The Golden State Warriors are no longer in championship contention mode so the NBA draft is all the more important.
Golden State may not have drafted a franchise-changing player but it picked up a sleeper that can come in and immediately make an impact.
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With the No. 11 pick in the first round the Warriors selected Yaxel Lendeborg. He’s an NBA-ready prospect who is coming off a national title at Michigan. Lendeborg was a splash selection who was the highest rated prospect on Golden State’s board.
Simply put, the Warriors got their guy.
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He’s not someone who commands the ball. He wasn’t that guy in college. He’s a stud. A ball player. He does whatever is needed for the team. He led Michigan in scoring with 15.1 points per game. He ranked second on the team with 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.2 blocks a game.
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He is the prototypical player the Warriors needed. Lendeborg brings size, length and defensive range that allows him to guard multiple positions during on-ball defensive switch situations. He is a capable shooter who can’t be left alone off the ball. He shot 37% during the 2025-26 season at Michigan. He attacks the rim, where he is an efficient finisher through a combination of strength and touch.
Best of all, he’s not a ball stopper. The offense doesn’t get stagnant when the rock is swung his way. Lendeborg is seen as a connective player. He passes, he screens away and keeps the flow of the offense moving.
Golden State Warriors draft grade: B+
Who is Warriors’ second rounder, Lajae Jones?
The Warriors received a B+ grade for their overall draft, not just their first rounder. In the second round, they continued to target two-way wing players who can make an impact.
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With the No. 56 pick, Golden State selected Lajae Jones, a 6-foot-7 forward out of Florida State. The Warriors got a dogged player with a chip on his shoulder. Jones’ collegiate journey had many stops.
The 22-year-old went to Tarleton State after graduating from Fletcher High School in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Jones didn’t see much playing time at Tarleton State so he bet on himself and enrolled at Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kansas.
Jones led the junior college in scoring, averaging 15.4 points and 9.2 rebounds, shooting 54% from the field. He led the team to a 34-3 record – a record that included a 27-game winning streak – and eventually won the national junior college championship title.
He transferred to St. Bonaventure as a junior, where he shot the 3-ball at a 38% clip. Jones finished his collegiate career at Florida State.
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Jones now joins a Golden State team that is in need of two-way wing players.
Prior to the draft, the Warriors were looking at Gui Santos as the only healthy player in that mold. As they expect to have back Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler, the Dubs bring in additional wing players to adapt to their system.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Golden State Warriors draft grade
