The self-described best year of Yaxel Lendeborg’s life added another memorable moment.
After helping lead Michigan to a historic season and its first national championship since 1989, Lendeborg was taken in the first round of the NBA Draft on Tuesday by the Golden State Warriors with the No. 11 overall pick.
The achievement made Lendeborg the second of three Michigan players to be selected in the lottery in this year’s draft — two picks after Morez Johnson Jr. was nabbed by Dusty May’s Dallas Mavericks at No. 9 and a pick before Aday Mara went to the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 12.
It also made Lendeborg’s decision to bypass last year’s draft and head to Ann Arbor for a year worth it.
“I don’t deserve to be here right now,” said Lendeborg, who was overcome with emotion after hearing his name called. “I’m truly not worthy. I can’t believe it.”
Coming from UAB, where he was a do-it-all big man, Lendeborg made the jump to the Big Ten, evolved his game and made his mark while playing in a three-big lineup with Johnson and Mara.
With the Wolverines, the 6-foot-9 Lendeborg showed an ability to do whatever the team needed at any given time, whether it was being a point forward, acting as a playmaker and facilitator, or guarding any and every position.
He proved to be a threat all over the court as he stuffed the stat sheet, averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals while shooting a career-high 37.2% from 3-point range. He played in all 40 games, with 39 starts, and racked up numerous accolades, including Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus All-American honors.
“I’ve never been a guy who demands the ball and asks to run plays for me so I can go score. I’m a guy that doesn’t really care much about points,” Lendeborg said at the NBA Draft Combine last month. “Whenever I get on the court, I just want to do whatever to win a game. I hate losing, so I’m going to do whatever I have to, to win that game. Whether that’s me scoring two points in a game or 30 points in the game, I’m willing to make that sacrifice no matter what it is and do the best I can to bring life into the team.”
Lendeborg showed that in his transition from UAB to Michigan, going from a player who had the ball in his hands every possession and adjusting to a role where he wasn’t required to do carry the load every night.
That’s helped prepare him for what’s to come next at the next level, where he’ll go from being the leading scorer on a team that won the national title to likely being a rotational player who’ll have to find a way to fit in and make an impact.
“When you get to NBA, you’re not going to have the same role you did in college. A lot of people can maybe mess themselves up with that mindset, thinking that they’re bigger than the program,” Lendeborg said last month. “I know no matter what team I go on, they’re already going to have their superstar, their main scorer. I’m going to have to go in there and if it’s play defense against the best player on the floor, then I’ll be willing to do that. If it’s sit in the corner and make a 3 when I get the opportunity, I’ll be able to do that as well. I’m mentally prepared to do whatever I have to do, and I feel like I’m ready to take on that challenge.”
Given Lendeborg didn’t start playing organized basketball until his senior year of high school and the fact he’s improved each year during his college career — one that began at the junior college level at Arizona Western — May thinks Lendeborg still has “a couple more jumps to make.”
While the knock on Lendeborg is that he’s an older prospect at 23 years old, his adaptability and versatility is still valuable and could serve him well as a plug-and-play piece.
“I think he can help a playoff team win today. I think he can help you win in the playoffs, but not as their primary scorer, just as a really good player,” May said on “The Kevin O’Connor Show” last month. “Some nights he can lead you in scoring and other nights he might have 10 rebounds, eight assists and six points.
“I think the age might actually be beneficial for him, because I just don’t think he’s that type of player where he wants to shoot and he’s got a scorer or chucker mindset. I think he’s equipped to step in because of who he is as a person and help a good team immediately.”
While NBA teams typically covet younger players who are brimming with potential, Lendeborg feels he has the same amount of upside as anyone in this draft class and he’s ready to prove it.
“If you can play, you can play,” Lendeborg said this month. “Every time I get on the court, I’m going to showcase that. Whether it’s a guy who’s 30 or a guy that’s 18, I’m going to go out there and show them who’s better.”
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg goes to Warriors at No. 11 in NBA Draft
Reporting by James Hawkins, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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By James Hawkins, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
