Yaxel Lendeborg came into this college basketball season with a spotlight as bright as any in the country. He was tabbed as the No. 1 player for 2025-26 by Andy Katz, named an AP Preseason All-American, and landed on both the Naismith and Wooden Award watchlists. That kind of preseason buzz doesn’t come out of nowhere - it was built on a dominant campaign last year where he averaged 17.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.
Now, after 21 games in the Big Ten, we’ve got a solid sample size to evaluate how Lendeborg has handled the jump in competition. And while the box score shows a modest dip - 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game on 50% shooting - the impact he’s had on this Michigan team goes far beyond raw numbers. In fact, when you dig into the context, efficiency, and defensive versatility, it’s clear: Lendeborg has been exactly what the Wolverines needed.
Fitting the Roster Like a Glove
Let’s start with how he fits into this Michigan team. This isn’t UAB anymore - Michigan is deep, talented, and built to contend.
Head coach Dusty May has a legitimate nine-man rotation, with players who could start at other Power 4 programs. That’s a stark contrast from Lendeborg’s situation last year, where he was the centerpiece of everything UAB did.
He led the Blazers in nearly every statistical category, and their offense ran through him by necessity.
In the Big Ten, surrounded by more size and talent, Michigan hasn’t needed Lendeborg to carry that same load. Instead, he’s been deployed in a way that better showcases his pro potential.
Rather than anchoring the post, he’s taken on more of a stretch-big role, slashing from the perimeter and exploiting mismatches. At 6-foot-9, he’s often defended by the third-biggest player on the opposing team, and that’s a battle he’s winning more often than not.
The shift in role is evident in his shot profile. Lendeborg is attempting 4.4 threes per game - more than double his 1.9 attempts from last season.
The results from deep haven’t fully caught up yet (he’s shooting 30.1%), but the volume is intentional. That outside threat forces defenders to close out, which opens up driving lanes where Lendeborg’s physicality and touch take over.
And once he gets downhill, he’s tough to stop. He’s getting to the line at a high rate and converting at an elite clip - 84.9% this season, up from 75.7% a year ago.
Just look at the Michigan State game, where he knocked down 13 of 15 from the stripe. That’s the kind of efficiency that keeps an offense humming.
Efficiency That Goes Beyond the Scoreboard
If you’re just scanning the per-game numbers, you might think Lendeborg has taken a step back. But look a little deeper, and the efficiency tells a different story.
His true shooting percentage has climbed from 59.2% to 62.8%, even while taking fewer shots per game. He’s hitting 67% of his attempts inside the arc, and he’s doing it in fewer minutes, with a lower usage rate.
Per 40 minutes, Lendeborg is still producing at a near-identical scoring clip - 21 points - and he’s within one assist of his previous pace. The real jump comes when you look at his offensive rating, which has leapt from 127.3 to a whopping 140.2 per 100 possessions. That’s elite territory.
And here’s the kicker: if he finds a rhythm from beyond the arc in the back half of the season, those numbers could skyrocket. The foundation is already there - smart shot selection, physical drives, and a knack for getting to the line. Add a consistent three-point shot, and you’re looking at one of the most complete offensive forwards in the country.
Defensive Swiss Army Knife
As good as he’s been offensively, Lendeborg’s defense might be the biggest reason he’s thriving in the Big Ten.
Sure, Aday Mara gets a lot of the headlines in the paint, but Lendeborg has quietly been Michigan’s most versatile defender. He’s guarded everyone - from perimeter scorers to post bruisers - and he’s done it with effort and intelligence. When an opposing player starts to heat up, Lendeborg is often the one stepping up to shut it down.
The numbers back it up: 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, ranking ninth and sixth in the conference, respectively. Those aren’t just flashy stats - they’re a reflection of how active and disruptive he is on that end. His defensive rating is second-best in the Big Ten, and that’s no accident.
What makes him special is his ability to guard multiple positions without sacrificing size or mobility. That’s rare. And it gives Michigan the flexibility to mix and match lineups, knowing Lendeborg can plug almost any defensive hole.
The Bottom Line
Yes, the scoring average is down. And yes, his name has slipped a bit in the Wooden and Naismith Award conversations.
But don’t let that fool you - Yaxel Lendeborg is delivering exactly what Michigan hoped for when he arrived in Ann Arbor. He’s the best player on one of the best teams in the country, and he’s doing it by adapting his game, embracing his role, and elevating the guys around him.
If Michigan makes a deep run in March - and they absolutely have the pieces to do it - Lendeborg’s fingerprints will be all over it.