The Michigan men’s basketball team has received another commitment from the transfer portal. According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, highly touted prospect forward Yaxel Lendeborg has committed to play for the Wolverines. This move will shore up Michigan’s frontcourt alongside fellow transfer forwards Morez Johnson Jr., but it hinges upon another decision for Lendeborg. He will be keeping his name in the NBA Draft while maintaining eligibility, seeking out a chance to turn professional this summer.
According to ESPN’s report, if given a secure promise from an NBA team, Lendeborg is likely to opt for the professional route, otherwise he will return to college and play for Michigan.
Lendeborg was one of the highest-ranked transfer portal recruits of this cycle so far, and the former UAB star was certainly high on the Wolverines’ list due to the departure of graduate center Vlad Goldin and uncertainty of junior forward Danny Wolf’s future. In his second season with the Blazers, Lendeborg averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, strong numbers that would look to transfer to immediate high-major success.
The 6-foot-9 forward has made his first decision, to come to Ann Arbor should he stay in college, but his biggest decision still lies ahead with the NBA. While uncertain for Michigan if one of its biggest gets will ever play a minute in Ann Arbor, being his fallback option is a risk the Wolverines are willing to take.
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