A Closer Look at Yaxel Lendeborg’s Astonishing Improvement

Lottery picks in the NBA draft are typically thought of as chances to invest early and make a sizable wager on a youthful talent with major upside. In most cases, those wagers are driven by flashes of talent that we see now and hope become consistent brilliance on the court. As an older prospect who picked up organized basketball (very) late in his teenage years, Yaxel Lendeborg is a zag away from the norm, in a sense. Does this mean that his developmental arc is on the verge of flattening out, or is there a chance that he’ll continue to climb? Did the Golden State Warriors make a huge mistake?

Written, performed and edited by J. Kyle Mann
Illustration by Megan Mraz
Production support from Victoria Valencia
Additional photography and footage from UAB Athletics, CBS Sports, Arizona Western, Synergy Sports, Getty Images, ESPN, The Players’ Tribune, and the Indiana Pacers