Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg Declares for 2026 NBA Draft

The national champion forward enters June as a consensus first-round prospect.

Overview

Lendeborg confirmed his decision on ESPN’s NBA Today and followed with a farewell message thanking Michigan fans and teammates.
In his lone season at Michigan after stops at Arizona Western and UAB, he helped deliver the program’s first national title since 1989.
He earned Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus first-team All-American honors while averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists with 37% shooting from three.
He was diagnosed with an MCL sprain in the national semifinal but played in the championship game, so medical evaluations will be a key part of his pre-draft process.
Major outlets project him in the first round, with some mock drafts placing him in the lottery, including lists from ESPN, The Athletic, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and Yahoo Sports.