The Golden State Warriors have drafted Yaxel Lendeborg from the Michigan Wolverines with the 11th pick in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft last night.
Following the pick, the new Warriors rookie spoke to the media at a press conference and admitted that while he was growing up, he used to hate Stephen Curry and loved Kyrie Irving.
“It’s a full circle moment for me,” Lendeborg said. “I’ve been saying this every time I get asked this question, but in 2016, I’m a big Kyrie [Irving] guy, so I used to hate Steph Curry. So 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.”
“I met him a couple of times,” Lendeborg added. “He’s a very great guy, a genuine person, and it’s going to be an honor to be able to watch him do what he does in person. So I’m very excited.”
Subsequently, the Warriors’ veteran has now responded to his admission with a hilarious mention of it in his welcome message to the rookie.
“Let’s go! Welcome to the Bay! I’m going to work hard to be your new favorite player 😂,” wrote Curry under Lendeborg’s emotional post on Instagram about joining the Warriors.
“Throughout all the mental warfare and all the mental collapse, I accomplished something many can’t say they have. Always had a big heart and gave my all to this game! This is the ultimate reward.”
“I pray that I can be a role model to somebody who was just like me, with no hope and no confidence in himself. Thank you, God, for not letting me quit and giving me the strength to keep fighting! The next chapter begins as I am now a Warrior. Thank you, Dub Nation💙,” wrote Lendeborg in the caption.
The 23-year-old former Michigan Wolverine was delighted to join the Warriors; he even began crying as he approached the stage after his selection.
Look how much it means to Yaxel 💛
He’s a Golden State Warrior 🙌 pic.twitter.com/kLuq1hkTkZ
— ESPN (@espn) June 24, 2026
“Every emotion possible, I don’t deserve to be here right now. Didn’t have the traditional path, so I am truly unworthy. But I can’t believe it,” said an overwhelmed Lendeborg to Lisa Salters right after the Warriors picked him.
After high school, Yaxel Lendeborg was working in a warehouse and had no plans to attend college. His mother pushed him to keep pursuing basketball. And if there is anyone who can inspire a person with an unconventional path to the league to make his place in it, it is Stephen Curry.
Considering that the Warriors want to immediately contend for a championship in this short window, they have remaining with Curry, Lendeborg is the perfect pick to potentially make an immediate impact on the rotation.
In his NCAA career, Lendeborg averaged 15.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists over three seasons. He shot 51.7% from the floor and 36.4% from beyond the arc with a steadily increasing three-point shooting efficiency over the years.
While Steve Kerr is infamous for not preferring to play young players, at age 24, Lendeborg, with three years of experience in college, in which he also won a national championship, is the most experienced player that the Warriors could pick with this level of talent.
Lendeborg can space the floor to shoot the light out, guard all positions, and has a 7’1 wingspan, which can also help in rim protection. So improving his chemistry with the franchise player, Stephen Curry, will be the first step in Lendeborg’s young and hopefully long Warriors career.
