The NCAA champion is already buzzing about learning from a franchise legend.
The Golden State Warriors have been open about needing talent that can help right away, and with the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, they went out and got it by selecting Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who led the Wolverines to a national championship this past season.
Lendeborg Is Ready
Shortly after hearing his name called on Tuesday night, Lendeborg shared his thoughts on joining the Warriors and playing alongside Stephen Curry.
"Now that I'm actually going to be able to be on the same team with him, play, and actually learn so much from him, it means a lot," Lendeborg said. "I met him a couple of times. He's a very great guy, genuine person. It's going to be an honor to be able to watch him do what he does in person so I'm very excited."
Those words say a lot about where Lendeborg's head is at.
He is not coming in thinking he is the franchise's next star, and that mindset fits perfectly alongside a core led by Curry, who averaged 26.6 points per game this past season, and Draymond Green, who anchored the defense with 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in his 14th year.
Why the Pick Makes Sense
Golden State went 37-45 in the 2025-26 season and finished 10th in the Western Conference before getting bounced in the play-in round by the Phoenix Suns.
Injuries played a huge part, with Jimmy Butler going down to a torn ACL in January and Moses Moody suffering a ruptured patellar tendon.
The team needed a plug-and-play addition and Lendeborg was the most talked-about fit heading into draft night.
At 6-foot-9 and 241 pounds with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Lendeborg has the size to guard multiple positions right away.
In his final season at Michigan, he put up 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from three.
A consensus First-Team All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year, he has five college seasons behind him, giving him a maturity edge that most rookies simply do not have.
Slotting In With the Warriors Core
The Warriors made it clear all offseason that they wanted someone who could contribute from day one.
Lendeborg checks every box.
His two-way ability means he can defend on the wing or in the post while spacing the floor for Curry on offense, and his passing at his size makes him a natural fit within Steve Kerr's motion system.
With Butler expected back and Lendeborg now in the fold, the Warriors have a real path toward being more competitive next season.
Playing alongside one of the greatest shooters in NBA history is something Lendeborg clearly does not take for granted, and that humble approach could make him a fan favorite in the Bay very quickly.
