SAN FRANCISCO – After much speculation in the lead-up to draft night, the Golden State Warriors have selected forward Yaxel Lendeborg with the 11th pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
Across 40 games last season at Michigan, Lendeborg averaged 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 51.5% from the field and 37.3% from the 3-point line.
The 24-year-old was one of the driving forces of the Wolverines’ dominant title run, with his size, versatility, and athleticism on both ends of the floor on full display in March. Then-Michigan head coach Dusty May said of Lendeborg, “Whatever this team needs, that’s what he wants to do,” with his winning mentality and NBA-ready profile being one of the traits that attracted the Warriors to him.
“A lot of people like winners, me being in the position that I was this past year showcased that I wanted to put aside any stat, or anything about myself, to win,” Lendeborg said after his pre-draft workout with the Warriors two weeks before draft night.
“Being in a winning culture, a winning program shows you a lot of different things that you have to do. Not just as far as sacrifices, but just as far as everyday, living to bring a spark and bring a kind of good energy to the squad.”
Lendeborg becomes the Warriors’ first lottery draft pick under general manager Mike Dunleavy, with their most recent lottery selections being Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody with the seventh and 14th overall picks in the 2022 NBA Draft.
With Golden State on the back end of its golden years, Lendeborg becomes an important part of the Warriors’ plans to support superstar point guard Stephen Curry for one last run. They also must prepare for the future once the 38-year-old franchise cornerstone inevitably retires.
With that in mind, here is the grade on Lendeborg, based on his fit and value, as he heads to his new home in the Bay Area.
Yaxel Lendeborg’s fit with the Warriors
One of the biggest needs for the Warriors entering this offseason was their wing depth. With Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody expected to miss a majority of next season with major injuries in their lower extremities, Golden State understood that the draft would be their best opportunity to find a guy to help them out in that ever-important area. Not to mention a wing with size, athleticism, and versatility, something they’ve lacked for the last couple of years.
In that sense, Lendeborg is a fantastic fit for the Warriors and can contribute immediately, given his age and experience on a championship-winning team. At 6′-9″ and 240 pounds, with his 7′-3″ wingspan, Lendeborg is capable of guarding all five positions. He moves his feet well, has a high motor, and is more than capable of racking up steals and blocks on that end of the floor.
On the offensive end, Lendeborg embodies the “connector” archetype coach Steve Kerr loves to tout. Lendeborg is a great playmaker and proved it at Michigan, where the Wolverines utilized him as a point forward to initiate the offense. In a Warriors offense that relies on off-ball movement and quick decision-making, Lendeborg has the IQ and vision to thrive in their system.
“If I was here, I would be more like a secondary ball handler,” Lendeborg said after his pre-draft workout when asked about his potential fit in Golden State. Lendeborg believes he can come into the league and instantly average five assists a game.
And beyond his playmaking, Lendeborg runs the floor well, especially in transition. As for his 3-point shot, Lendeborg is a solid shooter, but he will need some work as he transitions to the NBA level. Lendeborg shot 41.0% on unguarded catch-and-shoot three-pointers but only hit 30.6% on guarded looks of the same type. Fortunately for him, playing with gravity like Curry tends to net you a lot of wide-open looks.
Grading the pick
Lendeborg is a low-risk, high-floor pick for Golden State, the kind of player you want when you are trying to maximize the final years of this dynasty. But the one concern that loomed over Lendeborg, and will continue to loom over him, is his age. At 24-years-old, Lendeborg is very much on the older end of lottery prospects.
To put it in perspective, Lendeborg was in the same high school class as Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley. And those two have already played five seasons in the NBA.
In that sense, it’s hard to see Lendeborg developing into the kind of star the Warriors will inevitably need once Curry, Butler, and Draymond Green ride off into the sunset. The floor may be high, but the ceiling might not be. And given how the Warriors’ 2025-2026 devolved into an uncompetitive slog, with injuries derailing their contention hopes, it’s not pessimistic to wonder if the Warriors should have taken a prospect that aligns with the future, instead of a prospect that can help whatever competitive hopes remain.
However, the argument against his older age is that his late-bloomer development curve has always trended up. At every level, from Juco to mid-major to blue-blood Michigan, Lendeborg has always leveled up to the competition level. If you are an optimist, that would lead you to believe his ceiling could be higher than that of other past older prospects. And there’s something to be said about a player who comes from a winning background.
“If you can play, you can play,” Lendeborg said of his older age profile at his Warriors pre-draft workout. “Everybody’s path is different. And every time I get on the court, I’m gonna showcase that, you know. So, whether it’s a guy that’s 30 or a guy that’s 18, I’m gonna go out there and show them better.”
Ultimately, it’s a good pick. Lendeborg fits Dubs’ system in a lot of important ways and will certainly help the Warriors in the present. We’ll just have to wait and see if Lendeborg can develop into something that gives the Golden State fanbase some real hope for the post-Stephen Curry era.
Grade: B+
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