The Golden State Warriors drafted Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 11 overall pick out of Michigan in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft — but that decision may have come with a bit of drama.
Owner Joe Lacob and General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. appeared to have an intense exchange inside the Warriors’ draft war room not long before the selection was made.
The Warriors reportedly fielded offers for the No. 11 pick before selecting Lendeborg, a small forward.
The team ultimately decided to stick with their selection as the public tried to decipher a conversation captured on video between Lacob and Dunleavy prior to the pick.
The toss up for the Warriors was reportedly between Arizona guard Brayden Burries and Lendeborg. The former was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks at No. 10 overall.
With no trades materializing for Golden State, the team landed on Lendeborg.
Lendeborg brings size and defensive versatility to the wing for Golden State.
The 23-year-old is an older rookie, which leads many to believe he can make an impact with the Warriors early in his tenure.
Lendeborg will add some youth to a Warriors rotation that is headlined by Steph Curry (38 years old), Draymond Green (36) and Jimmy Butler (36).
The Michigan product was projected as a late first-round or early second-round player in last year’s NBA Draft.
The small forward opted to return to college and led Michigan to a national championship.