Jalen Rose predicts Michigan to make Final Four, Yaxel Lendeborg to be in Player of the Year mix

Following two close games, Michigan appeared to get back on track with a resounding win over Middle Tennessee State this week. But Wolverines great Jalen Rose isn’t worried about the way UM started the year and made a major prediction for how things will look.

Rose, during TNT’s pregame show ahead of Bucknell at St. John’s, predicted Michigan would make the Final Four this season. He also said Yaxel Lendeborg would help lead the charge and, in the process, put himself in the National Player of the Year mix.

It was clear Rose isn’t panicking at all about Michigan’s slow start against power programs out of the gate, which was the question during the pregame show. He’s all-in on the Wolverines and what Dusty May is building.

“No panic,” Rose said. “Lendeborg’s a dawg. [Morez] Johnson, [Trey] McKenney and [Aday] Mara all are new transfers. … When we are at the Final Four this year, I’m going to guarantee you that the Wolverines will be. Lendeborg is going to get going. He got off to a slow start. He’s going to be in conversation for Player of the Year.”

Lendeborg arrived in Ann Arbor as the crown jewel from the transfer portal this year. The former UAB star was the No. 1 overall player in the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings following a monster season. He averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals as a sophomore.

Through the early part of the year, Lendeborg is emerging as a leader at Michigan. In four games, including three starts, he’s averaging 15 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 1.5 blocks. He also took over the game against MTSU, dropping 25 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the 86-61 victory.

Even beyond Lendeborg’s addition, Jalen Rose is bullish on what May and the staff have going at Michigan. The early part of the year, he said, is about figuring out how everyone plays alongside one another. Once it all comes together, Rose thinks the Wolverines will be in the national conversation.

“I’m really seeing the pieces,” Rose said. “And I love Dusty so much. How he continues to develop a team and they get better every practice, they get better every game. And just like we were talking about with Coach [Rick] Pitino, he’s really just massaging the roster to see who’s going to be Michigan’s best player because no one has, really, actually emerged and played like it on the court. But Lendeborg is going to eventually be that guy.”