Yaxel Lendeborg gives back to kids with Christmas shopping spree

Key Highlights

• “Growing up, having a worse situation that most kids in this area, it’s a blessing to be able to give back.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAs kids gawked at “the big basketball players,” Lendeborg was his charismatic self, interacting with local kids who became bigger fans of Michigan basketball on Friday afternoon. Giving back is something that’s important to Lendeborg, and with NIL deals and schools being able to directly pay student athletes now, he is choosing to use that money in selfless ways like this.
• He said he wanted to do a giveaway like this as soon as he got settled in at Michigan.“I’m still trying to do a giveback in my hometown, too — still working out details on that — but I am excited to give back here, too,” Lendeborg said. So what was the forward’s favorite Christmas present growing up?
• A PlayStation he got when he was seven years old.
• His favorite game to play on it at the time was WWE, and now it’s mostly NBA2K. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“It started a long, long journey of addiction with the gaming,” Lendeborg said with a chuckle. Speaking of the NBA, Lendeborg feels like he’s improved his draft stock since coming to Michigan, and that’s reflected in recent projections.
• In ESPN’s most recent mock draft, Jeremy Woo had Lendeborg going 18th to the Golden State Warriors. With the Wolverines being 10-0, ranked No.