Yaxel Lendeborg was sitting at the NBA Draft table when the Golden State Warriors called his name at No. 11 overall. He smiled. He shook hands with the commissioner. And then he admitted something that might make Warriors fans do a double take.
“It’s a full-circle moment for me. In 2016, I’m a big Kyrie guy, so I used to hate Steph Curry,” Lendeborg said, flashing a grin.
The Michigan star grew up watching Kyrie Irving pull off that iconic Game 7 dagger in the 2016 NBA Finals. That shot, a cold-blooded three over Curry’s outstretched arm, helped the Cleveland Cavaliers erase a 3-1 deficit and steal the title from the 73-win Warriors. Lendeborg was a kid then, and like a lot of young fans, he picked a side and stuck with it.
Now he’s joining the guy he used to root against. The irony isn’t lost on him.
“I met him a couple of times. He’s a really great guy. It’s going to be an honor to see him do what he does,” Lendeborg said.
The Draft Surprise No One Saw Coming
Lendeborg wasn’t supposed to fall to Golden State. Most mock drafts had him going earlier, with some even projecting him as the first Michigan player off the board. But the Dallas Mavericks threw a curveball at No. 9, grabbing Morez Johnson Jr. instead. That opened the door for the Warriors to snag a versatile frontcourt player who can defend multiple positions and score in the post.
Lendeborg, a transfer from UAB, became the primary scoring option for a stacked Michigan team that won a national title. He’s not a flashy perimeter player. He’s the kind of guy who does the dirty work: boxing out, rotating on defense, finishing through contact. Exactly what Golden State needs next to Curry.
History for Michigan
The Wolverines made some draft history of their own. For the first time since 1985, the defending national champion put three players in the first round. Lendeborg joins Aday Mara and another Michigan teammate in that exclusive group. It’s a testament to how deep that roster was.
As for Lendeborg, he goes from hating Curry as a Kyrie loyalist to sharing a huddle with him. That’s a shift. But he’s not the first rookie to walk into a locker room and set aside old grudges. And if he can help the Warriors get back to the Finals, he’ll have plenty of company in the change of heart.
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