Where Is Yaxel Lendeborg From? All You Need to Know About Michigan Star’s Ethnicity

Yaxel Lendeborg (Image Credits: Imagn)

Where Is Yaxel Lendeborg From? All You Need to Know About Michigan Star’s Ethnicity

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports
By Debmallya Chakraborty | Last updated Jun 12, 2026 4:26 AM ET

Yaxel Lendeborg saw his life change in a flash. Back when he was 16, Lendeborg would play video games up to 19 hours a day. Additionally, he was also suspended from his high school basketball team due to poor academic results. But now, Lendeborg is at the pinnacle of his success, becoming the Big Ten Player of the Year and also a top prospect in the NBA draft lottery. With a lot of buzz around the youngster, here are all the details about his ethnicity and nationality.

Where Is Yaxel Lendeborg From?

The Michigan star was born on September 30, 2002, in Puerto Rico. Later, the 23-year-old star relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio, and the family settled in Pennsauken, New Jersey. As he was born in Puerto Rico, the NCAA star has US citizenship by birth.

However, owing to his Dominican roots, Lendeborg holds a dual nationality. It is for this reason that, while his hometown is officially listed as Pennsauken, the 23-year-old will play for the Dominican Republic international team.

What Is Yaxel Lendeborg’s Ethnicity?

Lendeborg has a Latino and Dominican heritage. Born to mother Yissel Raposo and father Okary Lendeborg, the Michigan star is from the Dominican Republic. Interestingly, basketball runs deep in the family.

Yaxel Lendeborg (Image Credits: Imagn)

More About Yaxel Lendeborg’s Family

Both of Yaxel’s parents represented their country at the highest level of competitive international basketball. Interestingly, Raposo was also well-equipped in volleyball, as she represented her country in volleyball, too.

Apart from his parents, Lendeborg’s grandfather also played a crucial role in his life. As Okary was away playing at the time of his birth, it was his grandfather who took on a fatherly role. His grandfather was also the one who took Lendeborg to a basketball court for the first time.

All of this sporting background helped ignite Yaxel’s interest in basketball. But things were not smooth initially. Following his high school graduation back in 2020, the talented youngster never received a Division I offer. Thankfully, attending an exposure camp in New York completely changed his fate. This particular camp was specifically designed for Dominican players, where Yaxel’s talent received the perfect exposure. With the right people spotting him at the camp, the youngster ended up at Arizona Western College, UAB, and ultimately Michigan.