Basketball <\/p>\n
The college basketball transfer portal is already popping, and some early winners are emerging on the men\u2019s side. Louisville added three great perimeter players<\/a> to go along with incoming five-star recruit Mikel Brown Jr. to potentially emerge as a top-10 team next season. North Carolina hit it big<\/a> by getting a commitment from former Arizona 7-footer Henri Veesaar. The Michigan Wolverines<\/a> already had a good class going two major commitments, and now they\u2019ve landed an even bigger star. <\/p>\n Yaxel Lendeborg committed to Michigan on Saturday morning<\/a>, according to multiple reports. Lendeborg was one of the best players in college basketball this year at UAB. The 6\u20199 big man led the Blazers in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, but his team still missed the NCAA tournament after losing in the AAC tournament title game to Memphis. Lendeborg put his name in the transfer portal, and was ranked as the No. 1 player available<\/a>.<\/p>\n He joins head coach Dusty May\u2019s transfer portal haul, which already includes former Illinois big man Morez Johnson and former North Carolina point guard Elliot Cadeau. The Wolverines are looking stacked for next season coming off a Sweet 16 run, but only if they actually get Lendeborg on campus.<\/p>\n Lendeborg also announced he\u2019s putting his name in the 2025 NBA Draft<\/a>. He told ESPN insider Jonathan Givony that he\u2019s seeking a guaranteed contract<\/a> to keep his name in the draft. First-round draft picks are automatically given guaranteed contracts, and some second-round picks negotiate them, too. <\/p>\n Lendeborg did not appear in the first-round of our latest 2025 NBA mock draft<\/a>. He\u2019s the No. 28 overall player on ESPN\u2019s board.<\/p>\n Lendeborg has a combination of size, power, athleticism, and skill that made him almost unguardable in college basketball this past season. At 6\u20199, 240 pounds, he\u2019s a skilled interior scorer (17.7 points per game), a great rebounder (11.4 per game), a gifted passer (4.2 assists per game), and a defensive presence who can block shots and get into the passing lanes. He even hit 35.7 percent of his three-pointers on 70 attempts this season. <\/p>\n Yaxel Lendeborg’s outstanding season ended in the NIT quarterfinals last night. The 6’9 big man helped his standing considerably with NBA teams, showcasing his ability to handle, pass, shoot, and rebound, with the type of two-way versatility, skill, and instincts NBA teams covet pic.twitter.com\/iF3cpTt51d<\/a><\/p>\n\n