What Is Yaxel Lendeborg's Net Worth In 2026? Golden State Warriors Rookie's NIL Money And NBA Deal

Yaxel Lendeborg went from junior college to the NBA, and his bank account has followed him up. The 24-year-old was the No. 11 pick in June, and he already has a Warriors contract and a big college payday behind him. He has also made noise on the court, going back and forth with Luka Doncic in his debut. So what is he actually worth? Nobody has an official number, but his NIL deals and his rookie contract give a good picture.

What Lendeborg made in college

No source gives a firm net worth for Lendeborg, so the best guide is what he has earned. Most of it came from NIL deals at Michigan. Estimates put his NIL value at $2 million to $2.3 million, and his package for 2025-26 at roughly $2 million to $3 million. Add smaller deals from earlier in his career, and his total earnings are estimated at $2.5 million to $4 million. Those are estimates, not confirmed figures.

He also walked away from money. Reports say he turned down a $7 million to $9 million NIL offer from Kentucky, choosing development over a quick payday. His latest confirmed brand deal is with Cava. Michigan doesn't pay players a salary, so all of that income came from NIL, collectives and sponsors.

Before Michigan, his road was much harder. He came up through junior colleges and then UAB, and his earnings in those years were small. The money only started to grow after he gained national attention and transferred. By 2025, his NIL value had already passed $2 million, and All-American honors and national exposure pushed his name even higher.

His Warriors contract

The real jump came on July 1, when he signed a four-year, $28,102,848 rookie deal with Golden State. It averages about $7 million a year. This season he will make $6,096,240, and the pay rises each year, reaching about $8.9 million in the last season.

Not all of it is safe, though. Only $12,497,520 is guaranteed, which covers the first two years. The last two seasons are team options, which the Warriors must decide on by Oct. 31 of 2027 and 2028. If he plays well, he could reach restricted free agency in 2030.

Here is how the yearly pay breaks down: about $6.1 million this season, $6.4 million in 2027-28, $6.7 million in 2028-29 and $8.9 million in 2029-30. That adds up to the full $28.1 million if the team keeps him for all four years.

The numbers are modest next to what top picks get, but they're steady, and they're bigger than most college checks. Add his college earnings and he's likely worth several million dollars already. His real earning years could still be ahead, especially if more brand deals follow now that he's in the league.