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The Michigan Wolverines' dominant 2025-26 regular season, and following run to the Final Four, hasn't come by accident.
Not only have the Wolverines boasted a deep group of lengthy players this season, plus a top-tier coach in Dusty May, but experience is also on the squad's side. A few of Michigan's top players are upperclassman -- including the leader of the bunch, leading scorer Yaxel Lendeborg.
Lendeborg, a projected 2026 NBA Draft pick, has been in college basketball since 2020, playing for his third team. He's one of the more seasoned players across the sport this season.
Here's what to know about Lendeborg's age, recruiting class and more.
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How old is Yaxel Lendeborg?
Lendeborg is 23 years old. He will turn 24 on Sept. 30, 2026.
The 6-foot-9 forward has been in college basketball since 2020, but because he played his first three years in the NJCAA, he's had NCAA eligibility into 2025-26.
SN AWARDS: All-America team | Boozer Player of the Year | Lloyd Coach of the Year
Yaxel Lendeborg career timeline
Arizona Western (NJCAA), 2020-23
Lendeborg, who missed multiple high school basketball seasons at Pennsauken High School in New Jersey due to poor academic performance, was not a top recruit due to his lack of experience. In his senior year of high school, he didn't rejoin the varsity basketball squad until there were 11 games remaining in the season.
He signed with Arizona Western, a community college in Yuma, Arizona. And for three years, he was a top contributor to the Matadors, blossoming into one of the best junior college players in the country.
Lendeborg averaged 6.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game as a freshman across 14 games, then put up 12.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore. He was named a NJCAA All-American and the ACCAC Player of the Year in 2021-22.
In his final season at Arizona Western, Lendeborg was named a second-team All-American, the ACCAC Player of the Year for a second time, and first-team all-region after he averaged 17.2 points and 13.0 rebounds per game.
UAB, 2023-25
Lendeborg was able to draw NCAA interest due to his success at Arizona Western, and in for his fourth college basketball season, he transferred to UAB in the American Conference. He found just as much success at the higher level, remaining an elite double-double threat.
In 2023-24, Lendeborg had games of 15 and 21 rebounds, averaging 13.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.1 blocks per game. He was named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year, the MVP of the 2024 AAC Tournament and a first-team All-AAC selection.
He played a second season for the Blazers; on March 14, 2025, he had a career night in the AAC Tournament by putting up 30 points, 20 rebounds, eight assists, five steals and four blocked shots against East Carolina.
Lendeborg's national prospect continued to increase in 2024-25, as he was once again named an All-AAC first-team selection and the AAC Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals per game. Lendeborg joined Larry Bird as the only players to record over 600 points, 400 rebounds and 150 assists in a single NCAA Division I season. He led the nation in double-doubles (26), and set a UAB single-season record with 420 rebounds.
When Lendeborg decided to enter the transfer portal following two outstanding seasons at UAB, he was rated as the No. 1 available recruit by multiple outlets.
Michigan, 2025-26
Lendeborg's status as arguably the best transfer forward in the 2025 cycle led him to a top Big Ten squad, Michigan. He decided to play under Dusty May, initially entering his name in the 2025 NBA Draft but later withdrawing it.
Expectations for Lendeborg were as high as ever coming into 2025-26 thanks to his numbers at UAB and talent around him at Michigan, and he's lived up to it. The Wolverines star was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, leading the Wolverines to the Big Ten regular season title, a conference tournament championship appearance and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Lendeborg, named a consensus first-team All-American, has been Michigan's leading scorer with 15.2 points per game, plus 7.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. In the NCAA Tournament, he's guided the Wolverines to the Final Four by becoming the first Michigan player to score at least 20 points in three consecutive NCAA tournament games since Juwan Howard in 1994.
MORE: Ranking the Final Four teams' chances of winning the championship
Yaxel Lendeborg recruiting class
Lendeborg was a member of the 2020 recruiting class, although he recruited for junior college when he was coming out of high school in New Jersey. Outlets like 247Sports did not have him rated as a prospect.
Here are some of the bigger, top NCAA recruits from Lendeborg's 2020 high school class, according to 247Sports' rankings, and where they are now:
- No. 1 recruit: Cade Cunningham, G, Detroit Pistons (attended Oklahoma State for 1 season)
- No. 2 recruit: Jalen Green, G, Phoenix Suns (played for G League Ignite for 1 season)
- No. 3 recruit: Evan Mobley, F, Cleveland Cavaliers (attended USC for 1 season)
- No. 4 recruit: Jonathan Kuminga, F, Atlanta Hawks (played for G League Ignite for 1 season)
- No. 5 recruit: Ziaire Williams, F, Brooklyn Nets (attended Stanford for 1 season)
- No. 9 recruit: Scottie Barnes, F, Toronto Raptors (attended FSU for 1 season)
- No. 13 recruit: Jalen Suggs, G, Orlando Magic (attended Gonzaga for 1 season)
NBA SCOUTING REPORT: Yaxel Ledneborg is a Swiss-Army knife every team needs
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