Yaxel Lendeborg details rookie season expectations at Warriors introduction

SAN FRANCISCO – The Yaxel Lendeborg era has begun in the Bay Area.

The Golden State Warriors’ 11th overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft was formally introduced to the local media by the organization, alongside 54th pick Lajae Jones from Florida State. Dressed in a dark blue blazer, a blue-and-gold rhinestone Dubs hat, and a big smile on his face, Lendeborg detailed his goals and expectations for his highly anticipated rookie season.

“Just to try to develop something that I can be known for– an identity for myself,” Lendeborg said. “I want to try to go in there and be one of the primary defenders. See if I can gain some trust for them to put me on the best player on the team, or anything like that. But being able to do the little things on the court to help out.”

It’s those kinds of goals and expectations that endeared the Michigan forward to Mike Dunleavy and the Warriors. Lendeborg joins a Golden State team in desperate need of his size, length, and athleticism on the wings, especially with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody. Thus, the expectation for Lendeborg from Dunleavy and the big decision-makers is that the rookie will play.

“To be frank, whether we want him to or not, given our roster constraints and injuries and stuff like that, the opportunity will be there,” Dunleavy said on draft night.

Looped into the inherent opportunity Lendeborg will have is how the 23-year-old rookie will mesh with veteran cornerstones Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, which appears to be off to a good start.

Lendeborg shared that Curry welcomed both him and Jones in a group chat after the draft and that he has been given the locker next to the Warriors legend.

As for Green, Lendeborg joked that Green hasn’t texted him back yet, but the two had a comedic exchange on Instagram stories about their inherent Michigan-Michigan State rivalry. Additionally, Lendeborg shares a connection with Al Horford through their Dominican heritage, as the returning center gave Lendeborg advice during the pre-draft process.

Regardless, Lendeborg feels excited by the opportunity to learn from accomplished veterans.

“It’ll be a perfect scenario to be in,” Lendeborg said. “Just being able to pick their brains about stuff in the league that [made] it tough for them to transition or stuff that made it easier to transition. I feel like all we have to do is, go in there, ask a lot of questions, be ourselves, and just learn as much as we can so we can have a successful long journey.”

Yaxel Lendeborg’s journey to the NBA

However Lendeborg’s NBA journey unfolds, the fact that he got to hear his name called on draft night is an unbelievable one in of itself.

Before winning a championship at Michigan, Lendeborg spent three years in JUCO at Arizona Western College before transferring to UAB for another two seasons. And it’s a journey that would not have even happened if not for his mother, Yissel Raposo, who secured her son a scholarship at Arizona Western by calling and emailing countless collegiate programs. Because even when Lendeborg did not believe in himself, Raposo did.

“When he was little, I always [knew],” Raposo told ClutchPoints and other reporters after Lendeborg’s press conference. “I always [said to] some random people, take a picture, he’s gonna be [in the] NBA.”

Lendeborg’s family filled up an entire half of the first row of the press conference, with Raposo taking out her phone to video her son walking up to the podium with his fresh white No. 1 Warriors jersey in hand, to document the moment for the family. With Raposo currently battling through Stage 4 appendix cancer, Lendeborg’s younger sister, Yakari, sees her older brother’s journey to the NBA as inspiration for herself and the rest of the family.

“It’s gonna make me also try harder for my mom, for our family,” Yakari said. “Every single one of us [will] have a sport to play, and [we’ll] show out differently for my mom, especially in her situation.”

And it’s precisely that journey that Lendeborg believes makes him ready for the next level.

“I feel like those moments especially are why I’ve become so just mentally strong and just strong overall,” Lendeborg said.

“I know it’s very tough to even get here. And in my situation, I felt like I didn’t belong here or belong in some rooms with guys like him or guys that I’m at the combine. I feel like those low points definitely helped me out. I learned so much through those processes, as well, and I came out stronger than ever.”

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