St. John’s lands versatile junior college forward Yaxel Lendeborg
St. John’s is going big with its 2023 recruiting class.
nypost.com
By Zach Braziller
St. John’s is going big with its 2023 recruiting class.
First, it was four-star, 6-foot-8 forward Brandon Gardner and on Wednesday coach Mike Anderson landed a verbal commitment from 6-9 junior college forward Yaxel Lendeborg.
“It was clear-cut,” Lendeborg said of his decision. “Me, my mom, my dad, we went on the visit [this weekend]. We loved every moment of it. The coaches made us feel like family. Their playing style I feel suits me perfectly. They play fast-paced offense, they play hard-nosed defense, and they move the ball a lot. That caught my eye.”
Lendeborg, a 20-year-old who can shoot from the outside and has some guard skills, picked the Johnnies over New Mexico and Xavier, providing a dose of good news after the Red Storm lost out on top-targets Brandon Williams (UCLA) and Carl Cherenfant (Memphis). He averaged 12.2 points, 11 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 29 games while shooting 35.7 percent from 3-point range for Arizona Western College.
Yaxel Lendeborg has committed to St. John’s.
Yaxel Lendeborg
“He’s pretty skilled, seems like a really good kid,” a college coach familiar with Lendeborg said. “He shoots the ball pretty good. He’s definitely a good get. I like him. He has a chance to be good at their level.”
The coaching staff was drawn to Lendeborg because of his versatility and the ability to play inside and out. They told him he reminds them of former St. John’s stretch forward Aaron Wheeler, a shotmaking threat who can play at the top of the press. Assistant coach Greg “Shoes” Vetrone, Lendeborg’s lead recruiter, saw him at an event this summer and remained in constant contact with the skilled forward.
A Pennsauken, N.J. native, Lendeborg is a late bloomer. Out of high school, he didn’t have any scholarship offers after appearing in just 11 games at the varsity level. It wasn’t until he was seen at a spring camp in New York that he opened eyes and wound up at Arizona Western.
Even after he was named the Arizona Community College Athletic Association Player of the Year and was a third-team All-American last season, he only held an offer from Lamar that came from Charles Harral, the former coach at Arizona Western. But he had a strong summer, performing well at junior college showcase events. Offers came pouring in, from the likes of Memphis, Houston and his three finalists, among others.
He took an official visit to St. John’s last weekend, and felt the fit was right for him. He was drawn to the uptempo style and the family atmosphere Anderson has cultivated. The presence of DePaul transfer David Jones, a close friend, played a role as well.
“It’s amazing. It feels like I’m representing my area,” Lendeborg said. “I’ll have a lot of support back home.”
