The week before training camp, Golden State Warriors players gathered at Jimmy Butler's San Diego mansion for pickup games. In one game alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, rookie wing Yaxel Lendeborg read a backdoor cut, received a pass from Green and finished an uncontested dunk. Green and Curry roared their approval, a moment that signaled the rookie was already grasping the patterns that make the Warriors' offense work.
The Warriors had Lendeborg and Arizona guard Brayden Burries ranked neck-and-neck on their final draft board in June. When the Milwaukee Bucks took Burries at No. 10, Golden State pivoted to Lendeborg, a prospect who fit its immediate timeline as Curry's final seasons approach. At 24 years old, 241 pounds and standing 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, he offers size and power at a wing spot where the roster is thin while Butler and Moses Moody recover from serious knee injuries.
Head coach Steve Kerr praised Lendeborg's coachability and knowledge of the game. Lendeborg took his offseason seriously, played in eight summer league games and helped lead the team to a Las Vegas title. Kerr then inserted him into the starting lineup, signaling belief that he can play small forward alongside Green. "He's going to play a ton," Kerr told ESPN. "Frankly, he deserves it. He's one of our best players already."
Lendeborg's path to the Warriors was not straightforward. After two seasons at UAB, where he averaged 17.7 points and 11.4 rebounds, he initially declared for the 2025 draft. Feedback from team officials at the combine was harsh, and he withdrew, transferred and worked on his habits. That development now places the No. 11 pick at the center of Golden State's hopes of extending its window.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing