Where Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg is projected in post-lottery NBA mock drafts

Michigan Wolverines basketball has three primary NBA Draft prospects in forwards Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. and center Aday Mara, all projected as first-round picks in the June 23-24 event.

Here’s a look at where Lendeborg projects in post-lottery mock drafts. We examined seven of them, and he was listed at No. 12 overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder in six — a pick that seems to make too much sense to analysts.

• Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Sweeney: No. 11 overall to the Golden State Warriors
“At 24 years old by the time he makes his NBA debut this fall, Lendeborg should be one of the most game-ready prospects in the class,” Sweeney wrote. “His ability to guard up and down the lineup (including shutting down some of the top point guards in the country), dominance in transition and versatile offensive game makes him an intriguing option. With the Warriors extending Steve Kerr and looking to get back into contention quickly, the opportunity to add an instant-impact option who could play in a playoff game tomorrow might be hard to pass up.”

• ESPN’s Jeremy Woo: No. 12 overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder
“The rest of the NBA exhaled as this pick stood pat in the lottery, keeping the 64-win Thunder from adding a top-four prospect,” Woo wrote. “The Thunder have a roster crunch they’ll have to solve for this offseason, holding player options on Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein and Kenrich Williams, as well as two first-round picks (they also own No. 17). Picking up all three options would put them at 15 players, barring another consolidation trade.

“Lendeborg is set to benefit from his instrumental role in Michigan’s title run, where his versatility shone through on both sides of the ball, and he shot 52.9 percent from 3 in his final 11 games. He’ll be a 24-year-old rookie, a polarizing aspect of his projection, but he’s ready for the NBA and should be a plug-and-play rotation piece. At a certain point in the draft, the value of his unique skill set outweighs the age factor.”

• New York Post’s Brian Lewis: No. 12 overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder
“Big and skilled. And old,” Lewis wrote. “He’ll be 24 before his rookie season even starts, so he’ll be expected to come in and contribute immediately — exactly the kind of rookie the champion Thunder could use.”

• CBS Sports’ Adam Finkelstein: No. 12 overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder
“Lendeborg is one of the more versatile two-way players, and specifically defenders, in the draft,” Finkelstein wrote. “At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, he often guarded opposing point guards this year, is unselfish, an excellent passer, and an improved shooter who made 37 percent of his threes. There are times Lendeborg still has some maturing to do, but being in OKC’s championship culture should address that quickly.”

• Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor: No. 12 overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder
“The entire NBA breathed a sigh of relief when the Thunder didn’t move up in the lottery,” O’Connor wrote. “But with this pick, courtesy of the Clippers for Paul George, they still can add a player who could turn into a star, or at least a key contributor. If there’s one thing the Thunder need it’s a jumbo-sized wing. At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan at 240 pounds, Lendeborg fits the bill. He fills the stat sheet, he can play multiple positions, and he has a genuine handle. Lendeborg will be 24 as a rookie, but he has a compelling story. Poor grades kept him off his high school varsity team. He went to a JUCO. Then UAB. Then he entered the draft, went through the combine, pulled his name back, and came back for one more year at Michigan and won a national championship. He just kept getting better every single time the competition got harder. The arc is a great story. Whether it ends with NBA stardom is still up for debate.”

• The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie: No. 12 overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder
“Even though Lendeborg gutted through an ankle injury in the Final Four, he led Michigan to a title and transformed his game,” Vecenie wrote. “His counting numbers were down from his heights at UAB, but he averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists while playing aggressive defense. He showcased serious switchability, often picking up lead ballhandlers at the point of attack as well as playing against power forwards when Mara or Morez Johnson Jr. would leave the court. He’s also an active help defender with excellent hands.

“He drilled 37.4 percent of his 3s for the season, thanks to a hot streak at the end of the year in which he made 48.1 percent over his final 16 games — and that includes a 0-of-5 mark when he was clearly hobbled against UConn in the title game. Lendeborg tracks for Oklahoma City as a long, physical player with two-way acumen, something the Thunder are always on the lookout for. Don’t be surprised to see Oklahoma City try to consolidate some pick capital and move up in this class, either.”

• Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman: No. 12 overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder
“Yaxel Lendeborg makes too much sense for an Oklahoma City Thunder team that will want players who can contribute on cheap contracts,” Wasserman wrote. “At 23 years old, 6’9”, 240 pounds, Lendeborg has the NBA-ready label coming off a national championship at Michigan.

“His offensive versatility has been on NBA radars for years. An improved shooter and defender who passes and rebounds, Lendeborg should look highly adaptable and easy to fit for most NBA teams.”