Yaxel Lendeborg NBA Draft Stats, Height and Age
Yaxel Lendeborg went 11th to the Warriors in the 2026 NBA Draft. Here is everything on his stats, height, age and why Golden State pulled the trigger.
The Golden State Warriors walked out of Barclays Center on June 23 with one of the most experienced forwards in the entire 2026 NBA Draft class. When commissioner Adam Silver called Yaxel Lendeborg's name at pick No. 11, the Warriors had done something they had not managed since 2021 land a genuine lottery pick. And judging by the player they got, that slot was well spent.
Who Is Yaxel Lendeborg?
Lendeborg is not your typical 23-year-old prospect. He took the long road to Tuesday night, spending six college seasons across three programs before the NBA came calling. He started at Arizona Western (JUCO), moved to UAB for two seasons, and then, by his own account, made the best decision of his life one final year at Michigan.
At Michigan, everything fell into place. He averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game on a shooting line of roughly 52/37/82 across a 37-3 season that ended with a national championship, Michigan 69, UConn 63. He scored in double figures 31 times that season and hit the 20-point mark 10 times.
Yaxel Lendeborg Stats: The Full Picture
The numbers from his final college year are not just impressive in isolation, they stand up well against most forwards in this draft class.
Stat | 2025-26 Michigan Season |
|---|---|
Points per game | 15.1 |
Rebounds per game | 6.8 |
Assists per game | 3.2 |
Blocks per game | 1.2 |
Steals per game | 1.1 |
Three-point percentage | 37.2% (67-for-180) |
Field goal percentage | ~52% |
Free throw percentage | ~82% |
Championship game line | 13 PTS / 2 REB / 1 BLK / 1 AST |
Sources: Michigan official biography, Michigan cumulative season statistics, official championship box score and NBA prospect profile
What stands out beyond the raw numbers is how complete they are. Lendeborg touched every column in the box score consistently, which is exactly what a team like Golden State needs from a newcomer on a win-now roster.
His 2024-25 UAB season added a remarkable historical footnote: according to Michigan's official biography, that year he joined Larry Bird as just the second Division I player ever to post 600 points, 400 rebounds and 150 assists in a single season. That milestone belongs to his UAB campaign, not Michigan, but it is a useful window into how he has approached the game across every stop on his journey.
Yaxel Lendeborg Height, Measurements and Age
At the NBA Draft Combine, Lendeborg measured in at 6-foot-8.75 without shoes, 241.4 pounds, with a 7-foot-3.25 wingspan and a 9-foot-0.5 standing reach. The NBA lists him as 6-foot-9, 241 pounds on his official prospect page.
That wingspan at his height is the measurement that raised draft-room eyebrows. At 7-foot-3.25, he plays much longer than his listed size suggests, which gives him a real edge as a switchable defender on the perimeter.
According to 247Sports' combine report, Lendeborg ranked third among 28 forwards in the shuttle run and seventh in lane agility, encouraging marks for a player his size, though his overall combine athletic profile was mixed across all tests.
As for age Lendeborg was born September 30, 2002, making him 23 years old on draft night. He will turn 24 before the 2026-27 NBA regular season begins, older than most rookies, but in this context his experience reads as readiness rather than a ceiling question.
His Michigan teammate Aday Mara, who went 12th to Oklahoma City, is a different profile entirely, born April 7, 2005, just 21 years old, and measuring 7-foot-3 and 260 pounds with a 7-foot-6 wingspan. The two players illustrate how wide the 2026 first round was in terms of experience and archetype.
Honors That Set Him Apart
Golden State did not just get a stat-stuffer. They got the Big Ten's best player.
Lendeborg earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors this season, along with a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team, all confirmed by the Michigan athletics department. He was also named a consensus first-team All-American by the AP, NABC, USBWA and Sporting News.
The Pick That Made History at No. 11
Golden State has not had a lottery pick since taking Jonathan Kuminga seventh and Moses Moody 14th in 2021, per the official 2021 NBA Draft results. The franchise confirmed it would select 11th in the 2026 draft back in May, and on Tuesday night they used it on Lendeborg.
Pick No. 11 has a rich history in this league. Klay Thompson was taken 11th in 2011. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, now the back-to-back NBA MVP in 2025 and 2026, was taken 11th in 2018. The Warriors are clearly aware of what the slot has produced in the past, as noted in the Warriors' 2026 draft preview.
The draft order around him was packed with Michigan talent. Morez Johnson Jr. went ninth to Dallas, and Aday Mara went 12th to Oklahoma City, meaning Golden State selected Lendeborg at No. 11 and OKC followed immediately with Mara at No. 12, per the official 2026 NBA Draft results. Three Wolverines in the first round, the first time Michigan has done that since 1990, as noted in NBA Draft News and Notes.
Multiple outlets had projected Lendeborg to Oklahoma City at No. 12 before the draft, with CBS Sports' final mock landing him there. He went one pick earlier to Golden State instead, and the Philadelphia Inquirer's draft night report confirmed that Lendeborg, who grew up in Pennsauken, New Jersey, had been attracting serious attention throughout the pre-draft process.
The Golden State Fit
The Warriors roster heading into Lendeborg's rookie season includes Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis, who arrived in a February 2026 trade from Atlanta. For a roster built around veterans expecting to contend, adding a 23-year-old forward who can shoot from three, facilitate as a connective passer, and defend across multiple positions is a logical move on paper.
The NBA's official scouting summary describes him as a switchable defender and connective passer who is efficient around the rim and functional from distance. That profile aligns with what Steve Kerr's motion offense asks of its forwards, though how quickly he translates it to the NBA level is something only the season will reveal.
What Comes Next
Lendeborg enters a Warriors team with a clear identity and veterans who expect production from everyone around them. His exact role will take shape through training camp and preseason, but the on-paper fit is genuine. A forward with six years of college experience, a 37.2% three-point mark, and documented defensive versatility gives Golden State a low-risk, high-floor option to grow alongside their core.
Watch the 2026 NBA Draft hub on NBA.com for updated signing information and roster news as Golden State's offseason moves forward. Tuesday night was step one. The rest starts in October.
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