After the disappointment of the lottery pick decisions of James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga, the Golden State Warriors had to think a lot to maximize Stephen Curry’s championship window. Despite multiple trade reports, the Dub Nation used their #11 pick to select Yaxel Lendeborg. It even caused a heated moment in the front office, but the Wolverines star was all emotional, recapping his journey.

Speaking to ESPN, Lendeborg said, “Every emotion possible (on what he is feeling), you know, I don’t deserve to be here right now. I didn’t have no path. I can’t believe it.”

Lendeborg’s vulnerability on draft night makes sense given his unique road to the NBA lottery. Unlike his blue-chip peers, the 6-foot-9 forward took an unconventional, multi-stop journey. He even embraced his mother, Yissel Raposo, after the selection in an emotional scene, as she is battling Stage 4 appendix cancer.

“She was saying, ‘We did it. All the sacrifice that we’ve made. We finally accomplished it. You did it,’” Yaxel Lendeborg shared about the embrace and gave credit to his mother. “She’s proud of me. She pushed a dream, forced me to go out there and step into the world and become a man. I had no choice but to go out there and do the best I could. So, I vowed every day to be a better man, be a better person, and just do the best I can for her.

“It means everything to me. That’s the least I could do for her. You know, she’s done so much for me. She’s put her whole life on hold for my life, and I mean, I’m super proud of her for fighting so hard, and I’m glad we get to share this moment together.”

His dream was to play in the NBA but after high school, Yaxel Lendeborg was working in a warehouse and had no plans to attend college. But his mother pushed him to keep pursuing basketball. He started at Arizona Western Junior College, moved to UAB, and finally played a senior year at Michigan.

Lendeborg actually pulled out of the 2025 draft because he felt unready for the pro lifestyle. Returning to school paid off with a national title. However, fulfilling his and his mother’s dream while she battles Stage 4 cancer made the moment overwhelming. Even Yissel Raposo was proud of her son.

“I feel so blessed. It’s a dream come true for us, for Yaxel,” she said to ESPN. “Because I know he has a lot of potential. He was an amazing kid, and I know he’s gonna be great, and he has a dream. It’s a dream come true. He wanna be in the NBA. He’s in the NBA right now. ”

While Yaxel Lendeborg was elated to fulfil his dream, behind the scenes the situation was tense.

Yaxel Lendeborg is capable of fulfilling his commitment, irrespective of the front office’s opposition

Over the weeks, the Warriors had to decide whether to develop the No. 11 pick or include it in a trade package for another star. In fact, it seems that issues reached the front office on Draft night. ESPN showed footage of the Warriors’ draft war room during their selection of Yaxel Lendeborg. Instead of harmony, owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy were in visible, animated discussion.

Then Dunleavy stepped back to answer the call, and Lacob looked frustrated with the interaction, throwing his arms up. It could be related or unrelated to Lendeborg’s decision. The reason behind this back-and-forth is not known, though many fans believe it was in connection with Lendeborg.

On draft night, teams constantly look to trade picks to better their picks or move their picks in a trade package. So, the discussion could have been regarding anything. Regardless, even if the discussion was about Lendeborg, the player is focusing on things that matter.

In fact, during his pre-draft workout with the Warriors two weeks ago, he said: “Depending on if I’m here or anywhere else, my role will be a lot different. But if I were here, I would be more like a secondary ball handler. Whenever Steph is taking up the game, I’ll be there to assist, maybe provide a little bit more offense or instant offense in a way.”

This is exactly the high-IQ pick that the Golden State needed.