Michigan basketball star says he received stunning offer to play at Kentucky

Michigan Wolverines men’s hoops prima Yaxel Lendeborg suggested successful a caller interrogation helium could person been raking successful the currency if helium chose to play elsewhere.

Lendeborg was among the apical players successful the transportation portal entering the 2025-26 play arsenic helium was acceptable to permission the UAB Blazers. He yet committed to Michigan, but helium said helium was offered large wealth to play for the Kentucky Wildcats.

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Michigan guardant Yaxel Lendeborg celebrates the team's regular play Big Ten Championship by cutting down a portion of nett pursuing their triumph implicit Michigan State successful an NCAA assemblage hoops crippled successful Ann Arbor, Michigan, Sunday, March 8, 2026 (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)

"They started the fig with $7 (million) to $9 (million)," helium told The Associated Press successful a communicative published Monday night. "They were beauteous overmuch going disconnected connected the way similar we’ll wage him thing to get here."

Instead, helium chose to play for Dusty May alternatively of Mark Pope.

"I was raised without it and I went my full beingness without it," Lendeborg said. "Anything was going to marque maine super, ace blessed astatine the time.

"I was reasoning agelong term. What if I messiness up my vocation due to the fact that I chased the wealth alternatively of a future? Another large crushed wherefore I went with Dusty was helium didn't speech astir wealth astatine all. It was each astir making maine amended and helping maine execute my goals."

Michigan Wolverines guardant Yaxel Lendeborg (23) looks to walk arsenic Purdue Boilermakers defender Gicarri Harris (24) defends during the archetypal fractional during the men's 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 the apical players successful the federation during the 2025-26 play with his NBA imaginable expanding arsenic well.

He’s averaging 14.4 points and 7 rebounds per crippled with the Wolverines. Michigan earned the No. 1 effect successful the Midwest Region of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Kentucky has the No. 7 effect successful the aforesaid region.

The Wildcats took disapproval from ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale earlier this period for being incapable to execute amended with a loaded roster acknowledgment to name, representation and likeness (NIL) deals.

"I’m going to accidental this close here, I’ve done respective Kentucky games, triumph oregon lose, $22 cardinal this squad [which has been reported] successful presumption of the NIL for their players," helium said. "I deliberation successful $22 million, they could person enactment unneurotic a amended roster than they did. I truly do."

Michigan Wolverines guardant Yaxel Lendeborg (23) dribbles arsenic Purdue Boilermakers defender C.J. Cox (0) defends during the 2nd fractional during the men's Big Ten Conference Tournament Championship astatine United Center 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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