Yaxel Lendeborg’s Rise Shifts Warriors’ Future After Scouts’ Miss

WHO:

NBC Sports Bay Area & California - Yaxel Lendeborg is a rookie with the Golden State Warriors; Joe Lacob is the team’s owner, Steve Kerr its coach, and Steph Curry its star player.

NBC Sports Bay Area & California - Jimmy Butler is recovering from a torn ACL sustained last season; the article says he is Golden State’s second scorer and will not return until midseason.

SB Nation - Lendeborg was a member of the high school class of 2020 and later played for Arizona Western College, UAB, and Michigan before joining the Warriors.

SB Nation - His prominent high school contemporaries included Jalen Green, Terrence Clarke, Josh Christopher, Jalen Suggs, Scottie Barnes, Evan Mobley, and Cade Cunningham.

SB Nation - Michigan coach Dusty May passed on Lendeborg for teammate Morez Johnson, whom the Dallas Mavericks selected at No. 9.

SB Nation - Brayden Burries went one pick ahead of Lendeborg to the Milwaukee Bucks; the article reports that the Warriors had reportedly coveted Burries.

Pro Football Network - Shams Charania made an All-Star case for Lendeborg after his 37-point game against the Clippers.

WHAT:

NBC Sports Bay Area & California - Lacob said Lendeborg’s breakout changed his outlook on the Warriors’ 2026–27 season: “I do.” He said the team had made draft and player-development mistakes but “got this one right.”

NBC Sports Bay Area & California - In eight games, Lendeborg averaged 21.5 points, seven rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range. He was Golden State’s No. 2 scorer behind Curry.

NBC Sports Bay Area & California - Lacob said Lendeborg had exceeded expectations and “doesn’t have any weaknesses,” adding that Kerr had also been surprised.

SB Nation - In seven games, Lendeborg averaged 22.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, with 64.5% true shooting. He scored 37 points against the Los Angeles Clippers.

SB Nation - Lendeborg shot 25% on 3.4 pull-up three-point attempts per game through those seven games.

SB Nation - Golden State drafted Lendeborg at No. 11 overall.

SB Nation - Lendeborg measured 6 feet 8.5 inches without shoes, weighed 235 pounds, and had a 7-foot-4 wingspan.

SB Nation - The article describes Lendeborg as 24 and says he had not played organized basketball in high school because his grades were insufficient; he later received a junior-college opportunity after an exposure camp for Dominican players.

SB Nation - After testing the NBA draft process at the combine, Lendeborg returned to college and took a large NIL offer from Michigan. He said NBA evaluators wanted to see “a lot more three-pointers and a lot more versatility in my defense.”

Pro Football Network - Charania predicted Lendeborg would join Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal in an exclusive rookie All-Star group; the article links the prediction to rookie All-Star history.

WHERE:

SB Nation - Lendeborg grew up in Pennsauken, New Jersey; his path included Arizona Western College, UAB, and Michigan.

SB Nation - His 37-point performance came against the Los Angeles Clippers.

WHY:

NBC Sports Bay Area & California - Lacob said NBA teams often favor 18- and 19-year-old prospects, but he believed Lendeborg was ready to play and confident he would remain available at No. 11.

SB Nation - The article argues scouts could underrate Lendeborg because he was an older prospect, but says his development in shooting, playmaking, defense, and versatility answered NBA evaluators’ concerns.

HOW:

SB Nation - At Michigan, Lendeborg played on the perimeter alongside three college centers, demonstrating three-point shooting, defense away from the paint, passing, rebounding, screening, and physical play.

NBC Sports Bay Area & California - The Warriors could field a lineup led by Curry, Lendeborg, and Butler when Butler returns.

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is already the Warriors’ second-leading scorer, averaging 21.5 points. He erupted for 37 against the Clippers, prompting an All-Star case. Owner Joe Lacob says Lendeborg has changed his outlook on Golden State’s season.