Yaxel Lendeborg might not have been impressed with himself but he won plenty of new admirers with his halftime interview in the NCAA final between his Michigan team and UConn.
The Michigan star was playing through the pain barrier with a bone bruise after hurting his left foot during a first-half drive in the previous game against Arizona.
He played all 20 minutes in the first half but had just four points to his name at the interval with his team leading 33-29 and when Tracy Wolfson asked him how he felt as he headed to the locker room, he gave a blunt response.
‘I feel awful. I feel super weak right now,’ he said. ‘I can’t make anything, oh man. I am trying to push through because you know, it is a championship game and all that.
‘I am missing plays I don’t usually miss. I’ve had many opportunities to take advantage of defending, haven’t been able to do it.
‘I’ve got to go out there and give it my best. I played really soft in this first half, I’ll be way better second half.’
Yaxel Lendeborg was frustrated by his first half performance as Michigan played UConn
But Lengeborg left a big impression upon the millions of fans watching from home.
‘Yaxel Lendeborg just gave the most candid halftime interview I’ve ever seen,’ one fan wrote, posting the clip of the full interview.
Another wrote: ‘Not a fan of Michigan but this interview… was genuine and raw. Hard not to root for a kid who’s got a bum ankle and is playing likely the last game of his college career.’
But some felt Lendeborg should have kept his cards closer to his chest.
‘Yeah this is something you just don’t say. Leaving room for excuse. You out there, just hoop,’ one of the more critical takes read.
A different viewer commented: ‘Call me old school but saying that at half time is wild.’
Lendeborg was taken out of the game with around seven minutes to go in the game and looked visibly dejected as he sat back down with his teammates.
Going into the game, Michigan coach Dusty May did his best to downplay any fears over his key man.
‘He looked great in shootaround today. I’m sure once adrenaline kicks in, he should be moving well,’ May told CBS, also speaking to Wolfson.
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