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Following Potential 2026 Draftees

NUMBERICA said:
Something about him seems off to me. I’m kinda just out on him. For reasons I can’t explain he gives me Royce White vibes.
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LOL, yeah from a basketball standpoint I can actually see that, although Royce was a non shooter and I think Yaxel has a decent shot, which is kind of a huge difference.

Yaxel is really good at everything, but I don't know if he's NBA level good at anything. My rule of thumb is to not pick 22+ year olds in the lottery, and so I think Yaxel will probably end up in the 15-25 range for me at the end of the year.
 
SoberasHotRod said:
LOL, yeah from a basketball standpoint I can actually see that, although Royce was a non shooter and I think Yaxel has a decent shot, which is kind of a huge difference.

Yaxel is really good at everything, but I don't know if he's NBA level good at anything. My rule of thumb is to not pick 22+ year olds in the lottery, and so I think Yaxel will probably end up in the 15-25 range for me at the end of the year.
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I think what I’m getting at is more off-the-court/personality stuff. Yaxel’s background stories I’ve heard sound weird or bad. 5th year player that could’ve gone drafted last year? I don’t have a word to describe it besides that he seems off and it doesn’t instill confidence in me that he’s an NBA player.

He probably just lacks true confidence but it reads as shifty. Either way, it’s not good.
 
NUMBERICA said:
I think what I’m getting at is more off-the-court/personality stuff. Yaxel’s background stories I’ve heard sound weird or bad. 5th year player that could’ve gone drafted last year? I don’t have a word to describe it besides that he seems off and it doesn’t instill confidence in me that he’s an NBA player.

He probably just lacks true confidence but it reads as shifty. Either way, it’s not good.
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I guess maybe I don't know what stories you are referring to?

I think NIL makes the coming back to college a complete non story, but maybe I'm missing something.
 
SoberasHotRod said:
I guess maybe I don't know what stories you are referring to?

I think NIL makes the coming back to college a complete non story, but maybe I'm missing something.
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I don’t remember the story either and I can’t find it. Just read to me like “dog ate my homework” kinda ****.

I don’t have much to go off of, I want to be clear on this. It’s a gut thing.
 
NUMBERICA said:
I don’t remember the story either and I can’t find it. Just read to me like “dog ate my homework” kinda ****.

I don’t have much to go off of, I want to be clear on this. It’s a gut thing.
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hmmm, ok. The way it went down in my head was that he was being recruited by Michigan and really wanted to go there, but then was rising up draft boards, so he went to the combine to test the waters and ultimately decided that Michigan would be the better place for him. I just can't blame a guy for getting the chance to go to a big time program like Michigan and make a lot of money.

It sounds like there is a story you heard that I haven't though.
 
Here’s what I remember on Yaxel. He didn’t grow up playing basketball and started late. All he did before play basketball was play video games until his mom/parents told him to start taking it seriously. He did and got really good. A big reason why he went back to college is the he/his camp thought he could use some more time in college to mature (as a human and player) given that this is all still new to him. He’s not a guy who grew up his whole life expecting to be a pro athlete.

I heard this from one of Givony podcasts, but Givony was glowing about him.

I don’t really see how Royce White applies here. IMO’s Yaxel’s decision to stay in college is a very self aware one and he’s doing the right things. Royce White was afraid to fly on airplanes, turned into a right wing grifter, and happened to have the same haircut.
 
KqWIN said:
Here’s what I remember on Yaxel. He didn’t grow up playing basketball and started late. All he did before play basketball was play video games until his mom/parents told him to start taking it seriously. He did and got really good. A big reason why he went back to college is the he/his camp thought he could use some more time in college to mature (as a human and player) given that this is all still new to him. He’s not a guy who grew up his whole life expecting to be a pro athlete.

I heard this from one of Givony podcasts, but Givony was glowing about him.

I don’t really see how Royce White applies here. IMO’s Yaxel’s decision to stay in college is a very self aware one and he’s doing the right things. Royce White was afraid to fly on airplanes, turned into a right wing grifter, and happened to have the same haircut.
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I worry more about motor and love of the game in part because of his background. Maybe more of an Ayton vibe. That’s without doing any research at all. I’m likely not in on him as an nba team until late lotto. He’s just so old lol.
 
KqWIN said:
Here’s what I remember on Yaxel. He didn’t grow up playing basketball and started late. All he did before play basketball was play video games until his mom/parents told him to start taking it seriously. He did and got really good. A big reason why he went back to college is the he/his camp thought he could use some more time in college to mature (as a human and player) given that this is all still new to him. He’s not a guy who grew up his whole life expecting to be a pro athlete.

I heard this from one of Givony podcasts, but Givony was glowing about him.

I don’t really see how Royce White applies here. IMO’s Yaxel’s decision to stay in college is a very self aware one and he’s doing the right things. Royce White was afraid to fly on airplanes, turned into a right wing grifter, and happened to have the same haircut.
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That sounds right.

I think video games are a cancer on society so seeing him as a Dorito-dusted basement dweller is doing a lot of work lol
 
Handlogten's Heros said:
I worry more about motor and love of the game in part because of his background. Maybe more of an Ayton vibe. That’s without doing any research at all. I’m likely not in on him as an nba team until late lotto. He’s just so old lol.
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I’m neutral on his background, trying to stay neutral on that kinda stuff this year in general.

The age thing is interesting. In my mind his late start balances out his old age. So I hit see him as regular old.

I’m still very in on him. I think he is very good at things that go underrated in the league. But he needs to start making some shots. I’m struggling to find 8 guys in really excited about, but he’s still T8 for me atm.
 
KqWIN said:
Here’s what I remember on Yaxel. He didn’t grow up playing basketball and started late. All he did before play basketball was play video games until his mom/parents told him to start taking it seriously. He did and got really good. A big reason why he went back to college is the he/his camp thought he could use some more time in college to mature (as a human and player) given that this is all still new to him. He’s not a guy who grew up his whole life expecting to be a pro athlete.

I heard this from one of Givony podcasts, but Givony was glowing about him.

I don’t really see how Royce White applies here. IMO’s Yaxel’s decision to stay in college is a very self aware one and he’s doing the right things. Royce White was afraid to fly on airplanes, turned into a right wing grifter, and happened to have the same haircut.
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I also think I just wanted to drop a Royce White reference lol

(Maybe in part because my off radar was going off on him pre-draft, too)
 
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