Yaxel wants the Mavericks to draft him at No. 9 to play for Dusty May, his coach at Michigan 😂 "Draft me, please." 😭 ht Via @espn on X

What happened: Yaxel Lendeborg made a public pitch for the Dallas Mavericks to select him with the ninth pick in the NBA Draft, where he would play under Dusty May, his coach at Michigan. "Draft me, please," Lendeborg said.

Why it matters: May was just named Dallas's head coach after leaving Michigan, so a pick at No. 9 would pair him with a player he already developed. That existing relationship can shorten a rookie's learning curve and give a new staff a known commodity early in its rebuild.

What to watch: Whether Dallas spends the ninth selection on Lendeborg when it goes on the clock.

Sources

  • @espn