LeBron James to the Golden State Warriors is still a rumor, but it’s the kind of rumor that refuses to die. And now a rookie is making his pitch.
Yaxel Lendeborg, the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft out of Michigan, just won a national title with the Wolverines. He’s also apparently not shy about recruiting the best player on the planet. Speaking to Bleacher Report, Lendeborg made his case directly to LeBron.
“My pitch is, man, I know you don’t like rookies that much, but I’m not your average rookie, and I would love to learn under you,” Lendeborg said. “So if you’re looking to play with one of the…the greatest shooter of all time and a close friend of yours, Draymond, it would be great to come to the Warriors, and we’ll be glad to have you.”
That’s not bad for a guy who just got drafted. Lendeborg is essentially saying: I’m not some young kid who’s gonna slow you down. Come play with Steph and Draymond and I’ll be a sponge.
But Lendeborg isn’t the only one doing the recruiting. Draymond Green, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, is going all out.
Draymond Green ‘fully committed’ to Warriors, wants LeBron to join
Charania said on SiriusXM NBA Radio that Green is doing “everything he can” to get LeBron to Golden State. The difference is Green also has his own future to sort out. He’s reportedly leaning toward returning to the Warriors, either on his one-year, $27 million option or on a new deal at a smaller number over two or three seasons.
“I think that is 100 percent what is going on here,” Charania said. “Draymond, to my knowledge, is fully committed to going back to Golden State. He said on the record multiple times, he wants to retire a Warrior.”
That part matters. If LeBron does come to the Bay, it wouldn’t just be about joining Steph Curry. It’d be about joining a core that includes Green, who’s his close friend and occasional on-court antagonist turned ally. That dynamic is real.
The Warriors finished last season 37-45, good for 10th in the West. That’s not a contender. That’s a team that missed the playoffs entirely. Adding LeBron would obviously change everything, but it’s not a simple plug-and-play move. The roster would need reshaping, and the cap situation is already tight.
The rumor mill says the Warriors are one of the front-runners. That doesn’t mean it’s done. LeBron is 41 years old and still playing at an elite level, but he’s also never been one to chase rings as a rental. He builds his own teams. Whether Golden State fits that model is still an open question.
For now, a kid from Michigan who just won a national title is out here making his case. And LeBron, reportedly, is listening.
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