Getty

Michigan head coach Dusty May.

Michigan Basketball watching head coach Dusty May take the Dallas Mavericks job rose as one stunner. May immediately turned heads with his first move as Mavs coach: Passing on lead scorer Yaxel Lendeborg and taking Morez Johnson Jr. at No. 9.

May expectedly turned to one of his national champion winners as his first-ever pick with Dallas. However many analysts and fans believed that the versatile Lendeborg was the better prospect.

Lendeborg eventually landed with the Golden State Warriors at No. 11 overall. But he took a playful jab at the man who passed on him at the ninth spot in May when addressing the media.

What Yaxel Lendeborg said to Dusty May

Lendeborg put on his new Warriors hat and addressed being passed on by his own college coach.

“I’m definitely mad at Dusty. We know who his favorite is now!” Lendeborg said to reporters while flashing a smile.

But again, his words were in a playful tone. Lendeborg even mentioned how all three Michigan first rounders were in a group chat text ahead of the draft, saying everyone was super excited.

“We were talking about who was going to go first, who was going to go where,” Lendeborg said. “And Morez was always saying he was going to go last. So it’s kind of funny he went first.”

Lendeborg still insists that he’s happy May and Johnson will reteam together, saying “I’m happy for Morez. He definitely deserves it and he’ll be a great pro.”

Lendeborg Also Revealed who he ‘Hated’ on Warriors

The Michigan star now must put aside one more aspect: His past disdain for Steph Curry and the Warriors.

He admits that the famed Warriors versus Cleveland Cavaliers series of the mid-2010s had him take the opposite side of Curry.

“It’s a full-circle moment for me. In 2016, I’m a big Kyrie [Irving] guy, so I used to hate Steph Curry,” he said.

Now he gets to line up against Donovan Mitchell and the Eastern Conference runner up when that time comes. Lendeborg revealed he met Curry during his pre-draft process.

“I met him a couple of times. He’s a really great guy. It’s going to be an honor to see him do what he does,” Lendeborg said.

Lendeborg Part of NBA Draft History With Michigan

The Wolverines produced Johnson, Lendeborg and Aday Mara (No. 12 to the Oklahoma City Thunder) as their newest first round talents. Placing Michigan into the draft history books.

It’s the first time since 1985 that a defending national champion delivered that many first rounders in the following draft class.

Danny Wolf represented Michigan’s last first rounder out of the 2025 class, who landed with the Brooklyn Nets. Jett Howard and Kobie Bufkin became the last time Michigan produced multiple first rounders in the same class, as they both went in 2023. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke (2013) plus Juwan Howard and Jalen Rose (1994) entered the draft as first rounders in the same class.

Now the Michigan representation grows to four including May heading over to the league.