Michigan basketball has two top-10 picks in latest CBS Sports NBA mock draft

The Michigan Wolverines won the national championship on the backs of their star players, and they are set to be rewarded individually for that in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Cameron Salerno of CBS Sports has Michigan’s star frontcourt of Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. all as projected first-round picks, with the first two going in the top-10 of this summer’s draft.

Lendeborg, an All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year, led the way at No. 8 coming off the board to the Dallas Mavericks, which would pair him with last year’s No. 1 overall pick in Cooper Flagg. He averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists this season.

“If you asked me today who is going to be the player who goes higher than expected on draft night, it’s Lendeborg,” Salerno said. “The knock on Lendeborg is that he is an older prospect. That shouldn’t matter because at this point, he might be the best overall player available. The Mavs need a point guard, but taking Lendeborg would be worth the swing.”

Mara, the elite rim-protecting center and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, was next off the board at No. 9 to the Chicago Bulls after averaging 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the champs.

“Mara has been a serious draft riser since the NCAA Tournament. Mara was as good a rim protector as anyone in college basketball and is also very efficient on the offensive end. Of his 305 shot attempts, 213 were at the rim. He converted 76.8% of his attempts at the rim, which is very impressive. His passing as a 7-foot-3 big man also stands out.

Johnson, often described as Michigan’s enforcer and tone-setter, was selected by Atlanta Hawks with the 23rd overall selection. He averaged 13.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists for the Wolverines this year.

“Johnson is a versatile forward who exploits mismatches against smaller defenders on offense,” wrote. “On defense, he’s capable of guarding out on the perimeter against smalls. He’s a great fit almost anywhere.”

The deadline for underclassmen to withdraw from the NBA Draft is set for May 27. This year’s event is set for June 23-24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The lottery is set for Sunday, which will determine the first 14 picks in the draft among non-playoff teams.