BORN: 30/09/2002
LAST TEAM: Michigan Wolverines (NCAA)
HEIGHT: 6’9 – 206 cm
WEIGHT: 240 – 109 kg
PRO
- Versatility
- Physical tools
- Rebounder
WEAKNESSES
- Not an elite scorer
- Managing off the dribble
- Shooting range
VIDEO
ACTUAL
POTENTIAL
INTRODUCTION
Yaxel Lendeborg has made a strong impression during his years at Arizona Western, where he was named to the Junior College All-American team for two years. After transferring to the Blazers and overcoming some initial difficulties, he emerged as one of the key players in the AAC victory, earning the MVP title in the Conference Tournament. He was also included in the AAC first team and received the DPOY award. In his final college season, he will be the main offensive threat for UAB, alongside Butta Johnson, as they aim for back-to-back victories.
PHYSICAL
Yaxel Lendeborg is a high-level athlete with good physicality. For his size, he has shown great dynamism, which combined with his wingspan makes him versatile, especially in defensive phases. His footwork ability, lateral mobility, and quickness for his size allow him to be a difficult opponent to limit without conceding advantages. In terms of physical tools, he is one of the most interesting players in the class of 2025.
OFFENSIVE PHASE
Yaxel Lendeborg shows promise as a versatile scorer, his quick first step allows him to drive past defenders, and he finishes well around the rim. He prefers to play facing the basket and use his quickness, but he is working on extending his range beyond the three-point line (33% on 1.1 attempts per game). In mismatch situations in the post, he has few but sufficient movements to be an effective finisher (53.7% from 2-P). As a screener, he lacks consistency, has no decisive timing for rolling, and is not a lob-threat. This is an area to work on to use at max his physical tools. He is also a capable facilitator from the forward position, showing good vision to find open teammates (2.1 assists per game). He has confidence in his ball-handling but needs to read the situations better, especially when facing defenses that close the way to the basket, which leads to turnovers (2 turnovers per game).
DEFENSIVE PHASE
Yaxel Lendeborg’s lateral quickness and length allow him to effectively switch across multiple positions. He possesses a good ability to cover spaces, with timing in rotations that makes him a valuable rim-protector (2.1 blocks), and he is also a good vocal leader with teammates. He is also a strong rebounder (10.6 per game) who can secure boards in traffic and initiate fast breaks. On the perimeter, he may have struggles against more explosive guards. He has a good basketball IQ to understand when to try a blitz on the ball-handler while remaining more comfortable to the drop in the paint.
IMPROVED AREAS
Yaxel Lendeborg in his last season at UAB can take an important step forward by adding to his undeniable athletic and defensive qualities a better offensive skill set. He probably won’t be a natural scorer, but a more consistent and effective three-point shot, and a greater focus on off the dribble initiatives, could already allow him to make a big impact. The upside is significant; he could become a high-level player in a European context.