It took Yaxel Lendeborg one season at Michigan to develop a lifelong aversion to Michigan State.
After being drafted 11th overall by the Warriors on Tuesday night, Lendeborg was asked if he'd make a deal with new teammate and former Spartan Draymond Green for No. 23, which Lendborg wore at Michigan and Green has worn throughout his 14-year career with Golden State: Lendeborg can have it if he wears Michigan State gear throughout his rookie season.
Lendeborg laughed at the suggestion and shook his head.
"Nah, nah. I’m not doing that, man," he said. "I hate those guys. I’ve only been there for one year but I definitely hate those guys, all that they were saying, and they can’t even say much because I went 2-0 against them this year, so they’re gonna be little brother to me forever. I'm not gonna represent the losers, ever."
Yaxel Lendeborg wore #23 at Michigan.
His new teammate Draymond Green (and former Spartan) wears #23 with the Warriors.
Would Yax wear MSU gear all season to get to wear #23 in the NBA?
"Nah ... I only went there for one year, but I hate those guys."
College rivalries, y'all. pic.twitter.com/UqX27bSpuN
— Hobie Artigue (@HeyItsMeHobie) June 24, 2026
Lendeborg and the Wolverines beat the Spartans 83-71 in East Lansing in January and 90-80 in the regular season finale in Ann Arbor, with Lendeborg scoring 26 and 27 in the two games.
After the second game, in which the Crisler Center crowd chanted "Little Brother" in the closing minutes, Tom Izzo said, “Guess the crowd didn’t watch the game because I’m nobody’s damn little brother, and neither is my team."
Michigan finished the season 37-3, winning the Big Ten regular season championship and the national championship behind a trio of lottery picks in the frontcourt: Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. who went ninth overall to Dusty May and the Mavericks, and Aday Mara who went 12th overall to the Thunder.
Safe to say they deserve the last laugh.
