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How Michigan basketball’s Yaxel Lendeborg went from ‘Sad Yax’ to ‘Mad Max’ to win national title
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- How Michigan basketball’s Yaxel Lendeborg went from ‘Sad Yax’ to ‘Mad Max’ to win national title
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As the Michigan basketball team took down the UConn Huskies to capture the program's first national championship since 1989, it featured a key outing from star Yaxel Lendeborg . While all eyes were on the Michigan basketball forward in Lendeborg due to his ankle and knee injuries ahead of the key game, there was a change in mindset throughout the contest.
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There was no doubt of frustration from Lendeborg, who has been impeccable for the Wolverines all season, but couldn't showcase his full talents on the biggest stage. He was noticeably upset in the first half against the Huskies, even describing his performance up until that point as "awful" and "soft."
However, his teammates would build him up throughout the game, many telling him that Lendeborg shouldn't be down on himself, also further reminding him of how crucial he's been to the team. It worked as in the final six minutes, he would score an integral seven points out of his 13 total that stifled UConn, with Roddy Gayle saying they needed "Mad Yax, not Sad Yax."
"Yax is a very emotional guy, so I think it was my duty to push him to get out of his feelings," Gayle said, via Yahoo Sports. "I felt like we needed Mad Yax, not Sad Yax."
Michigan basketball's Yaxel Lendeborg felt he was holding the team back
Lendeborg would go through his thoughts throughout the game, saying that there was part of him that felt he "was holding our team back."
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"I was very tentative," Lendeborg said. "I felt like I was holding our team back, I felt like we could have been up way more early in the game, I kept having opportunities to make a play, and I couldn't make a play."
Injuries can humble someone, but even he knew he "had to calm down for a little bit" when speaking after Saturday's win over Arizona in the Final Four. At any rate, Lendeborg nd the rest of the Michigan basketball team will enjoy the legendary run they had in the March Madness tournament, ending with a national title.
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