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Meet the commits: Michigan transfer portal class thus far headlined by No. 1 player Yaxel Lendeborg

Anthony Broomeby:Anthony Broome•04/05/25•

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Dusty May
Michigan Wolverines basketball head coach Dusty May at practice. (Photo by Brett Davis-Imagn Images)

The Michigan Wolverines are reshaping their roster in year two under head coach Dusty May and added their biggest piece yet on Saturday morning in UAB’s Yaxel Lendeborg, rounding out a strong trio so far in the transfer portal cycle.

The class is currently ranked No. 2 in the On3 transfer portal rankings, which weighs what a team lost vs. what it is bringing in. Only Baylor is ranked ahead of the Wolverines.

Here is a quick look at the three players Michigan has added thus far this offseason.

Yaxel Lendeborg, forward, UAB

Hometown/high school: Pennsauken HS/Yuma, Arizona
Height/weight: 6-9, 240
Entered the transfer portal: 3/31/25
Committed: 4/5/2025
Years of eligibility remaining: 1
Transfer portal ranking: No. 1 overall, No. 1 power forward

Yaxel Lendeborg, who stands at 6-9, 240 pounds, has also declared for the NBA Draft in addition to entering the portal, but a season at a Power Four school could be a boost to his pro stock. He has spent the last two years at UAB after spending two seasons at Arizona Western College in the JUCO ranks. While he was there, he was a two-time NJCAA All-American and back-to-back ACCAC Player of the Year. This season, he was a star with the Blazers, averaging 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 52.2% from the field and 35.7% from three-point range. He will still be going through the NBA Draft process and seeking a guaranteed contract, so his recruitment may not be quite done yet.

Morez Johnson Jr., forward/center, Illinois

Hometown/high school: Thornton Township HS/Chicago, Illinois
Height/weight: 6-9, 225
Entered the transfer portal: 3/28/2025
Committed: 4/1/2025
Years of eligibility remaining: 3
Transfer portal ranking: No. 20 overall, No. 7 power forward

Morez Johnson Jr. appeared in 30 games, starting in eight, and averaged 7.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game this season, with a field goal percentage of 64.2% and did not attempt a single shot from three. He did not play when Michigan and Illinois met on March 2, a 93-73 win over the Fighting Illini at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor and missed most of the final month of the season while dealing with a wrist injury. Johnson committed on April 1.

Elliot Cadeau, guard, North Carolina

Hometown/high school: Link Academy/West Orange, New Jersey
Height/weight: 6-1, 180
Entered the transfer portal: 3/25/2025
Committed: 3/31/2025
Years of eligibility remaining: 2
Transfer portal ranking: No. 41 overall, No. 8 point guard

Elliott Cadeau finished with 9.5 points per game, 2.9 rebounds per game, six assists per game, shot 44.8% from the floor and 33.8% from three-point range. On3’s Joe Tipton mentioned Michigan in the mix along with USC and UConn on Sunday afternoon, but said that there were several more in the mix. Michigan landed the point guard as its first portal commit of the cycle on March 31.

DEPARTURES

• Freshman guard Justin Pippen
• Sophomore wing Sam Walters
• Graduate guard/forward Jace Howard
• Junior guard Tre Donaldson

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