Dusty May Addresses Viral Lendeborg Video Ahead of Purdue Rematch: “He’ll Be Better Because of This”
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - As Michigan gears up for a marquee showdown against No. 7 Purdue, head coach Dusty May took a moment to address a resurfaced video involving forward Yaxel Lendeborg - a clip that’s been making the rounds on social media in the lead-up to Tuesday night’s clash at Mackey Arena.
The video, which dates back to May of 2025 shortly after Lendeborg signed with the Wolverines, shows the forward at an after-hours establishment responding to a question about Purdue - and doing so in language that’s, let’s just say, not safe for press conferences.
“When we see Purdue, we are going to beat their f------ a--. F--- you, F--- Purdue, F--- people that like Purdue. This is Michigan, m------------,” Lendeborg says in the video.
Dusty May didn’t dodge the topic.
“I have social media. I follow social media, so I don’t have to say someone showed it to me to act like I don’t have it,” May said during his Monday presser.
But more than just acknowledging the clip, May shared that he and Lendeborg had a long conversation about it - and the forward was clearly remorseful.
“The most disappointing part of it is that he feels really bad about how he’s perceived from children and those that look up to him,” May said. “He told me, ‘Coach, I don’t even use that language in conversation.
I don’t like the way it makes me look. I feel terrible about it.’”
May emphasized that this was a moment of growth for Lendeborg - not just as a player, but as a professional in the making.
“One of the reasons he’s here is he wanted to learn to be a better pro,” May said. “And to be a better pro, you need to have the mindset that you’re probably always being recorded.”
That’s a reality every high-profile college athlete faces these days - and Lendeborg, now a key piece on the nation’s top-ranked team, is learning it firsthand.
As for whether the video has become a rallying cry or bulletin board material for Purdue, May wasn’t buying it.
“I can’t imagine that a Fletcher Loyer, TKR (Trey Kaufman-Renn), or Braden Smith are sitting around motivated by what Yaxel said in an over-21 establishment four months ago,” May said. “I think they’re killers as is.”
May also noted that Lendeborg has spoken extensively with his teammates about the incident and taken accountability behind closed doors.
“I just met with one of the other guys. We talked about it.
He’s talked to his team extensively. I’m sure it’ll be brought up,” May said.
“But we’re focused on bigger things.”
That includes a massive road test against a Purdue team that already handed Michigan its worst loss of the season - a 91-64 blowout in West Lafayette back on Jan. 24, 2025. But Michigan bounced back with a 75-73 win in Ann Arbor just weeks later, and then delivered a statement in the Big Ten Tournament, routing Purdue 86-68 en route to the conference title.
That championship run ended with a win over Wisconsin - the only team to beat Michigan this season.
So yes, there’s plenty of history between these two teams. And yes, the emotions will be high when the ball tips off Tuesday night. But for May and his squad, the focus is clear: growth, maturity, and moving forward.
“He made a mistake. This is a learning lesson,” May said.
“We can’t go back in time and change it. I think there’s a lot of people in our profession saying things that, in a clear-headed state of mind, they probably wouldn’t say.
Chalk this up to one of those. He’s a wonderful human being.
He’ll be better because of this. And on to the next.”