From Arizona Western to UAB to the Michigan men’s basketball team in the span of four years, Yaxel Lendeborg has found yet another new home.
With the 11th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the graduate forward was selected by the Golden State Warriors. Lendeborg becomes the second player from Michigan’s national championship-winning team drafted in the first round, following sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. two picks earlier.
Lendeborg spent only one season in Ann Arbor, but leaves an enormous footprint as he takes the next step to the NBA. He was the undisputed leader of the Wolverines’ championship run, averaging a team-high 15.1 points as well as 6.8 rebounds per game. The accolades easily followed: Big Ten All-Defensive team, Big Ten Player of the Year, first-team All-America.
Lendeborg reached the 20-point mark 10 times this past season, including four times in the postseason. His scoring ability, positional versatility, defensive prowess and athleticism in transition made Michigan a force to be reckoned with — and earned him a few more pairs of NBA eyeballs than last time around.
He’ll look to translate those traits to the next level with the Warriors, a team with recent championship pedigree coming off a disappointing season.
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