School basketball’s NIL is killing the NBA Draft, and Yaxel Lendeborg’s determination is extra proof

Yaxel Lendeborg felt like he had the hardest 2025 NBA Draft determination of any early entry candidate. The 22-year-old massive man emerged as among the best gamers in school basketball this previous season at UAB as an offensive supernova who doubled as a high-level defensive anchor. Lendeborg put his title within the switch portal and dedicated to Michigan whereas testing out the NBA Draft waters, the place he hoped to be a first-round decide.

Lendeborg has made his determination, and Michigan’s acquire is the NBA’s loss. Lendeborg will return to varsity and play his senior 12 months for the Wolverines. He introduced his determination in an incredible social media video that reduce up A Tribe Known as Quest with basic Michigan basketball highlights.

That is gigantic information for each the NBA Draft and males’s school hoops, and one other instance of how NIL {dollars} are conserving high abilities on the school stage and killing the depth of the draft.

We ranked Lendeborg because the No. 1 total participant within the portal in April. ESPN reported that he has a “multimillion-dollar NIL bundle” from Michigan, with some unconfirmed estimates believing it’s for round $2.5 million and doubtlessly nearer to $3-4 million. That’s more cash than Lendeborg was going to make on his NBA rookie contract until he went across the finish of the lottery. There have been monetary incentives for Lendeborg if he selected to show professional — he might get the clock began on his second contract earlier, when the true cash is available in — however he’s betting he can increase his draft inventory and maximize his annual earnings by going to Michigan.

Lendeborg was thought of a real borderline first-rounder. His vary went from 25-40 in most mock drafts. Solely the top-30 picks within the NBA draft are promised a assured contract, however loads of groups have been giving out assured cash to second spherical picks lately for longer-term offers with extra crew management. Lendeborg apparently didn’t like what he heard from professional scouts sufficient to bypassing the short-term monetary windfall of going to Michigan.

This determination is one other instance of how NIL cash is killing the draft. Whereas high prospects will proceed turning professional, the depth of this draft class has taken a giant hit with NIL cash convincing late first and second spherical picks to return to varsity. Lendeborg is the most important instance but of NIL cash conserving a stable NBA prospect in school, however gamers like Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz, Florida’s Boogie Fland and Alex Condon, Arkansas’ Karter Knox, NC State’s Darrion Williams, and St. John’s Ian Jackson all would have been taken within the 2025 NBA Draft in the event that they stored their title in. As a substitute, these gamers are getting a bag from their school groups and hoping to go even larger in 2026.

Jon Givony of ESPN reported that the 2025 NBA Draft has the bottom variety of early entrants in a decade. This quantity will proceed to get even smaller as gamers like Lendeborg pull out of the draft.

Yaxel Lendeborg’s return is a big boon for Michigan

Michigan goes to be among the best groups in males’s school basketball for the 2025-26 season. Head coach Dusty Could is dropping high performers like Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin off final season’s Candy 16 crew, however he has much more expertise coming in for subsequent season.

Lendeborg must be the hub of all the pieces Michigan does at each ends of the court docket. He measured at 6’8.5 with out footwear at 234 kilos with a 7’4 wingspan on the draft mix. That’s excellent measurement for a university massive, and it’s possible he’ll be spending a while on the 4 with Morez Johnson and Aday Mara additionally touchdown at Michigan within the switch portal. Lendeborg is an impressive passer and environment friendly scorer at his measurement who has began to develop his three-point taking pictures vary after hitting 35.7 p.c of his threes on two makes an attempt per recreation final season.

He’s additionally on the boards and gives official rim safety to the backline. His Convention USA Defensive Participant of the 12 months award was no fluke. Simply take a look at this statistical profile, through Tankathon:

Lendeborg will headline a Michigan beginning lineup that ought to embrace Johnson subsequent to him within the entrance court docket, Elliot Cadeau at level guard, and Roddy Gayle and Nimari Burnett on the wings. Michigan additionally has 7’3 heart Aday Mara from UCLA, and five-star freshman Trey McKenney coming in.

The Wolverines and Purdue are my early favorites to win the Massive Ten, and Lendeborg and Purdue’s Braden Smith are my early decisions as Massive Ten Preseason Participant of the 12 months. It’s a loaded convention, however Michigan has an actual alternative to win massive this season now.

Yaxel Lendeborg’s school return is a tricky blow for the NBA Draft

There have been loads of groups within the top-40 who must be dissatisfied to listen to Lendeborg is returning to varsity.

The Brooklyn Nets made a number of sense for Lendeborg as a crew selecting at No. 26, No. 27, and No. 36 within the 2025 NBA Draft. The Boston Celtics might have focused him at No. 28 or No. 32. The Phoenix Suns felt like a possible touchdown spot at No. 29, and the Charlotte Hornets would have been a very good match as nicely with two early second spherical picks at No. 33 and No. 34.

I’d say the 2025 NBA Draft is barely stronger than the common draft class within the first spherical, however there’s little doubt that the depth of this class is admittedly poor. The NBA is getting out-spent by school applications, and it’s making a weaker pool of expertise than ever later within the draft.