Warriors select Yaxel Lendeborg with No. 11 pick in 2026 NBA draft

Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News on Jun 23, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

SAN FRANCISCO — The team that admitted to needing “a little bit of everything” decided to opt for a pro-ready player with its first round pick on Tuesday evening.

Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy made Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg the No. 11 pick.

Lendeborg, 23, was the Big Ten Player of the Year and leader of Michigan’s national championship-winning team.

Called the “Dominican LeBron James” by his Michigan teammates, Lendeborg averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Wolverines. He can play both forward spots, and the Warriors could ask him to play on the wing while Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody recover from knee injuries.

Lendeborg played three seasons for Arizona Western Junior College before attending UAB for two seasons. He then went on to dominate at Michigan as a 6-foot-9 forward.

It was the highest pick the Warriors had made since choosing Jonathan Kuminga No. 7 overall in the 2021 draft, having chosen in the second round for each of the past two years. Golden State entered the draft lottery after going 37-45 during the regular season and bowing out in the play-in tournament.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who re-signed with the team in May, has already promised that Lendeborg will enjoy a featured role in a rotation that desperately needs an infusion of youth.

“That guy has to play,” Kerr said last month. “He’s got to earn it, but we’re committed to absolutely, you know, the development of our young players and trying to do this thing in a way that allows for, you know, success down the road.”

The Warriors also own the No. 54 overall pick in Wednesday’s second round.