Yaxel Lendeborg was cut from his middle school team 3 times and cut from his freshman team mid-season for poor grades. He wasn't mad about it. It meant he continue playing video games for 12+ hours per day.
He wanted nothing to do with sports after graduating. He picked up a warehouse job, but his mother convinced him to join a JUCO team...and something clicked.
For the first time in his life Yaxel believed in himself. He started working hard to results compounded every year.
- Arizona Western College all-time leading rebounder
- AAC Defensive Player of the Year at UAB
- #1 graded transfer
- 1st team All-American
- National Champion at Michigan
When asked about his journey Yaxel said
“I feel like I’m doing it for the people, who don��t believe in themselves”
"I want to be a role model for those people”
“Don’t doubt yourself. Give it a second effort before you give up”
Credit to @alex_squadron and his original reporting at Hoops HQ
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic is out indefinitely due to a left hamstring injury, sources tell me and @mcten. He will miss the remainder of the regular season and his status is uncertain beyond that.
THIS CELTICS DUO IS SPECIAL 🔥
☘️ Brown: 43 PTS, 17-29 FG, 7 AST
☘️ Tatum: 25 PTS, 18 REB, 11 AST
First Tatum triple-double since his return from injury.
Just in: Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham has been diagnosed with a collapsed lung and is expected to miss an extended period of time, sources tell ESPN.
The Brooklyn Nets are waiving Cam Thomas, allowing the scoring guard to enter free agency, sources tell ESPN. The Nets made the decision to allow Thomas to find a new home.
The Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors have agreed on a multi-team trade sending Chris Paul to the Raptors and Ochai Agbaji, a 2032 Raptors second-rounder and cash to the Nets, sources tell ESPN.
Just in: The Chicago Bulls are trading Coby White and Mike Conley Jr. to the Charlotte Hornets for Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.
BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks are trading 10-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to the Washington Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders, sources tell ESPN.
BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Prolific swap of the star point guards.
BREAKING: The Chicago Bulls are trading center Nikola Vucevic and a second-round pick to the Boston Celtics for Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN.
Just in: For the first time, the Memphis Grizzlies are entertaining offers to potentially move two-time All-Star Ja Morant ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, sources tell ESPN.