2 months ago
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Michigan Wolverines men’s hoops prima Yaxel Lendeborg suggested successful a caller question and reply he could person been raking successful nan rate if he chose to play elsewhere.
Lendeborg was among nan apical players successful nan transportation portal entering nan 2025-26 play arsenic he was group to time off nan UAB Blazers. He yet committed to Michigan, but he said he was offered awesome money to play for nan Kentucky Wildcats.
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Michigan guardant Yaxel Lendeborg celebrates nan team's Big Ten Championship by cutting down a portion of nett pursuing their triumph complete Michigan State successful Ann Arbor, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)
"They started nan number pinch $7 (million) to $9 (million)," he told The Associated Press successful a communicative published Monday night. "They were beautiful overmuch going disconnected connected nan way for illustration we’ll salary him thing to get here."
Instead, he chose to play for Dusty May alternatively of Mark Pope.
"I was raised without it and I went my full life without it," Lendeborg said. "Anything was going to make maine super, ace happy astatine nan time.
"I was reasoning agelong term. What if I messiness up my profession because I chased nan money alternatively of a future? Another large logic why I went pinch Dusty was he didn't talk astir money astatine all. It was each astir making maine amended and helping maine execute my goals."
Michigan Wolverines guardant Yaxel Lendeborg looks to walk arsenic Purdue Boilermakers defender Gicarri Harris defends during nan Big Ten Conference Tournament Championship astatine United Center connected March 15, 2026. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images)
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Lendeborg emerged arsenic 1 of nan apical players successful nan federation during nan 2025-26 play pinch his NBA potential expanding arsenic well.
He’s averaging 14.4 points and 7 rebounds per crippled pinch nan Wolverines. Michigan earned nan No. 1 seed successful nan Midwest Region of nan NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Kentucky has nan No. 7 seed successful nan aforesaid region.
The Wildcats took disapproval from ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale earlier this period for being incapable to execute amended pinch a loaded roster acknowledgment to name, image and likeness (NIL) deals.
"I’m going to opportunity this correct here, I’ve done respective Kentucky games, triumph aliases lose, $22 cardinal this squad [which has been reported] successful position of nan NIL for their players," he said. "I deliberation successful $22 million, they could person put together a amended roster than they did. I really do."
Michigan Wolverines guardant Yaxel Lendeborg dribbles arsenic Purdue Boilermakers defender C.J. Cox defends during nan Big Ten Conference Tournament Championship connected March 15, 2026. (David Banks/Imagn Images)
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Kentucky is 21-13 this season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Ryan Gaydos is simply a elder editor for Fox News Digital.
