Lendeborg's Ankle and MCL Won't Stop Him From Playing in the National Championship
Michigan's star forward Yaxel Lendeborg took a scary tumble early in the Final Four semifinal against Arizona, but the message is crystal clear: he's suiting up for Monday night's title game against UConn no matter what.
Just over 11 minutes into the first half, Lendeborg went down hard on the baseline after stepping on Arizona's Motiejus Krivas during a dunk attempt. He suffered a left MCL sprain and left ankle sprain on the play, and yeah, it looked bad. Bad enough that he somersaulted backward and slammed his palms on the floor in frustration. But this guy is a competitor.
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Lendeborg admitted he got emotional about it, genuinely worried that everything he'd worked for this season was slipping away. He made two separate trips to the locker room before halftime, spending quality time with Michigan trainer Chris Williams. The emotions were real, but what happened next matters way more.
Williams examined him and came away encouraged. Limited swelling, nothing that looked serious. The trainer told ESPN he's "very confident" Lendeborg will play Monday and is planning intensive treatment on the knee and ankle from now until tip-off. In fact, Williams joked to ESPN that Lendeborg "might move into my room" for the next 48 hours. "You're laughing, but he might move into my room. We have two beds in there, so we might have to find another room for my wife and my son."
He Finished the Game and Made His Promise
Despite the injuries and the foul trouble that limited him to just 14 minutes, Lendeborg still managed 11 points on just four shots in Michigan's dominant 91-73 win. The important part? His words after the game: "I will be on that floor in that game."
Monday night's national championship against UConn is happening, and Lendeborg will be there.
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