The Golden State Warriors used the No. 11 overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft on former Michigan Wolverines star Yaxel Lendeborg. While he may not be deemed one of the elite-level prospects in this year's class, Lendeborg brings plenty of fire and tenacity to the table as an incoming rookie.

Shortly after being selected, the 23-year-old forward credits his mother for putting him on the path to the NBA. Lendeborg opened up a little bit about the role his mom played in helping him throughout his college basketball career and being drafted by the Warriors.

“[My mom] pretty much put me on this path,” said Lendeborg. “So there was many times where I wanted to give up, and I wanted to quit, but I would always think, how my mom feel about this? She always kept that extra chip on my shoulder and extra motivation.”

Yaxel Lendeborg had a unique journey up to being drafted by the Warriors. He didn't start playing organized basketball until his senior year of high school, and didn't have many offers from colleges around the nation. His first three years of college basketball were at the Juco level, playing at Arizona Western College before eventually transferring to UAB in 2023.

After two years at UAB, he transferred to Michigan, where he played his final year of eligibility last season. During his lone season with the Wolverines, Lendeborg managed to play a key role in the program's championship run, averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 51.5% from the floor and 37.2% from beyond the three-point line.

His efforts were good enough to be named a First-Team All-American while leading the entire nation in games played with 40. Yaxel Lendeborg now plays for the Warriors and is considered one of the most pro-ready prospects coming into the 2026-27 season.