From Pennsauken to the Final Four, Yaxel Lendenborg's rise fueled by his mother's support
An athlete from Pennsauken, New Jersey, is preparing to take the court in the Final Four. It's a moment years in the making that wouldn't be possible without his mom. Standing 6 feet 9 inches tall, Yaxel Lendeborg, a forward at Michigan, is approaching one of the biggest moments of his basketball career.
As Michigan gets ready to face Arizona in the Final Four on Saturday, those closest to him are reflecting on the path that brought him there. "You can do it. I always talk to Yaxel in a positive way.
I know he's great. I always believe, look now," said his mother, Yisselinet Raposo. His former coach, Harrison Carsillo, said Lendeborg has grown immensely over the years, and he couldn't be more proud.
"To see where he is now, no, I never saw the Final Four and being as big of a player that he is," Carsillo said. Lendeborg's road to the national stage included setbacks. While in high school in Pennsauken, he missed several seasons because of his grades.
He eventually became eligible to join the varsity team for the final 11 games of his senior year. "Did I expect him to go to the Final Four from that year? Absolutely not.