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Michigan reportedly lands transfer pledge from one of best available portal players
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Michigan head coach Dusty May has landed one of the biggest fish in the transfer portal. Kentucky wanted him. Louisville wanted him. Both Alabama and Auburn wanted him. The Wolverines got him.
According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, UAB transfer forward Yaxel Lendeborg has committed to Michigan.
Lendeborg, viewed by several outlets as the top player in the transfer portal, has also declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility. He told Givony he is focused on the NBA Draft and hopes to secure a multi-year contract from an NBA team. Absent such an assurance, he’ll return to the collegiate level.
“I’m focused on the draft process and making the NBA right now,” Lendeborg told Givony. “I want a guaranteed contract. That’s the biggest thing. Make sure I am in a good spot. I would prefer to play college basketball in Ann Arbor than be in and out of the G League on a two-way. I want to find a safe spot.”
The deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft is 10 days after the Draft Combine, which is scheduled to take place in Chicago from May 11-18.
Lendeborg is a 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward from Pennsauken, New Jersey. He spent 2 seasons at the junior college level and then 2 seasons at UAB. In his first season with the Blazers, he was named the American Conference Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the All-AAC First Team.
In 2024-25, he repeated as the AAC’s Defensive Player of the Year, earned another first-team all-conference selection, and was named the AAC Tournament MVP after helping UAB advance to the AAC Tournament title game.
Lendeborg led the Blazers this past season in points (17.7), rebounds (11.4), assists (4.2), steals (1.7), and blocked shots (1.8). He shot 53.2% from the field, 35.7% from the 3-point line, and 75.7% from the foul line. He ended the year with a PER of 29.8, which ranked seventh nationally.
In helping UAB to the NIT quarterfinals, Lendeborg joined Larry Bird as the only 2 players in Division I history to have 600-plus points, 400-plus rebounds, and 150-plus assists in a single season.
Should he play for the Wolverines, Michigan fans will be treated to yet another versatile, skilled big man.
“It’s amazing what Dusty May did with Danny Wolf,” Lendeborg told Givony. “I would watch his games this season and say, ‘Man, I wish that was me.’ I’m trying to bring the same type of versatility he brought to Michigan.”
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.