In 2016, Yaxel Lendeborg was a 13-year-old middle schooler in the thick of the most polarized era of modern basketball. Like millions of other teenagers, he picked a side in the bitter rivalry between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. He chose Kyrie Irving. By extension, he chose to despise the man on the other side of the court.

"I'm a big Kyrie guy," Lendeborg said on a podium in Brooklyn this week, wearing a Golden State cap. "So I used to hate Steph Curry."

Ten years later, the irony is complete. The Warriors selected the 23-year-old Michigan wing with the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, effectively handing him a locker next to the man he spent his formative years rooting against. It is a full-circle moment that highlights just how long the Warriors' core has been running the league—and how desperate they are for fresh legs.

The Age Factor and the 'Win-Now' Mandate

Lendeborg enters the NBA as an outlier. While most lottery picks are teenagers with raw potential, Lendeborg will turn 24 before he plays his first professional minute. He spent his college career grinding through a transfer from UAB to Michigan, where he eventually blossomed into the Big Ten Player of the Year and a national champion.

General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. isn't bothered by the birth certificate. With Steph Curry at 38, Draymond Green at 36, and Al Horford pushing 40, the Warriors don't have the luxury of waiting for a project to develop.

"He's, what, 23, almost 24?" Dunleavy said. "I'm not worried because he's not 38."

That age gap is the point. The Warriors are currently navigating a roster in recovery, with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody both sidelined by significant injuries. They need a player who can step into a rotation immediately and provide high-level basketball IQ. Lendeborg’s 59 percent shooting from the field and his ability to facilitate from the frontcourt make him a plug-and-play piece for a team that has historically thrived on ball movement.

A Tense Draft Room

The selection of Lendeborg wasn't a foregone conclusion. Sources indicate the Warriors had their eyes on Arizona guard Brayden Burries, hoping he would slide to the 11th spot. When the Milwaukee Bucks snatched Burries at No. 10, the Warriors' draft room briefly descended into chaos.

ESPN cameras caught Dunleavy in a heated, animated discussion with owner Joe Lacob while on the clock. While Dunleavy jokingly claimed they were debating the best golf courses in San Francisco, he later admitted the conversation was about the flurry of trade offers coming in for the pick. Ultimately, the front office decided that the immediate utility of a mature, versatile forward like Lendeborg outweighed the risk of trading down.

Learning to Love the Rival

Lendeborg has already begun the process of reconciling his childhood fandom with his professional reality. He met Curry during a play-in game against the Clippers in April and had a formal sit-down during his pre-draft workout in the Bay Area.

He’s also already showing the kind of competitive edge that fits the Warriors' culture. When asked about joining forces with Draymond Green, Lendeborg didn't shy away from the rivalry between his alma mater and Green’s Michigan State.

"I know he's a Michigan State guy," Lendeborg said. "I'm really not too fond of that. But I'm definitely excited to be able to meet him and speak to him in person and learn."

Key Takeaways

  • Immediate Impact: At nearly 24 years old, Lendeborg is viewed as an NBA-ready rotation player who can contribute to a win-now roster immediately.
  • Roster Necessity: With key veterans like Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody facing long-term injury recoveries, the Warriors needed a versatile frontcourt connector.
  • The 'Full Circle' Dynamic: Lendeborg, a self-described former "Kyrie guy" who hated Curry, now finds himself as the newest apprentice to the Warriors' legendary point guard.

For the Warriors, the gamble is clear. They are betting that Lendeborg’s maturity and basketball IQ can bridge the gap between their aging legends and the next iteration of the franchise. The transition from hater to teammate is just the first step in a much larger, and much more difficult, assignment.