March Madness is underway and today’s college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer’s NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY’s latest mock draft, Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg is expected to go in the first round.
Here’s how USA TODAY currently projects the forward’s draft night will play out.
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Yaxel Lendeborg 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 8 overall, Memphis Grizzlies
All picks based on Tankathon lottery projection
Kalbrosky’s Analysis:
The Grizzlies could add to their rebuilding core after trading away Jaren Jackson Jr. by selecting Yaxel Lendeborg, who is perhaps the most NBA-ready player in this draft class. The Big Ten Player of the Year offers a bit of everything on both sides of the ball and has silenced skeptics who were unsure how his game would scale after transferring from mid-major UAB to high-major Michigan. The Grizzlies have drafted players with similar trajectories like Jaylen Wells and Cedric Coward.
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See USA TODAY’s full mock draft here
Yaxel Lendeborg player profile
(all stats as of March 15)
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50.9% field goal percentage
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35.3% three-point field goal percentage
Memphis Grizzlies 2026 projected draft picks
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No. 8, No. 19 (via ORL) and No. 31 (via IND)
All picks based on Tankathon lottery projection
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yaxel Lendeborg NBA mock draft projection: Where Michigan star is expected to land
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