Warriors take Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11: We grade the NBA draft pick

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Warriors take Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11: We grade the NBA draft pick

Warriors take Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11: We grade the NBA draft pick

Marcus D. Smith, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Wed, Jun 24, 2026 ·

3 min read

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Questions loomed on what the Golden State Warriors would do with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft .

Will they trade it? Will they make a selection? We finally have the answer.

The Warriors selected Yaxel Lendeborg out of Michigan with the 11th overall pick in the NBA draft.

The Warriors had a bunch of needs to address with the draft from player health to another ball-handler, playmaker, scorer, two-way wing and big man, preferably a center. Lendeborg is coming off of a national championship and is seemingly the answer to Golden State's desire for a player ready to play immediately that can space the floor.

Golden State is ready to welcome Lendeborg as he finds a way to come and fit in with face of the franchise Stephen Curry and other returning Warriors, under Steve Kerr, who re-signed with the team this offseason.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver poses with 2026 draft prospects before the NBA Draft at Barclays Center.

(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)

NBA commissioner Adam Silver shakes hands with AJ Dybantsa after h is drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)

NBA commissioner Adam Silver shakes hands with AJ Dybantsa after he is drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)

AJ Dybantsa is drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)

NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)

Cameron Boozer awaits the start of Round One.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)

Caleb Wilson poses with family prior to Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)

Chris Cenac Jr. poses for a photo with Kelvin Sampson prior to Round One.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)

Mikel Brown Jr. awaits the start of Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)

An interior view of Barclays Center prior to Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Caleb Bowlin, Getty Images)

The Warriors concluded the 2025-26 regular season with a 37-45 record. Despite the losing record, Golden State managed to earn a berth in the NBA Play-In Tournament as the 10th seed. They defeated the Los Angeles Clippers with an epic comeback victory, but were eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the final play-in game for the 8th seed in the 2026.

Lendeborg comes in at a peculiar time where Golden State was winning expectations, but have accepted that their days as champions of the league may be no longer. The Warriors will look for ways that Lendeborg can contribute now and prove to be a piece of their future.

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Are the Warriors winners or losers after first round?

The Warriors are winners of the NBA Draft first round with their Lendeborg selection.

While at Michigan, his teammates called him "Dominican LeBron ". Around the rim, he's an efficient finisher with a soft touch. He is someone who can do it all: shoot, score, pass and defend. He led Michigan in scoring with 15.1 points and was second with 6.8 rebounds, adding 3.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per game.

Grading the Golden State Warriors first round draft pick

Here's how USA TODAY Sports grades the Golden State Warriors ' first round draft selection:

The grade:A
Why?: This is a great pickup for the Warriors in terms of upside and readiness. Lendeborg is seen as an older player, but at 23, going on 24-years-old, he's the perfect piece to plug in to what Golden State is building.