SAN FRANCISCO — The cameras caught a tense-looking exchange between Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy and owner Joe Lacob during the draft broadcast. Social media did what it does. But Dunleavy says the conversation was about golf courses, not draft picks.
And the pick itself? Golden State is genuinely happy with it.
The Warriors selected Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg with the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Dunleavy called it a good first night and made it clear Lendeborg wasn’t a consolation prize or a reach.
“He was the top guy for us on the board at the time, that’s why we picked him,” Dunleavy said in his post-draft press conference.
Lendeborg averaged 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds last season at Michigan, shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from three. But the numbers aren’t what sold the Warriors. It was the combination of size, skill, and a developmental leap Dunleavy noticed between Lendeborg’s first draft declaration in 2025 and the version they saw at the combine this year.
“I noticed a different guy, frankly,” Dunleavy said. “Whether it was his experience at Michigan, his experience winning, another year of maturity — he was more about the right stuff. And that kind of made us realize we’ve got to really consider this guy.”
Dunleavy also shrugged off concerns about Lendeborg’s age. The forward will be 24 by the time his rookie season starts. That’s the same age as Jonathan Kuminga, who the Warriors took seventh overall five years ago and eventually traded this past February.
“He’s what? 23? Almost 24? I’m not worried, because he’s not 38,” Dunleavy said bluntly.
The Warriors need immediate help on the wing. Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are both expected to miss most of next season with injuries. Lendeborg’s versatility — the ability to guard multiple positions and function as a frontcourt playmaker — fills a hole on a roster that still has Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
Dunleavy said the team explored trading the pick for an established veteran, but nothing serious materialized. Trading down to grab a second first-round pick also fell through. “There wasn’t anything major,” he said.
What the Warriors did get is a prospect Dunleavy describes as an outlier in terms of production for his age. “There’s basically never been a player this good at his age,” Dunleavy said. “The dribble, pass, shoot stuff, and the defensive stuff. He does a little bit of everything.”
Beyond the basketball fit, the front office liked the person. Lendeborg’s personality came through in pre-draft interviews and workouts. Dunleavy called him outgoing and bubbly, with positive energy that should mesh well with a veteran locker room.
“We always look for those types of guys,” he said.
As for the tense moment on camera with Lacob? Dunleavy chuckled and said they were arguing about the best golf course in San Francisco. He said Lacob didn’t agree with his pick there either. But on Lendeborg, the owner is supposedly all in.
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