Star From South Jersey, 76ers Highlight 2026 NBA Draft Recap

BROOKLYN, NY — It didn't take long in this year's National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft for South Jersey to be featured on the stage during the two-night event.

The bright lights of Brooklyn brought Yaxel Lendeborg, a former forward for Pennsauken High School, a ticket to the league via the Golden State Warriors with the 11th pick in the first round on Tuesday.

Lendeborg played just 11 games as a senior in the 2019/2020 season (10-1) before going on to junior college at Arizona Western.

After a stint at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), he went on to help lead Michigan to the National Championship in April as the Big Ten Player of the Year.

The 23-year-old netted 13 points in the victory over the University of Connecticut (UCONN).

Nicknamed the "Dominican LeBron," Lendeborg was born in Puerto Rico to Dominican parents.

He moved to Ohio when he was two and then to Pennsauken Township when he was eight.

After making the freshman team in high school, he was dropped in the middle of the season due to poor grades. Academic struggles would then cause him to miss the next two years of opportunity on the hardwood.

It wasn't until a dual-enrollment program with Camden County College and an improvement in marks that he was able to suit up for the Pennsauken varsity squad.

During his final season with UAB in 2024/2025, Lendeborg became one of only two Division 1 players all-time to score 600 points, 400 rebounds, and 150 assists in a season.

Only NBA Hall of Famer Larry Bird also has this achievement on his resume from his 1978/1979 season at Indiana State.

The 6-foot-9 Lendeborg averaged 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds in 2025/2026 for the NCAA-Champion Wolverines, earning All-Big 10 First Team, All-Big 10 Defensive Team, and consensus All-America First Team honors.

He will now join an aging Warriors roster looking to refuel its title-winning ways of the mid-2010s.

"I can bring a lot of different things to the game, being able to play multiple positions and do whatever is needed," Lendeborg said after his pre-draft workout with the Golden State. "A lot of people like winners. It [winning a National Championship] showcased that I'm willing to put aside any stat to win."

In 2026/2027, all-time NBA three-pointers-made leader Stephen Curry is going to be in his 18th year as a pro, alongside 15-year veteran and former all-star Draymond Green.

The Philadelphia Pick

The 76ers made just one selection in the 2026 NBA Draft, going with Alabama's Labaron Philon Jr. at No. 22.

The 6-foot-3 sophomore was the only Division 1 player in 2025/2026 to average at least 22 points and five assists while shooting 50 percent or better from the field.

He also set a Crimson Tide record with 725 points with the most ever by a second-year player.

According to Rotowire and the official NBA Draft media guide, Philon has drawn comparisons to players that range from veteran guards like Mike Conley, Darius Garland, and Dennis Schroeder to reigning two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Sixers again add depth to their backcourt following a successful debut season from 2025 No. 3 overall draft pick VJ Edgecombe and another standout year from Tyrese Maxey.

The 2026/2027 schedule is anticipated to be released in mid-August.

MORE FROM PATCH: Cancer Center Becomes Only In South Jersey To Offer These Treatment Services

HAVE A STORY IDEA OR NEWS TO SHARE? Contact Editor Eddie Callahan at edward.callahan@patch.com to connect with Patch in your area.