ANN ARBOR, Mich. – No. 1-ranked Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball head coach Dusty May addressed a viral video that has resurfaced, involving one of his talented players, ahead of a top-7 matchup against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena.
Following their blowout victory over the UCLA Bruins on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, May said he had seen the viral video of forward Yaxel Lendeborg circulating ahead of his Monday press conference.
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“I have social media. I follow social media, so I don’t have to say someone showed it to me to act like I don’t have it,” May said.
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May said he spoke at length with Lendeborg about the incident.
“The most disappointing part of it is that he feels really bad about how he’s perceived from children and those that look up to him,” May said.
He said Lendeborg told him, “Coach, I don’t even use that language in conversation. I don’t like the way it makes me look. I feel terrible about it.”
May explained that the video is old, from around May 0f 2025, shortly after Lendeborg signed with Michigan.
“Obviously, the excitement of being here, of playing in these games, he’s at an establishment after hours, and they asked him a question about the No. 1 team in the country, and he said the things that he said,” May said.
In a resurfaced video, Lendeborg was at an after-hours establishment when he was asked about the No. 1 team in the country (last season), and he said things he now wishes he hadn’t, according to May.
In the video, Lendeborg says, “When we see Purdue, we are going to beat their f------ a--. F--- you, F--- Purdue, F--- people that like Purdue, ‘This is Michigan, m------------”
May emphasized that the incident was a learning lesson.
“One of the reasons he’s here is he wanted to learn to be a better pro. And to be a better pro, you need to have the mindset that you’re probably always being recorded,” May said.
May downplayed the video’s impact on the team’s focus.
“I can’t imagine that a (Fletcher) Loyer and TKR (Trey Kaufman-Renn) and Braden Smith and those guys are sitting around motivated by what Yaxel Lendeborg said in an over-21 establishment four months ago. I think they’re killers as is,” May said.
When asked if the team addressed the video collectively, May said Lendeborg has talked extensively with his teammates.
“I just met with one of the other guys. We talked about it. He’s talked to his team extensively. I’m sure it’ll be brought up,” May said.
May added that the team is focused on bigger priorities.
“We’re not going to cancel our travel plans and go to the day of the game so we can. I think there’s a lot bigger things to be worried about,” May said.
May concluded, “He made a mistake. This is a learning lesson. We can’t go back in time and change it. I think there’s a lot of people in our profession saying things that they’re in a clear-headed state of mind probably wouldn’t say. Chalk this up to one of those. He’s a wonderful human being. He’ll be better because of this. And on to the next.”
Purdue
The matchup was already going to be a tough one on the road Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 6:30 p.m. on Peacock as the No. 7-ranked Boilermakers boat raced Michigan, 91-64, inside Mackey Arena in West Lafayette on Jan. 24, 2025.
The men in maize got their revenge inside Crisler Arena, when they defeated Purdue 75-73 in Ann Arbor, on Feb. 11, 2025.
Michigan went on to defeat Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament 86-68 inside the Gainbridge Fieldhouse to break the series tie before going on to win the championship against the Wisconsin Badgers, who, oddly enough, gave the Wolverines their lone loss of the 2026 season.
→ Michigan basketball snaps 3-game skid, dominates Purdue to secure Big Ten Tournament semifinal spot