NBA Draft: UAB's Yaxel Lendeborg Has Gotten Off to a Strong Start

Mid-major star Yaxel Lendeborg has started the season looking like one of the most productive prospects in the nation.

Mar 17, 2024; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) shoots a free throw against the Temple Owls during the first half at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images / Chris Jones-Imagn Images

While the majority of eyes are typically drawn to Power Five conferences for the highest-caliber draft prospects, smaller schools can still produce extremely interesting names to know leading up to most years’ NBA drafts.

One of the most intriguing prospects in this year’s class can be found in UAB’s Yaxel Lendeborg, who has exploded onto the scene so far this season with well-rounded play and consistent productivity. Through his first three games, he has posted eye-catching numbers by creating a wide variety of noticeable impact.

Here, we'll dive into Lendeborg’s potential as a draft prospect and highlight aspects of his game that will surely make him tantalizing to NBA teams.

The physical tools that Lendeborg boasts appear highly translatable to the NBA level. He stands 6-foot-9 and weighs 240 lbs. Playing as a forward, he uses his physicality to make a glaring impact on the interior, both offensively and defensively. As a junior at UAB, this impact was apparent, as he averaged ten rebounds and two blocks per game.

In his 35 games played last season, he grabbed double-digit rebounds 21 times and recorded 15 or more rebounds on nine separate occasions. He plays with a very high motor, which he combines with physicality and smart positioning to capitalize on opportunities off missed shots. Not only did he regularly impact rebounding, but his ability to block shots consistently was also noticeable.

He recorded at least one block in 29 of his 35 games last season and seems to have carried this productivity into his senior season as well. Through his first three games of the season, he has averaged nine rebounds and two blocks, maintaining similar effectiveness to last year.

His ability to score in a variety of ways is also very promising. He has scored over 20 points in each of his first three games on efficient shooting splits of 55.8%/40%/81.3%. He clearly competes for points in the paint, but his ability to attack off the dribble for a player of his size is especially impressive. This eye-catching handle allows him to create mismatches regardless of the opponent's build. He makes quick reads and drives with great patience and body control, taking care of the ball much better than most would expect from a player of his size. His outside shooting comes on relatively low volume, but the mechanics look smooth and promising for continued improvement.

The final aspect of his game that stands out is his potential as a connective playmaker. Currently averaging 3.7 assists per game in his first three games of the year, Lendeborg has done a great job of setting the table for others when defenders collapse to help on him. He makes quick reads and doesn’t always pass with the sole intent of securing assists, but rather to keep the offense flowing, which regularly leads to easy shots for UAB’s offense. If given an opportunity to play in an NBA setting, his ability to keep the ball moving could prove valuable on a more consistent basis.

As mentioned earlier, mid-major players typically do not receive as much attention as those at bigger schools, but it is not out of the question that Lendeborg could hear his name called in the upcoming draft. In the 2024 draft alone, we saw players like Dillon Jones from Weber State, Daron Holmes II from Dayton and Baylor Scheierman from Creighton all be selected in the first round. This bodes well for Lendeborg’s chances of earning a selection in the upcoming NBA draft.

UAB's Yaxel Lendeborg with three 20+ games to open the season. Pretty sharp off the dribble for 6'9". Coordinated around basket. Well-rounded with passing, defense, rebounding. Only 12 3PTM last year but 4-10 early + 80% FT shooter. pic.twitter.com/ESEkl1sNP0

— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) November 11, 2024

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