The Chicago Bulls have loosely been connected to all three of Michigan's probable 1st round talents.
The Chicago Bulls are making their final preparations for Tuesday night's 2026 NBA Draft. Throughout the draft process, the Bulls have been connected to all three of the probable 1st round talents from the reigning National Champion Michigan Wolverines, Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. Despite the connection to all three, most of the recent draft noise surrounding the Bulls has been about them heavily targeting Johnson with their second pick in the 1st round.
The latest mock draft from The Athletic and The New York Times' Sam Vecenie has Chicago going in a different direction, taking big man Yaxel Lendeborg.
It's interesting as Lendeborg is one of the most polarizing prospects in this loaded draft class.
There have been many reports discussing Lendeborg's personality and transition from UAB to Michigan as a transfer player.
Vecenie states in his report:
He [Yaxel Lendeborg] also brings a specific and unique personality type, as sources indicate he has a lot of energy and not much of a filter. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Lendeborg’s teammates at Michigan liked him. He’s been open about how his practice habits were not particularly strong when he first arrived in Ann Arbor last offseason, but they improved throughout the year.
He goes on to say that Lendeborg "he might not be a fit for every NBA front office." The question--which Vecenie obviously answers with the Bulls selecting him--is: Is Lendeborg a fit with the new-look Chicago front office?
The easy answer is yes. A large swath of Bulls fans would echo the sentiments they have heard from digesting so much draft content, which is that Lendeborg would not be a great fit simply because of his advanced age for an incoming NBA rookie (23 years old).
That being said, if you look past Lendeborg's age--which at 15th overall, you absolutely should--he is definitely a prospect who fits what Bryson Graham's draft record showcases, as well as what Graham himself has stated that he looks for in a prospect. S.L.A.P. has been discussed at length, but Lendeborg is one of the rare prospects who clearly checks off all four boxes of the size, length, athleticism and physicality.
Lendeborg checked in at the NBA Draft Combine at just under 6-foot-9-inches, 241 lbs., a 7-foot-3 wingspan and a 9-foot standing reach. He was an extremely physical player who utilized that length to rack up a combined 2.3 steals + blocks per game. And Lendeborg's defensive playmaking was no flash in the pan, as he averaged 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals per game over his three years of college basketball between UAB and Michigan.
The Wolverines defense was dominant because of the excellent rim protection and rebounding that came with having such a deep frontcourt. Despite the strength in numbers, Lendeborg was the minutes per game leader on a team that was No. 1 in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency per KenPom (88.5 points allowed per 100 possessions).
The intriguing defensive potential of Lendeborg, combined with a much-improved jump shot--he shot a career high 37.2% from 3-point range on 4.5 attempts per game--showcases a prospect who should be able to be an immediate rotation player and contributor, although the real questions about his ceiling will remain.
Chicago has been reportedly looking to move up in the draft order from their 15th overall spot, hoping to land a different Michigan Big, Morez Johnson Jr.
But, if Chicago is to stay put at 15th overall, Lendeborg would be an intriguing addition to a forward group that will theoretically have Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis, Lenoard Miller and Noa Essengue. The Bulls didn't have a ton of size, length, athleticism and physicality before Bryson Graham arrived in Chicago, but they could enter next season with a roster stacked with those type of players.
