There was 8:51 remaining in the first half of Michigan’s Final Four game against Arizona when star forward Yaxel Lendeborg went hard to the basket and landed on the foot of a Wildcat while getting fouled. Lendeborg landed awkwardly and was removed from the game after making both free throw attempts, suffering a sprain to both his left knee and ankle in the process.
After heading to the locker room for evaluation and taping up his injuries, Lendeborg faced a critical decision: play through the pain and try to help the Wolverines reach the national title game, or sit out the rest of the game against the Wildcats that night and assess his health if Michigan advanced to the championship.
However, as Lendeborg publicly stated on multiple occasions, there was no way he was going to miss an opportunity to help deliver the program’s first national title since 1989. A behind-the-scenes look at Lendeborg’s injury and what unfolded afterward was revealed in the Paramount-Plus documentary “Made for March,” which highlighted just how determined the Big Ten Player of the Year was about returning to help his team win a championship despite being hobbled.
Inside Lendeborg’s will to help his team
After exiting the training room following the injury against the Wildcats, Lendeborg walked back onto the floor with point guard LJ Cason, who had previously torn his ACL against Illinois toward the end of the regular season. Cason’s maturity was evident during the conversation with Lendeborg on the walk back to the court, as they discussed the pros and cons of Lendeborg returning despite his injuries.
“All jokes aside, if you can go, go,” Cason told Lendeborg. “But if you can’t, don’t go.”
“Damn, we’ve got two games left, I’m going,” Lendeborg countered.
“You don’t think I want you to play?” Cason replied.
“I have to, there’s no way I’m not,” Lendeborg said.
“I understand what you’re saying,” Cason said. “But if you can’t go, you’re good. Like you are—you are going to change your family’s life forever. Your body’s going to change your family’s life.”
“I wanna win a championship,” Lendeborg said.
“Yeah, I know,” Cason replied. “I want you to, too.”
The exchange showcased Cason’s leadership by listening to his teammate’s desires and encouraging him to think through the situation while staying grounded in his approach.
For Lendeborg, his determination to stay focused on the mission of winning a national championship at Michigan and potentially putting his personal health aside demonstrated his sheer desire to win for the Wolverines and give everything he had on the floor in his final two games of college basketball.
As it turned out, Lendeborg returned to hit two crucial three-pointers early in the second half, allowing the Wolverines to pull away from the Wildcats. In the title game against UConn, Lendeborg gutted out a 13-point performance to help the Maize and Blue hold off the Huskies and win the title in Dusty May’s second season at the helm.
