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Yaxel Lendeborg says goodbye to Michigan: 'This journey has been incredible'
TL;DR
Yaxel Lendeborg bids farewell to Michigan after a successful season, achieving his promises of winning the Big Ten regular-season title, being named Big Ten Player of the Year, and securing a national championship. He expressed gratitude for the incredible journey on social media.
Yaxel Lendeborg made three promises when he first arrived at Michigan.
The Wolverines were going to win the Big Ten regular-season title. He was going to win Big Ten Player of the Year. And Michigan was going to win the national championship.
Check, check and check.
That was all accomplished during the winningest campaign in Michigan men’s basketball program history and during what Lendeborg called “the best year of my life.” On Wednesday, Lendeborg posted a farewell message on social media thanking all of those who were part of the memorable ride during his one and only season with the Wolverines.
“As I reflect and prepare to take the next step in my career, I am so grateful,” Lendeborg wrote. “It’s amazing how so much can change in a year and this journey has been incredible. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.
“To the entire coaching staff, you saw something in me and took a chance. Thank you for pushing me to never settle. We faced challenges but under your mentorship, I became a better player and person every single day.
“To my teammates, thank you for grinding with me. It was an honor to play with you all and I’m looking forward to continuing to celebrate your successes the same way you all have celebrated mine. What we built wasn’t given, it was earned and our legacy is forever stamped in Michigan’s history. We shocked the world. Job complete.
“To the best fans in the nation, thank you for embracing me through it all. The energy, the support, the love; I felt it every time I stepped on that floor. You made Ann Arbor home.
“To my mom, everything I am is because of you. Your sacrifices, your belief, your strength; you never let me quit, even when things got hard. This journey is just as much yours as it is mine. I love you!
“I will forever cherish the experiences and lessons that brought me to this point and I am even more excited for what lies ahead.”
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Lendeborg stuffed the stat sheet with 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals in 30.2 minutes per game and shot 37.2% from 3-point range. He was the leading scorer on a team that set a program record with 37 wins and set a Big Ten record with 19 conference victories.
He spent three seasons in junior college at Arizona Western and two seasons at UAB before he came to Michigan, where he shined and racked up numerous accolades. He was a consensus first-team All-American, a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a member of the All-Big Ten Defensive team.
Up next for Lendeborg is June’s NBA Draft, which he spurned last year to join the Wolverines for his final collegiate season. He’s widely projected to be a first-round pick by national outlets, including Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, ESPN, The Athletic and Yahoo! Sports, and is predicted to be taken in the lottery in some mock drafts.
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Yaxel Lendeborg pens farewell to Michigan basketball in open letter
Q&A
What promises did Yaxel Lendeborg make when he joined Michigan?
Yaxel Lendeborg promised that Michigan would win the Big Ten regular-season title, he would be named Big Ten Player of the Year, and the team would win the national championship.
How did Michigan perform during Yaxel Lendeborg's season?
Michigan had the winningest campaign in its men's basketball program history during Lendeborg's season.
What did Yaxel Lendeborg say in his farewell message?
In his farewell message, Lendeborg expressed gratitude for the incredible journey and reflected on how much had changed in a year.
What accolades did Yaxel Lendeborg achieve while at Michigan?
Lendeborg was named Big Ten Player of the Year and contributed to Michigan winning both the Big Ten regular-season title and the national championship.
