Michigan basketball’s Axel Lundenburg, in his lone season in Ann Arbor, was named the Big Ten Player of the Year by the media and coaches.
Lundberg is the sixth player in Michigan history to win the award and the first since Nik Stauskas returned in 2014, breaking the streak of Purdue players winning the award in three consecutive seasons (Zach Edey twice, Braden Smith last season).
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In what was arguably the best season in all of college basketball, Lundborg emerged as the most complete and consistent player in the Big Ten. His combination of scoring (14.7 points per game), rebounding (7.2 points per game), defensive versatility and veteran leadership helped the Wolverines win the Big Ten regular season championship, lose just two games all season and earn the team a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Lundenburg also shines during the season when the lights are at their brightest. He made a statement early in the season with a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double to help Michigan beat Gonzaga 101-61. He also scored a season-high 29 points in the first Big Ten road game of the year in Maryland, and also had an impressive 26 points and 12 rebounds against Michigan State in January. Although the team ultimately lost the game, he scored 21 points and grabbed 7 rebounds against No. 1 Duke in Washington, D.C., keeping the team afloat in a game that could easily have been eliminated.
Dusty May made huge moves in the high school rankings and transfer portal this past offseason in order to be able to compete and go further than the Wolverines did last season. After acquiring the likes of Elliott Cardo, Moretz Johnson Jr., Aday Mara and Trey McKennie, the last missing piece was Lundborg. He initially declared for the NBA draft, but after testing the waters, he withdrew his name, returned to college and signed with the University of Michigan.
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It appears that decision ultimately paid off, as he is now a Big Ten champion, the league’s player of the year, and is projected to be a first-round pick in this year’s NBA draft. Hopefully, though, he can add a few more accolades to his resume before the dust settles.
