A major event such as the NBA Draft brings all the emotions out from all parties involved, and that was seemingly the case between Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. during a heated moment on Tuesday.
Just before the Warriors’ turn to make their pick in the first round (No. 11 overall), ESPN’s coverage of the draft showed Golden State’s war room, where Lacob and Dunleavy appeared to be having an intense conversation, possibly about which player to pick.
It may also have something to do with the Warriors reportedly turning down trade offers.
Joe Lacob and Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy appeared to disagree on what to do with their draft pick before deciding on Yaxel Lendeborg
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— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 24, 2026
There is a lot that goes behind the scenes when it comes to draft decisions, and that interaction between Lacob and Dunleavy is perhaps more common than most people realize.
In any case, the Warriors ultimately went with Michigan Wolverines basketball product Yaxel Lendeborg.
Coming off a national championship run with the Wolverines, Lendeborg now takes his talents from Ann Arbor to the Bay Area, where he will be playing (and learning) alongside future Basketball Hall of Famers Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
Lendeborg was the third Michigan player to be selected in the 2026 draft, with Morez Johnson Jr. going to the Dallas Mavericks ninth overall and Aday Mara being selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 12.
At 23 years old, Lendeborg is considered old for a rookie, but he still injects a much-needed youth into the team.
During his senior year in college with Dusty May’s Wolverines squad, Lendeborg averaged a near triple-double of 15.1 points and 9.5 rebounds through 40 games, while posting an incredible 60.2 effective field goal percentage.
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