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Yaxel Lendeborg made three promises when he first arrived at Michigan.
The Wolverines were going to win the Big Ten regular-season title. He was going to win Big Ten Player of the Year. And Michigan was going to win the national championship.
Check, check and check.
That was all accomplished during the winningest campaign in Michigan men’s basketball program history and during what Lendeborg called “the best year of my life.” On Wednesday, Lendeborg posted a farewell message on social media thanking all of those who were part of the memorable ride during his one and only season with the Wolverines.
“As I reflect and prepare to take the next step in my career, I am so grateful,” Lendeborg wrote. “It’s amazing how so much can change in a year and this journey has been incredible. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.
“To the entire coaching staff, you saw something in me and took a chance. Thank you for pushing me to never settle. We faced challenges but under your mentorship, I became a better player and person every single day.
“To my teammates, thank you for grinding with me. It was an honor to play with you all and I’m looking forward to continuing to celebrate your successes the same way you all have celebrated mine. What we built wasn’t given, it was earned and our legacy is forever stamped in Michigan’s history. We shocked the world. Job complete.
“To the best fans in the nation, thank you for embracing me through it all. The energy, the support, the love; I felt it every time I stepped on that floor. You made Ann Arbor home.
“To my mom, everything I am is because of you. Your sacrifices, your belief, your strength; you never let me quit, even when things got hard. This journey is just as much yours as it is mine. I love you!
“I will forever cherish the experiences and lessons that brought me to this point and I am even more excited for what lies ahead.”
More: For Dusty May, there's been no time to revel in Michigan's national title
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Lendeborg stuffed the stat sheet with 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals in 30.2 minutes per game and shot 37.2% from 3-point range. He was the leading scorer on a team that set a program record with 37 wins and set a Big Ten record with 19 conference victories.
He spent three seasons in junior college at Arizona Western and two seasons at UAB before he came to Michigan, where he shined and racked up numerous accolades. He was a consensus first-team All-American, a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a member of the All-Big Ten Defensive team.
Up next for Lendeborg is June’s NBA Draft, which he spurned last year to join the Wolverines for his final collegiate season. He’s widely projected to be a first-round pick by national outlets, including Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, ESPN, The Athletic and Yahoo! Sports, and is predicted to be taken in the lottery in some mock drafts.
[email protected]
@jamesbhawkins
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Yaxel Lendeborg pens farewell to Michigan basketball in open letter
Continue reading...
The Wolverines were going to win the Big Ten regular-season title. He was going to win Big Ten Player of the Year. And Michigan was going to win the national championship.
Check, check and check.
That was all accomplished during the winningest campaign in Michigan men’s basketball program history and during what Lendeborg called “the best year of my life.” On Wednesday, Lendeborg posted a farewell message on social media thanking all of those who were part of the memorable ride during his one and only season with the Wolverines.
Thank you Michigan for the best year of my life!Go blue forever !
pic.twitter.com/zTH1I8S1R9
— Yaxel Lendeborg (@Yaxel_Lendeborg) April 15, 2026
“As I reflect and prepare to take the next step in my career, I am so grateful,” Lendeborg wrote. “It’s amazing how so much can change in a year and this journey has been incredible. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.
“To the entire coaching staff, you saw something in me and took a chance. Thank you for pushing me to never settle. We faced challenges but under your mentorship, I became a better player and person every single day.
“To my teammates, thank you for grinding with me. It was an honor to play with you all and I’m looking forward to continuing to celebrate your successes the same way you all have celebrated mine. What we built wasn’t given, it was earned and our legacy is forever stamped in Michigan’s history. We shocked the world. Job complete.
“To the best fans in the nation, thank you for embracing me through it all. The energy, the support, the love; I felt it every time I stepped on that floor. You made Ann Arbor home.
“To my mom, everything I am is because of you. Your sacrifices, your belief, your strength; you never let me quit, even when things got hard. This journey is just as much yours as it is mine. I love you!
“I will forever cherish the experiences and lessons that brought me to this point and I am even more excited for what lies ahead.”
More: For Dusty May, there's been no time to revel in Michigan's national title
More: Michigan basketball most-watched college hoops team this season
Lendeborg stuffed the stat sheet with 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals in 30.2 minutes per game and shot 37.2% from 3-point range. He was the leading scorer on a team that set a program record with 37 wins and set a Big Ten record with 19 conference victories.
He spent three seasons in junior college at Arizona Western and two seasons at UAB before he came to Michigan, where he shined and racked up numerous accolades. He was a consensus first-team All-American, a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a member of the All-Big Ten Defensive team.
Up next for Lendeborg is June’s NBA Draft, which he spurned last year to join the Wolverines for his final collegiate season. He’s widely projected to be a first-round pick by national outlets, including Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, ESPN, The Athletic and Yahoo! Sports, and is predicted to be taken in the lottery in some mock drafts.
[email protected]
@jamesbhawkins
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Want to comment on this story? Become a subscriber today. Click here.This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Yaxel Lendeborg pens farewell to Michigan basketball in open letter
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