage leads to playing more above the rim. Lendeborg believes Michigan has the personnel to do that again this season.
“Elliot (Cadeau) as well, pass-first guy, throws me lobs as well,” Lendeborg said. “I never really caught lobs like that last year. It’s been interesting have a frontman.”
It’s going to take actual game reps to formulate game reps, and as we saw last year, this team could very well go through some growing pains.
But adaptability is May’s biggest strength as a coach. He has won with a 6-foot-2 Alijah Martin playing the 4, and a 7-foot Danny Wolf playing the 4. Being versatile and having a complementary frontcourt makes the Wolverines a tough cover.
“I think we can have a really good season with these lineups because we can do a lot of changes,” Mara said when asked about the frontcourt. “I just feel really good after a couple of practices with them, they’re good guys, not selfish.”