A VERSATILE performer who can impact the game in just about every way, forward Yaxel Lendeborg may have just done enough to secure selection in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, which is getting closer by the day.

At six-foot-nine, he certainly brings plenty of height to the forward position, but it is his combination of all-around scoring, playmaking, rebounding and defensive impact that will make teams so intrigued by him come draft time.

Although he has not played against too many other draft candidates and his shooting can be inconsistent at times, his ability to get involved in just about every asset of the game sees Landeborg offer value as an immediate impact draft prospect.

Playing for the UAB Blazers this season, he averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.8 blocks per game on 52.2 per cent shooting in an impressive senior campaign.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will run through some of the clearest comparisons to already established NBA talents, with Landeborg’s all-around impact seeing similarities to some of the NBA’s most damaging forwards.

Tari Eason – Houston Rockets

One of the brightest talents on a young and emerging Rockets roster, Eason is truly beginning to come into his own as a player. Drafted with the 17th overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft, he made an immediate impact with Houston, being named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2022 and finding a spot in the rotation in no time at all. He put together a career-best season in the 2024/25 season, posting numbers of 12.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists, even starting in 16 games for the Rockets, and at just 23 years of age, seems a vital piece of Houston’s roster moving forward. His ability to score at three levels (including as a spot-up shooter), defend strongly, rebound and even operate as a secondary ball-handler for his size is what NBA scouts like about Lendeborg, and if the latter can have just as strong of a start to his career, it will thrill the team that drafts him.

Justise Winslow – Miami Heat

Although his NBA career has not quite lived up to the initial hype, Winslow was a highly touted draft pick after a strong campaign with the Duke Blue Devils. He was drafted by the Miami Heat with the 10th overall pick in 2015, and was solid in his first season of NBA action, earning selection on the All-Rookie Second Team for his efforts. He was an elite defensive stopper, while his scoring and passing were impressive for his position. Although his career never reached the lofty heights that many expected, Winslow was certainly a strong player archetype, and his ability to do it all is certainly seen in Lendeborg’s game.

Paolo Banchero – Orlando Magic

Although this may be putting a bit of pressure on Lendeborg given he has not even reached the NBA yet, the eye test suggests he and Banchero have similar arsenals. Banchero was the first overall selection of the 2022 NBA Draft, and the Orlando Magic have been thrilled with what the power forward has been able to produce. Already an All-Star, he was also named Rookie of the Year for an excellent debut campaign, and has fully cemented himself as one of the star players of the competition, leading the Magic to consecutive playoff campaigns and emerging as a superstar at just 22 years of age. In terms of similarities between he and Lendeborg, both players are excellent playmakers and ball-handlers for their size, and can impact the game in most ways. Although it is asking a bit for Lendeborg to become a star to the level of Banchero, the two players have similar skillsets, and it has worked for the latter to date.