'Bet on yourself': How Yaxel Lendeborg raised his ...
Key takeaways
- "I learned so much through NBA 2K, so I kind of just understood the whole game of basketball because of that," he told ESPN.
- The video game obsession turned into a fascination with basketball and, eventually, a vision centered around the sport he discovered long after he had first developed a love for baseball.
- He went on to enter the 2025 NBA draft but ultimately withdrew and transferred to Michigan, where a seven-figure deal awaited.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The most improbable tale of the 2026 NBA draft is the rise of Yaxel Lendeborg: an NCAA champion turned projected lottery pick who didn't get serious about basketball until he was 18 years old -- and will have a video game to thank when Adam Silver calls his name Tuesday night in Brooklyn, New York.
"I learned so much through NBA 2K, so I kind of just understood the whole game of basketball because of that," he told ESPN. "As far as real life basketball, it was definitely a little bit of an adjustment, just trying to get my footwork down. I was traveling a lot throughout that time. I remember, specifically, my first dunk in a game was actually a travel."
The video game obsession turned into a fascination with basketball and, eventually, a vision centered around the sport he discovered long after he had first developed a love for baseball.