Yaxel Lendeborg's age as a Warriors rookie puts NBA draft norms into perspective originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Does age really matter in the NBA draft?
Over the past few years, the NBA has become increasingly accepting of older prospects — and the Warriors’ newest player is putting that conversation back into focus.
Yaxel Lendeborg was the oldest player selected in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft at 23 years old, born Sept. 30, 2002. His path to the lottery was anything but conventional — he spent the bulk of his collegiate career at UAB before transferring to Michigan through the portal for his final season, where he helped lead the Wolverines to the 2026 NCAA championship and earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors.
When you put his age into perspective by comparing him to some of his new teammates and former Warriors, the numbers are genuinely eye-opening.
Yaxel Lendeborg is older than Brandon Podziekmski who is entering year 4 with the Warriors 🤯
Yaxel Lendeborg was born on September 30, 2002
Brandin Podziemski was born on February 25, 2003 pic.twitter.com/FbzKSCFBKH
— Hoops Alerts (@TheHoopsAlerts) June 24, 2026
Brandin Podziemski, now entering his fourth year with the Warriors, was born on Feb. 25, 2003 — meaning he was just 20 years old when Golden State drafted him No. 19 overall in 2023. Former Warrior Jonathan Kuminga, the No. 7 overall pick in 2021, was only 18 years old on draft night — nearly five years younger than Lendeborg is right now. The Warriors are adding a 23-year-old rookie to a roster that already has veterans who were drafted as teenagers.
Yaxel Lendeborg is a week older than Jonathan Kuminga. I got a chuckle out of that.
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) June 24, 2026
That context matters. In 2024, The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov reported that of the 30 players drafted at age 22 or older over the prior 15 years, roughly three had become reliable starter-level players — Buddy Hield, Cam Johnson and Kelly Olynyk. The sample size was small and the odds were steep.
But that report predates a seismic shift in college basketball. The emergence of NIL [name, image, likeness] has fundamentally changed the calculus for top prospects, with more players choosing to stay in school longer to maximize their earning potential and development before entering the draft. Lendeborg himself withdrew from the 2025 draft to spend one final year at Michigan — a decision that likely moved him from a late first-round pick to a lottery selection.
The question the Warriors are betting on is whether Lendeborg’s age is a liability or simply evidence of a longer, more complete path to the same destination. His college production — 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 37.2 percent from 3-point range in his final season — suggests the latter.
Age might matter in the NBA draft. But so does being ready.
