NBA Draft

Yaxel Lendeborg Puts Scouts on Notice in C-USA Championship Game

The junior forward has had a really impressive season so far, and is heating up at the right time.

Keenan Womack

Yaxel Lendeborg Puts Scouts on Notice in C-USA Championship Game
Yaxel Lendeborg Puts Scouts on Notice in C-USA Championship Game /
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The University of Alabama-Birmingham, or UAB, won the Conference-USA Championship on their way out this past weekend behind the talents of their quartet of double-digit scorers: Eric Gaines, Alejandro Vasquez, Efrem Johnson and Yaxel Lendeborg, the true star of the Blazers squad. 

Lendeborg, a junior forward from Pennsauken, NJ, has been an absolute menace on the glass specifically this season, and demonstrated his prowess in the title game against Temple, snagging 16 boards in a 85-69 rout that ensured UAB an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. 

The total stat line from Lendeborg was 14 points, 16 rebounds and 4 assists on 6-for-13 from the field. Standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing 230 pounds, Lendeborg isn't the tallest player on the floor, but is a very impactful defender and rebounder. 

What really sticks out is his motor – anyone that grabs 16 rebounds is a guy that has some sort of hunger for the ball. He was all-AAC Tournament Team, all-AAC Tournament MVP, AAC Regular Season MVP and the 2023-2024 AAC Defensive Player of the Year. 

He was the best player in the league this season. Any player that is the best in an entire conference typically deserves some kind of looks from professional scouts. 

Lendeborg seems like the type to earn a two-way contract in the NBA, and maybe work his way onto a roster as a backup big that can come into the game in special defensive situations. He has decent touch around the rim as well, with an eFG of 51.8%. 

In the NCAA Tournament, the 12-seed UAB Blazers will be taking on the 5-seed San Diego State Aztecs, a game that many think UAB has a chance to win. 

Whether they win or not, people are going to be looking out for Yaxel Lendeborg – and so should you. 

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Keenan Womack
KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.

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