Yaxel Lendeborg, Lajae Jones offer first thoughts on being drafted by Warriors | NBC Sports BA

Good morning. I'm the only guy here who could kind of do this with my feet up here, but, but it's great to be here today. We've got this press conference to introduce the 2 newest Warriors. First of all, let's talk about who's up here. My far left, we have Warriors General Manager Mike Dunleavy. We have Yaxel Linderborg, the number 11 pick in the draft out of Michigan, and Lajae Jones, the 54th pick out of Florida State. Good morning. We have family that is here today with us down in front. Giselle Raposo is here, Yaxel's mom. Jacendi, Jakari, Giselle, the sisters, and Ron Shade, who's the agent. On the other side, we will have the family of Lajae who are coming in now. We'll have Nava Harrell, his mom, Jackie Jones, his dad, And Jalen Lucas, a mentor. So it's great to be up here today. What an exciting time it is to be drafted in the NBA and, and to start pursuing that dream that they— all these guys have had. But there's also a process. They have to come in. They have had a lot of workouts for a lot of teams. And so, Mike, I want to start with you and talk a little bit about Yaxel. What attracted you to Yaxel, his game, and his personality?

Yeah, we've been following Yax for a few years now, and I think the biggest thing that sticks out about him is he's a winner. Speaks no further than winning the national championship this year at Michigan, but at prior levels, focused on winning. Multiversa— multi-skilled, versatile player that we think can play both sides of the ball. He's got tremendous size, he's got a great feel for the game, and, you know, he's a tremendous teammate. So we think he'll fit in really well here.

By the way, I want to apologize to two guys. I forgot to to introduce them at the beginning: Larry Harris and Kirk Lakeup for the Warriors front office. They're here today. They're part of this process as well.

Who?

Come on.

Who?

They're the guys you like you pass in the hallway and you go.

No, they were a big part of this. They did a tremendous job with our draft and couldn't couldn't do this without them.

Yeah, so as I mentioned, you've had a whirlwind couple of months. A lot of workouts, a lot of interviews. And then you go through the draft process. Is it starting to sink in that you're in the NBA and you're a Golden State Warrior?

I would say somewhat, yeah. I'm really excited to be here, very grateful that I get this opportunity. I don't think it's going to actually sink in until I actually put that jersey on for the first time. But as of right now, everything just feels surreal and feels like a dream.

You'll be taking a picture of that jersey in just a little bit. Mike Lachey, when you looked at the When you made the pick at 54, you find a guy like him available. What went through your mind? How excited were you to make that pick?

Yeah, I mean, he's another versatile player that we followed the last few years. We have pretty good intel and relationships with the schools he's been at. St. Bonaventure with Woj, a former writer and guy who covered the NBA, and then at Florida State with Luke Locks, a former assistant coach here. So talking to those guys, they were extremely high on him. We watched him a ton. Specifically for me, a guy who made a lot of 3s against Duke, he almost took us down in the ACC tournament. So thank you, thank you for not doing that, but impressive performance. Um, but no, we're excited to add him into the program, and we feel like we got a couple really good versatile players here.

Well, he mentioned Luke Loxley. Have you been in touch with him? Did he text you or call you?

Uh, he called me When I got drafted, but I was there. I went to go visit Tallahassee after my last workout just to see the guys and new team and just say what up and just give out some information.

Did he give you any tips on the Warriors?

Be in shape, play fast, and knock down 3s.

Yeah, and look for number 30 occasionally. That's always a good thing too.

Set screens.

Yeah.

So today we have members of the media who are here today. We have wireless mics for you, Cole on one side, Darryl on the other. You can just raise your hand and get to your questions. And if you want to identify yourself, that's all the better since you're going to be working with these guys next year and hopefully for many years to come.

Yeah, Anthony Slater with ESPN. Just, Yaxel, take me through the pre-draft process specifically with the Warriors. I know they talked to you at the Combine. How interested did you know they were in you and what do you remember from that?

that? Well, just, uh, as far as my personality-wise, it seemed like they really love me as a person, uh, and that always goes a long way, just making a good first impression. Just speaking with them as much as I could, uh, we spoke about how I can envision myself playing on the court this year, um, and it, it was all like good things, all things that I enjoy doing, all things that I feel like are the, the right thing and a simple thing to do on the basketball court. So I feel like I just fit the scheme perfectly, um, so I mean, I was very excited to be here working out with these guys, uh, and able just to showcase that I can be able to stretch the floor out and be able to help, you know, be secondary ball handler whenever, you know, it's needed. So I feel like it just went a long way just to show the character of these guys and the kind of players that they're looking for, not, not just basketball-wise, but like player, person-wise.

Joseph Dykes with the Bay Area News Group. Yoxell, have you had a chance to talk to Steph or Draymond or any of the vets? And if so, what have the conversations been like?

Yeah, Steph actually welcomed both of us in a group chat the night of the draft. So when he got drafted, I got drafted. And I reached out to him yesterday, asked him a quick question, and then I reached out to Draymond as well.

well.

Uh, I haven't got the response back yet from J-Mo, but, but, uh, I respect that.

Don't worry, he doesn't respond to me either.

We got anybody up?

Tim Kawakami, San Francisco Standard. Axel, we've, we've gotten a little bit of your personality. You mentioned personality matches. Uh, Jimmy Butler's already commented about it, that you're bringing it. Uh, can you describe what you kind of see as your personality and, and You know, you're coming into a team full of veterans and do you still want to express yourself? Do you still want to be kind of like cited for your big personality?

Yeah, absolutely. I never want to change myself no matter where I go. You know, being myself got me here. So I'm gonna just try to be as happy-go-lucky as I've always been. Keep a smile on my face. Try to enlighten the room and make everybody happy around me.

Lajae, tell me a little bit about your game. If you were to describe your game to someone who has not seen you play, how would you do it?

I'll say I'm very versatile on offense and defense, be able to play, uh, 2 through 4. Sometimes I could facilitate an offense, or I could just set a lot of barely legal screens to get my teammates open. Uh, I feel like my most underrated part of my game is my, uh, passing. It might not lead to assists, but at least it'll lead to a good shot as well.

The hockey assist. I like it. I like it. Anybody up? Yeah, Axel, when you were playing, you had a journey of a number of different places, stops along the way in your journey. At what point in that journey did you realize that you could become an NBA player?

Honestly, I would say this last year. I know I went through the process of the year before that, but I didn't really feel like an NBA player until this upcoming year at Michigan. I finally developed. Like a pro mindset, pro habits, and actually started like enjoying the game to a point where I could actually do this for the rest of my life.

Lajae, the same question.

I'd say since a child, but just going on with the steps of just developing as a player and a person. And I'll say definitely this past year too, especially with Coach Laux running an NBA system, just making it easier to transition over, especially with the workouts that I did.

It's been printed that Yaxel was a Kyrie Irving guy. We're working on that. But, but who was your favorite NBA player growing up?

Kobe Bryant.

Okay. How come?

Just his demeanor and his will to be perfect as a player, even though he knew it'll never happen. He just wanted to seek that. So it was very, like, respectable to just watch that.

Hi, Ron Krejcik from the San Francisco Chronicle. For both of you, if you could speak to the unique dynamic, I guess, of joining a team like this with, you know, several older veteran players who've won championships. That's not often necessarily the way a rookie comes into the league. How will that impact your transition, do you think?

Well, I would say for both of us, it'll be a perfect scenario to be in. You know, we get to learn a lot from different positional players. There's a lot of veterans, like you said, so we can both get We get our own veteran. So, I mean, just being able to pick their brains about stuff in the league that, that was making it tough for them to transition or stuff that made it easier to transition. So I feel like all we have to do is go in there, ask a lot of questions, again, be ourselves, and then just, just learn as much as we can so we can have a successful long journey as well.

I'd say since Cali prices are high, live with them. Just be on their schedule. But, uh, in all seriousness, uh, just pick their brains a lot, ask a lot of questions and just figure out what works best for you, what, um, to make the team successful and figure out what works for them to, for like the guys who stayed here, the one, the 4 championships, just develop that championship mentality even more to what you already want to do. But it's all about winning at the end of the day.

Close your eyes when you go to the gas pump, just close your eyes and pump it away.

Monte Poole, NBC Sports Bay Area. Mike, I know you've talked about wanting to add positional size. It seems like you kind of managed to do that. How important was that as you approached the draft, just finding guys that actually can do— bring the size and the length that you guys need?

Yeah, I'd say it's pretty important. Number one option for us was finding a good basketball player. So, If that player was 6'1 or 6'3 and didn't have positional size, or he was a 6'7 center, like, if he's the best player, we would do it. But it so happens to be that these guys have great positional size and we think they're good at basketball. So a nice mix for us, and I couldn't be happier with who we're sitting up here with.

A question to both of your players: how much do you guys know about Coach Steve Kerr, and have you guys had a chance to talk with him? What kind of a relationship do you guys want to Build with him?

Both.

Well, no, I know he's a Hall of Famer coach. He's, he's played under a Hall of Fame coach as well. He learned so much. He played with one of the best players of all time as well. So he just knows so much of the game. So I feel like the impression that I just want to leave on him is just someone who's, who's willing to learn, someone who's going to value all of his core values and player values. So, I mean, Just do the best I can to get on his good side as easy or as quick as possible, just see if I can get some extra playing time from it. But, um, uh, no, I'm just very excited to be coached by someone like him who is like a genuine guy who seems like a person who cares more about you as a person as well rather than the basketball skills. So it's going to be very fun to be able to play under him.

Just, uh, hearing that Coach Kerr is a very family-oriented guy, uh, it means a lot because he just cares about you more than a basketball player, more as a Well, I'll say like another son or a grandson, but yeah, just being, just playing for a winner as a player and a coach just means a lot. And just learning a lot from him would be very great. Like Yak said, get on his good side, find ways to get more playing time, but just being able to have an open relationship with lots of communications will go a long way. Not even for him, but the whole organization.

Good morning, guys. Tristie Rodriguez, NBC Sports Bay Area. This goes for both of you. How familiar were you with the Bay before getting here? And I know you just got here, but have you had a chance to explore at all?

When was the last time I was here outside my workout? Yeah, so I don't really remember, but I do have family out here, but Last time I was here was last week. Didn't really get to explore, but looking forward to exploring.

I was here the year before.

Prior, we played Santa Clara, UC Irvine, so I was around the area in the NIT games. But what I know about Golden State, honestly, is the fan base is ridiculous over here. They have a lot of support, a lot of love here, which is awesome to be, to be a part of. And I mean, I haven't got to explore yet, but I'm very, like happy, I'm willing to, uh, you know, I love my people over here, love going on walks and stuff like that. So hopefully I can get that in my DNA and, uh, start doing that as well.

Yaxel, you were, uh, pretty candid in your Players Tribune story about sort of the low points on your journey, um, where your work habits weren't great and, and your mom sort of talked to you. Um, can you sort of articulate how necessary those moments were to get you here to sort of learn from that and, and get on the right path, I guess?

I feel like those moments especially are why I've become so like just mentally strong and, uh, just, just strong overall. Um, I always am grateful in every room that I walk in, no matter, uh, the circumstances. I know it's, it's very tough to even get here, and in my situation, I, I felt like I didn't belong to be here or belong in some rooms with, uh, with guys like him or guys that I met in the combine, like all that. So I mean, I feel like those low points definitely helped me out. I learned so much through those processes as well, and I came out stronger than ever. So I'm very happy that I went through that process.

Kenzo Fukuda with Clutch Points. Question for either of you. What are some of your goals or expectations for this upcoming rookie season?

Go ahead.

I'll say just make it very easy for all the All the vets and all the guys that's already solidified. And I just want to like do the best that I can to make my way to finding minutes. And I mean, at the end of the day, the end goal is to win a championship. So I feel like that's the only right answer is to win a championship.

I would say just, just try to develop something that I can be known for, like an identity for myself.

I want to try to go in there and be like one of the primary defenders, see if I can gain some trust for them to put me on the best player on the other team or anything like that. But just, just being able to do all the little things on the court to help out, just like he said.

So, yeah.

Before we wrap it up, Mike, I wanted to ask you a question. You know, your, your work is 24/7, 365, and now you're going into the Cali Classic and then Summer League. You know, how much work is that getting a roster set up, and what will these guys benefit from Summer League?

Yeah, I mean, this period we're in right now, kind of from mid-May to mid-July, it's a 2-month sprint through the draft, the combine, free agency, Summer League, all that. So we're super busy right now, but it's a fun time of year. This is where we get to make decisions, shape the roster, do all that stuff. But the Summer League is a great opportunity for these guys, both here at the Cali Classic and in Vegas. You know, you get 7, 8, 9 games under your belt, which is, uh, is fantastic. It'll get their first taste of professional basketball. get a little bit of feel of how we do things, and then, you know, get a break before training camp starts. So it's a perfect transition. I know they've been through a lot with the workouts, traveling around the country, having teams look at them, and now it's kind of this final stretch for them to get through Summer League and, you know, get a little break and then ramp up for the real thing.

Yeah, I just had one more. You know, he mentioned Summer League. Yeah, actually, I know you kind of got injured, you know, late in the tournament. I know you played through it. Just where are you at Physically? And I guess how much of a challenge was that to work through after you won the title?

Yeah, I mean, uh, well, right now I'm 100% for sure.

Um, uh, the work afterwards was definitely tough. It took about like 4 weeks to fully or almost fully recover from the knee injury. Uh, but I mean, every day was a struggle no matter what. Uh, you know, I was battling with myself mentally, just, just figuring out if, uh, how excited or how nervous I'm gonna be coming into this process. So I mean, I feel like right now I'm all good. I'm excited to go through it and Feel like I'll be able to perform at my best. It was like sprained ankle, and it was like a bone, like high bone bruise, something like that afterwards. But they said at worst like an MCL sprain, but I'm all I'm all good. Absolutely, yes sir.

Yaxel, there aren't a lot of Latinos in the league. Do you have a message to? We know the Latino community loves far and deep. Any message to La República Dominicana or the Latino community as a whole?

En español, por favor.

Yeah.

Make mom proud.

You can do it.

We were just talking about this.

I know.

I know.

I know.

Sorry.

I'm sorry. Well, gracias por mirándome todos estos años y yo voy a hacer el mejor que yo puedo para para ser el mejor jugador que puedo y representar Dominicana República el más mejor que yo puedo. So. Chequea mete año y lo vamos. Gracias.

Mike, you want to translate?

No comprende.

All right, so I think it's time. We got one more, one more. Okay.

Axel, I want to know from you, Axel. What what do you think was the key to you guys winning the national championship at Michigan? What were the things that made you guys champions?

I would say honestly, it's like the power of friendship. You know, we all just loved each other so much. We wanted to do everything for each other. Nobody had any. individual motives or goals. So I feel like that went a long way as far as just our play. Nobody thought they were the best player on the team. And it really showed, you know, a lot of guys would make that extra one more pass that we really needed to, you know, just build chemistry and get players' confidence up. So I feel like that is basically the main key. And then we just always love guarding. So guarding your yard, that led to a lot of fast-break buckets, a lot of fun, and a lot of highlights for everybody. So it was a very fun season.

Any more? Got one here in the back.

Awesome, thank you. Anthony Flores with NBC Bay Area. Yeah, Axel, you said it hasn't hit you or it won't hit you until you put the jersey on. Has it hit you that you're going to be sharing the court with Steph Curry?

Yeah, ironically, they put my locker right next to Steph's. So I know we got a lot to— got a lot of work to do to become best friends and all, but I'm definitely excited.

I'm going to be able to learn as much as I can from him.

Hopefully some of his shooting can rub off on me.

Just, just for both of you guys, what do you see as the biggest challenge for you guys in your game to make that transition from college to the NBA?

I would say, uh, for me would probably be like the defensive 3-second stand, you know. I feel like I camp the paint a lot, so just getting my foot out of there or something. And I feel like, uh, the pace— we had a particularly fast pace at Michigan, but I know it's a lot faster in the NBA. So I would say that for sure, because at the end of the day, basketball is basketball, you know. We've been doing this for a long time, so So just got to go out there and handle business nonetheless.

Mike, how purposeful was that? How purposeful was that locker placement next to Steph?

That Eric Howson will have to answer that for you. He handles all that stuff. That's, that's way above me.

Going once, twice. All right, so appreciate the questions today, and, and now they're going to get a chance to hold up their jerseys and to get a photo op, and then they'll, they'll be available if you want to do a one-on-one on one afterwards. And, uh, the jerseys are coming up now with this beautiful green IREN patch there, just added, freshly minted. I'll get a photo op for the guys. We'll do several of them. Mike, we'll have you in the first one and the middle stand between both of them. We're going to clear these chairs out first.

Let's get those out.