Prized transfer could go to NBA before ever playing for Michigan basketball

Michigan basketball fans have been jumping for joy after the commitment of Yaxel Lendeborg on Saturday morning.

But as Lee Corso is fond of saying, "No so fast my friend."

That's because even though Lendeborg has committed to Michigan basketball, he's still exploring the NBA option and according to an interview he did with The Banner, the newest commitment said there's an 80/20 chance he chooses the NBA.

The Wolverines certainly have a big-money NIL deal on the table. The goal for Lendeborg is to get a guaranteed contract. He's already in the first-round range, so there's a decent chance Michigan fans never see him play next season.

That would be a gut punch, but it's a possibility. It also creates an interesting dynamic for recruiting in the transfer portal. The NBA draft withdrawal date is late, and waiting until after that to fill the starting spot Lendeborg would occupy could be costly.

I'm sure Michigan basketball has gone through these scenarios. Davis Moseley, a Michigan hoops insider for 247 Sports, said he expects Lendeborg to be on the team.

Nobody knows though and there isn't anything to do other than let the process play out. If Lendeborg does join Michigan basketball though, the Wolverines might have the best transfer portal class in college basketball.

Evan Miyakawa wrote on X that Michigan's class "may go down as the best portal class of all time" with the Wolverines' three commitments ranking in the top six of his rankings.

Hopefully, they all end up in Ann Arbor.