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There’s no doubt the 2025-2026 Michigan Wolverines had a successful season. For some, what feels like the bow on top of the story is watching the former players realize their dreams and get drafted into the NBA.
Michigan has three players who are likely do be drafted in the lottery of next week’s NBA Draft. What team would you like to see draft Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr.?
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Your author is a Detroit Pistons fan who would gladly take any of the three. However, with Detroit picking at No. 21, it’s unlikely any of them will become available barring a trade. Most mock drafts have all three players in the top half of the first round, but the Pistons could certainly use any of them.
Lendeborg would provide a scoring punch to complement Cade Cunningham while not needing to be ball dominant. Johnson could replace Tobias Harris in time and grow into the starting 4 for the team. Even Mara would provide excellent insurance should Detroit not retain Jalen Duren or trade away Isaiah Stewart.
If we take the home team out of the equation, there are still several excellent spots the former Wolverines could end up in.
Mara is one of the best passing center prospects the NBA has seen in years. It would be fun to watch him in Steve Kerr’s offense in Golden State. Similarly, Mara would be an excellent bench option for the Denver Nuggets. While he’s certainly no Jokic, Denver’s entire scheme revolves around its big men being able to pass the ball. Even a team such as the Memphis Grizzlies would be an intriguing fit for Mara since they have slashers up and down their roster.
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For Johnson, the San Antonio Spurs would be the dream scenario in my eyes. He could be the bruising, rebound-first big man who could help keep Victor Wembanyama clean. Johnson also screams “Miami Heat culture” to me when it comes to the intangibles.
Lendeborg has become a bit of a lightning rod in NBA Draft circles. His stock has slipped slightly thanks to a nagging injury, as well as his age. He is one of the most “plug-and-play” prospects in this draft, but the NBA loves upside. Lendeborg is likely…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/where-want-michigan-nba-draft-160000175.html
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Publish date : 2026-06-19 16:00:00
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