The San Antonio Spurs exceeded expectations in the 2025-26 season, making it all the way to the NBA Finals.

It’s hard to imagine that the players take comfort in knowing that they “did better than expected.” With the offseason staring them down, the Spurs have plenty of moves they need to make, and every option is going to be on the table.

In years past, as the Spurs tanked, building through the draft was their best option. This season, with 62 wins under their belt, they don’t get a premier draft pick, even after swapping with the Atlanta Hawks. With the 20th overall pick, the Spurs should have an easy choice to make.

San Antonio Spurs Must Draft Yaxel Lendeborg

In the distant past, before foreign players started dominating the lottery and well before the one-and-done era, draft analysis was simple: take the best player on the best college team.

With pick number 20, expect the Spurs to try and do just that.

Yaxel Lendeborg wrapped up his sixth college season as an NCAA champion with the Michigan Wolverines. The juco product transferred to UAB before joining Dusty May’s Wolverines, finishing his final season with All-American honors.

The bruising 6-9 forward finished his senior season averaging 15.5 points and 6.8 rebounds, all while being able to space the floor. Most teams in front of the Spurs would rather pick a younger player (Lendeborg is already 23) or a player with superstar upside. The general consensus is that Lendeborg will be a fine role player, but that’s about it.

Luckily, that’s exactly what the Spurs need.

Victor Wembanyama is one of the most dominant paint players the league has ever seen, although he often gets dragged out to the perimeter. While he’s perfectly adept at playing outside on both ends of the floor, it leaves a hole in the Spurs’ rebounding. Lendeborg is a traditional power forward, filling a much-needed gap in the Spurs’ attack.

In his two seasons at UAH, Lendeborg posted 11 rebounds per game. He can finish in the paint, even against bigger players, and is a rare NBA-ready prospect. He is expected to be picked before the Spurs get a chance to snag him, although most experts have him being picked between 10 and 22, making it a very real possibility.

Lendeborg will likely never be a franchise centrepiece, but he fills an immediate need, is ready to play, and would enter the league on a rookie contract, saving the San Antonio Spurs money to extend their young core.

If he’s there, Brian Wright should sprint to make the pick.