From warehouse worker to NBA lottery pick: the improbable rise of Yaxel Lendeborg
In short: After being cut from his high school team for poor grades, Yaxel Lendeborg worked in a warehouse, far from the bright lights of professional basketball. Yet, through a social media clip and sheer persistence, he ascended to become a national champion and a first-round NBA draft pick.
Lendebrag's journey is defined by academic and athletic volatility. During his time at Pennsauken High School, he was initially removed from the basketball squad due to poor academic performance and missed two subsequent seasons for similar reasons. His trajectory steadied after enrolling in a dual-programme at Camden County College, which enabled his return to varsity competition for the final 11 games of his senior year.
His collegiate career was a whirlwind of transfers and record-breaking feats. After a standout stint at Arizona Western, where he set an NJCAA all-time record of 870 total rebounds, he moved to UAB. While playing for UAB, he joined Larry Bird as the sole other NCAA Division I athlete to achieve more than 600 points, 400 rebounds, and 150 assists during one campaign. In 2025, he transferred to the University of Michigan, where he led the Wolverines to a 19–1 Big Ten regular-season record and a 2026 national championship.
By the time the 2026 NBA draft arrived, Lendeborg was a seasoned competitor. At 23, he was the oldest player selected in the first round, at least three years older than any of the ten players drafted ahead of him. Selected 11th overall by the Golden State Warriors, he signed a four-year rookie-scale contract worth $28.1 million. His ascent was fueled by the support of his mother, Yissel Raposo, a former collegiate athlete who encouraged his pursuit of the game even while facing treatment for appendix cancer.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Yaxel Lendeborg
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-yaxel-lendeborg.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Born on this day · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics
