Yaxel Lendeborg proclaims 2026 Michigan Wolverines as 'all-time great' squad
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Yaxel Lendeborg proclaims 2026 Michigan Wolverines as 'all-time great' squad originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
There are a lot of players that could have sparked a National Championship run for the Michigan Wolverines. In this lifetime, the star of their 2026 trophy run is Yaxel Lendeborg. Coach Dusty May trusted him in clutch situations and in producing for his team. Whether it was during the regular season, Big Ten Tournament, March Madness, and up to this trophy-winning game against the UConn Huskies, he was the person this squad relied on. So, it was not a shock when he made a big statement after the win.
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Lendeborg knows 2026 Michigan is an all-time great team
Being considered a legendary squad is usually a zero-sum conversation to most people. A lot of teams will have to be weighed against this recent Michigan squad but it looks like Lendeborg and Co. will fare well with other squads. The Michigan star punctuated the team's desire to be in rare air during conversations like the Fab Five and 1989 National Championship team.
He proclaimed all of that after they battered the UConn Huskies 69-63 in the National Championship game, via CBS Sports.
"They might be calling us mercenaries, but we're the hardest playing team in college basketball. We're the best team in college basketball, and we want to be one of the greats ever," the Michigan superstar said.
Lendeborg was playing nearly all night despite his injury. Coach May gave him 36 minutes of playing time against UConn and that trust was worth every second. He found it hard to score but still notched 13 points on just a 30.7% clip from the field while also knocking down all of five of his chances at the free throw line. The Michigan superstar also recorded two rebounds while dropping an assists and a block. His intangibles were on display whether it was on-court leadership, doing the dirty work through setting screens, and acting as an effective decoy among others.
There were a lot of people to thank after this insane win that ended Michigan's 37-year drought. Lendeborg started off with his mother and got emotional throughout his speech.
"I owe you everything. You mean the world to me. You're a superhuman. You're superwoman. I wouldn't be here without you and I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure you're okay forever," he declared.
Sacrifice plays a big role in Michigan's National Championship run. Lendeborg saw all of those from his mother and Coach May. He also had a bit of his own sacrifice after playing through an injury. He knows how to be a victor, now Lendeborg's name will always be hailed at Ann Arbor.