Las Vegas — Former Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg stepped onto the team bus as the Golden State Warriors began their journey to the Thomas and Mack Center on Thursday. As the bus got closer to the arena, Lendeborg had a moment where he shed a few tears.
“I was like, ‘Man, I am really about to play here — Summer League in Las Vegas,'” Lendeborg said. “It’s been a long, long journey. I always get emotional thinking about it. I try to always reflect and remember my roots and all the struggles I’ve gone through, so I never change up.”
Lendeborg’s tears were not just a reflection of his joy at starting his NBA career; they represented the perspective he had gained on life. Six years ago, Lendeborg was a freshman prospect at Arizona Western College, working to build a foundation for his career at a junior college program.
From the tedium atmosphere at the Matador Activity Center in Yuma, Ariz., to the vibrant lights of Las Vegas, Lendeborg is a lottery pick — selected No. 11 overall by the Warriors in last month’s NBA Draft. It has become one of the high points of his career, highlighted by leading the Wolverines to the national championship this past season.
Lendeborg is three months away from making his official debut as the Warriors begin the 2026-27 regular season in mid-October, marking the start of his rookie year. However, the NBA Summer League has given him a head start on everything he needs to succeed and be productive in his first season.
“It has been a true joy to play with Yaxel. He’s great,” Warriors forward Graham Ike said. “He is funny. Always cracking jokes and always playing music — a lot of 90’s R&B and singing. He is always having fun. But once we step in between those lines, it’s on. That dude is off the charts.”
Lendeborg has guided the Warriors to a 2-0 start in Las Vegas, averaging 17.5 points on 48.1% shooting from the field and 50% from behind the arc, to go along with six rebounds and five assists.
Lendeborg’s best performance through the first two games came in the Warriors’ opener on Thursday, when he led Golden State to a 101-90 victory over the Dallas Mavericks and former Michigan teammate Morez Johnson Jr., who recorded 27 points and eight rebounds. Lendeborg finished with a double-double of 21 points (8-for-13 shooting, 2-for-4 from deep), 10 rebounds and six assists.
“It’s his overall skill set. He is a guy who can do a lot, with great professional size,” Warriors Summer League coach Khalid Robinson said. “He is a pick-and-roll ball handler. He has the ability to get downhill and transition with force and pace. He has been very impressive. He has also shot the ball very well.”
Lendeborg has emerged as one of the most impressive rookie prospects during the first four days in Las Vegas. Still, his performance has been somewhat surprising, given the challenges he has faced.
Lendeborg is still dealing with the aftermath of the leg/knee injury he sustained during the NCAA Tournament. After playing through the injury and managing it during his pre-draft workouts, Lendeborg disclosed that he took extra time off after the draft to continue his recovery.
The additional time has aided Lendeborg’s recovery, though it’s had a slight impact on the Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus All-American’s game shape during Summer League.
“Maybe I took too long a break because I’ve never felt this winded in my life,” Lendeborg said. “I really did not do much basketball for about a good month, and that is way too long. But I was still dealing with a little leg issue, and I was a bit afraid to get back on the court. Still no excuse.”
Lendeborg has tried various methods to improve his fitness, including eating healthier and changing his sleep habits. He feels he is making progress, despite not having his durability where he wants it.
Lendeborg has also spent most of his time studying the small details that will boost his productivity as a rookie. One aspect has been mastering the team’s terminology, which has sometimes been challenging to understand. And despite establishing himself as a respectable defender at the collegiate level, Lendeborg has made it one of his top priorities to enhance his defensive skills to translate his production to the NBA.
“Defensively, we just keep challenging him on and off the ball,” Robinson said. “He has been doing that and improving every game. Continue improving on- and off-ball defense and stack good nights. He brings a complete skill set.”
Highlighting his defensive improvement was essential during his second Summer League game in Las Vegas, where Lendeborg led the Warriors to a 104-79 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. He scored 14 points (5-for-14 shooting, 4-for-8 on 3-pointers) and added three steals.
It was an impressive performance against another former Michigan teammate and lottery pick Aday Mara, who contributed 10 points, nine rebounds and four assists. After the game, Lendeborg playfully teased Mara about securing the win.
Having the opportunity to play against Johnson and Mara has been meaningful for Lendeborg, especially seeing how Michigan’s national title run has impacted so many of them, including coach Dusty May, who also made the jump to the NBA. May watched Lendeborg’s impressive debut from the sidelines of Thomas and Mack Center as the Mavericks’ new head coach.
It’s another reason tears were shed on the team bus, knowing that brotherhood and love have led so many people to find their own success outside of Ann Arbor.
“It has been great, I feel like we all deserve these moments,” Lendeborg said. “We all put in work and sacrificed our personal goals, which led to all the winning, and now we are getting rewarded. It’s just a blessing that we all get to experience this together.”
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