And to think Yaxel Lendeborg could have made even more money if he hadn’t gone to Michigan.
The reigning Big Ten Player of the Year says he could have been making somewhere between $7 million to $9 million if he had gone to Kentucky, which allegedly threw the kitchen sink at Lendeborg to try and get him to go to Lexington.
“They started the number with $7 (million) to $9 (million),” Lendeborg told The Associated Press. “They were pretty much going off on the route like we’ll pay him anything to get here.”
Lendeborg had been the top prospect in the transfer portal last year and the Wildcats purportedly pushed to make the forward the highest-paid college basketball player.
He previously starred for UAB, and ultimately decided to make his transfer choice based on more than just the money.
It is unclear how much Lendeborg received to join Michigan.
“I was raised without it and I went my whole life without it,” Lendeborg said. “Anything was going to make me super, super happy at the time.
“I was thinking long term. What if I mess up my career because I chased the money instead of a future? Another big reason why I went with (Michigan coach) Dusty [May] was he didn’t talk about money at all. It was all about making me better and helping me achieve my goals.”
That decision has paid off for him this season in Ann Arbor.
Lendeborg averaged a team-best 14.6 points, and his seven rebounds and three-plus assists per game are second on the team.
The Wolverines are a No. 1 seed heading into the NCAA Tournament on Thursday and are still waiting to find out their opponent, facing the winner of Howard vs. UMBC in the First Four.
If Michigan wins it all, it would be the school’s second national title and the first time they’ve accomplished the feat since 1989.
Kentucky had a much more modest season.
The Wildcats finished 21-13 and in the middle of the pack in the SEC. They are a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will take on Santa Clara on Friday.
