SAN FRANCISCO — After being selected by the team Stephen Curry has helped make famous over the last two decades, new Golden State Warriors big man Yaxel Lendeborg revealed that he wasn’t always a fan of the man at the center of his new NBA team.“It’s a full-circle moment for me,” Lendeborg told reporters in New York after being selected with the 11th pick while answering a question about what it was like being drafted to play alongside Curry. “I’ve been saying this every time I get asked this question. In 2016, I (was) a big Kyrie (Irving) guy, so I used to hate Steph Curry.“So now that I’m actually going to be on the same team as him, play with him and learn so much from him, it means a lot. I’ve met him a couple of times. He’s a great guy, a genuine person. It’s going to be an honor to watch what he does in person. So I’m very excited.”NBA Draft 2026: Winners and Losers from Round 1Zach Harper and CJ MooreLendeborg isn’t the only one excited about his arrival in the Bay. Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy said after Wednesday’s draft that he believes Lendeborg, who will be 24 when the season begins, can contribute right away. Lendeborg, who helped the Michigan Wolverines win a national championship in April, impressed Warriors personnel with his attitude when he met with members of the front office during his pre-draft workout visit.“He’s got a positive presence,” Dunleavy said. “He’s got a good vibe. We had dinner with him, an official interview, watched some film with him, and got him in our building. He’s just the kind of guy who seems like he has a great day every day. That was my takeaway. When you bring those types of people into the building, it uplifts everybody. I think he’ll be one of those guys.”The person who sets the tone every day for the Warriors is the same man Lendeborg admitted he disliked as a teenage fan. Minutes after finishing his workout with the Warriors earlier this month, he was asked the same question so many players — young and old — hear while sitting at the podium inside Chase Center: What would it mean to play with the man widely regarded as the greatest shooter of all time?As he answered, he hinted at the truth that would come to the forefront shortly after Curry’s team drafted him.“It would be amazing,” Lendeborg said at the time. “He provides so much gravity on the court that it really makes it super easy for other guys to score, for other guys to showcase any ability they have. I’ve had so many arguments defending Kyrie and going against Steph when I was younger with my best friend. If I were able to play with him, it would be kind of funny being on the other end, but I would be very excited to get that opportunity.”Lendeborg has that opportunity now. The Warriors are hoping he can run with it. They’re also confident he’ll fit into the locker room quickly. Lendeborg said after his Warriors workout that he’s a “very real, honest guy,” but that he doesn’t mind “goofing off” here and there.Like so many players before him, Lendeborg believes he’ll benefit from playing alongside Curry and the space he creates for his teammates. With Tuesday’s selection, he also has the type of rare opportunity young players hardly ever get: the chance to play with an all-time great he once rooted against because of how often that player’s team beat his favorite star.In two brief meetings with Curry before the draft, Lendeborg could already see that Curry wasn’t quite the person he had grown to know through television.“He’s a great player, a great human being as well,” Lendeborg said earlier in June. “I got to meet him twice, so he’s really nice. I would learn a lot from playing with him as well. You can just tell he’s a genuine human being and actually cares for the younger guys.”Jun 24, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms