Less than 24 hours after becoming a Warrior, draft night acquisition Yaxel Lendeborg has already ignited renewed motivation in Stephen Curry. Following reported tension between Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy Jr., the Dubs selected Lendeborg with their 11th pick. What followed was a viral moment that marked the beginning of the Michigan star’s professional career. However, after explicitly stating he once hated Curry, the latter took the liberty of delivering a clear “Welcome to the League” greeting to his rookie.

“Throughout all the mental warfare and all the mental collapse I accomplished something many can’t say they have,” Lendeborg told Dub Nation on Instagram. “Always had a big heart and gave my all to this game! This is the ultimate reward, I pray that I can be a role model to somebody who was just like me with no hope and no confidence in himself. Thank you God for not letting me quit and giving me the strength to keep fighting! Next chapter begins as I am now a Warrior. Thank you Dub Nation💙”

Heartwarming as it was, the real party was in the comments section where Curry had personally responded to the 23-year-old, saying, “Let’s go! Welcome to the Bay! I’m going to work hard to be your new favorite player 😂”

Petty, yet funny. Typical of the Chef.

Lendeborg has met Curry just once, at the Warriors-Clippers play-in game in April. He then spoke with the veteran during his pre-draft workout with the Warriors, during which he impressed the top brass last week. So, Lendeborg instantly rushed to prevent locker room tension before he even got there.

“@stephencurry30 man😂😂 we all good man,” Lendeborg replied to his new teammate.

That diffuses any tension, if there was going to be any, with a splash of humor. But it sounds like the ‘favorite player’ comment will drive this partnership in the best way possible. And that competitive drive, alongside capable talent, is something head coach Steve Kerr desperately needs to make this win-now vision work.

Even though the front office reportedly considered trade proposals ahead of the draft for their No. 11 pick, they’ve eventually delivered on Kerr’s public demand of drafting an asset that can instantly feature in the rotation. Setting aside his NCAA title credentials, why has Lendeborg been so relevant these past few hours?

What exactly happened between Yaxel Lendeborg and Stephen Curry?

For almost a year, Yaxel Lendeborg made no secret of where he stood, and he wasn’t about to change that just because the hat on his head did.

The former UAB transfer hadn’t exactly seen Golden State in his future. But there he was, sitting in front of the cameras for his first media appearance as a Warrior, with the team cap on and all, but still not backing down from a word of it.

“It’s a full-circle moment for me,” the No. 11 pick told the media. “In 2016, I’m a big Kyrie guy, so I used to hate Steph Curry.”

Lendeborg followed that jaw-dropper with an exciting message.

“I’m actually going to be on the same team as him, play, and actually learn so much from him,” Lendeborg continued. “It means a lot. I’ve met him a couple of times. He’s a very great guy, a genuine person, and it’s gonna be an honor to be able to watch him do what he does in person.”

With that one sentence, however, he had the room full of reporters laughing and went viral online. Dub fans loved the honesty and competitive drive, especially in the lead-up to his arrival in the Bay. And from the looks of it, even Curry appears to have appreciated it.

Before the 11th pick was announced, the young forward had publicly pleaded with the Dallas Mavericks to select him at No. 9 overall. A move there would have reunited Lendeborg with his former Wolverines head coach, Dusty May, while ironically placing him on the same roster as his childhood favorite, Kyrie Irving.

Instead, Dallas stunned the room by going with Morez Johnson Jr., Lendeborg’s own Michigan teammate. The slight sting opened the door to something different, probably even more special. And two picks later, Mike Dunleavy had secured his man at No. 11.

Lendeborg arrives in the Golden State riding a wave only a few rookies can match. The Big Ten Player of the Year just helped cut down the nets at the national championship, averaging 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds in a season that turned him from a late-bloomer into a lottery pick.

Though he’s a little older than what teams would like in an undeveloped player, Dunleavy dismissed any age concern. The GM declared that Lendeborg will be the key to Golden State’s and Steph Curry’s win-now window.

“Ultimately, we were all in agreement to land on taking Yaxel,” Dunleavy assured the fanbase.

Since he’s given Curry the motivation to outdo Kyrie and impress his rookie, Lendeborg’s already making an impact on the Warriors roster!