When Steve Kerr rolled up to the Sweet 16 at SAP Center in San Jose to see his Arizona Wildcats play the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Warriors coach later admitted he naturally had a scout’s eye observing his school’s blowout win.
“Just a little bit. Mike was there, that’s obviously his job,” Kerr said the next day, referencing Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy also being in attendance. “But yeah, when I watch college games, I always try to envision what a guy would look like on an NBA court.”
Kerr can keep enjoying Arizona’s success, and keep envisioning what their top prospects would look like in the NBA, specifically in a Warriors jersey. Arizona, Michigan, Illinois and UConn represent this year’s Final Four, with both games being played Saturday to determine which teams will square off in the national championship.
Several prospects are looking to showcase their skills on the biggest stage. The Warriors currently are slotted into the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft ahead of the lottery on May 10. As the regular season winds down and the offseason starts becoming a main priority, here are five prospects from the Final Four the Warriors should be watching with a late lottery pick, choosing just outside of the top 14 or moving up from the ping-pong balls bouncing in their favor.
The biggest knock against Lendeborg would be a big positive for the Warriors and help him fall in their laps. He’s an older prospect who’s already 23 years old and will be 24 before he ever plays an NBA game. To put that into perspective, Moses Moody is in his fifth NBA season and is just four months older than Lendeborg.
Most lottery picks need seasoning and ample time to develop. That’s a problem the Warriors have run into in the past and can avoid with Lendeborg being a pro-ready prospect. Lendeborg spent three years in junior college, two at UAB — where he twice led the American Athletic Conference in rebounds and ranked in the top five nationally both years — and capped his college career by collecting every award imaginable at Michigan.
Lendeborg can do a bit of everything, averaging 15.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in a season when he’s shooting a career-best 37.2 percent from 3-point range. He’s shooting from deep more than ever and has plenty of defensive accolades to his name. Standing 6-foot-9 with a massive 7-foot-4 wingspan, Lendeborg has the versatility and feel for the game that can make him an immediate fit on the Warriors.
Making one of the most remarkable clutch shots ever in the history of a storied school isn’t why the Warriors should have their eyes on Mullins. But it doesn’t hurt.
Mullins’ game-winning 3-pointer to beat Duke and propel his team into the Final Four wasn’t a heave from 40 feet. It was shot confidently, fluidly and in motion. Luck might have been sprinkled in for the moment, though Mullins’ shot profile is awfully intriguing. So is his confidence in taking the shot when he had missed all four of his 3-point attempts previously against Duke in the Elite Eight.
He passes the eye test, and it’s easy to see how Mullins would fit the Warriors’ as an off-ball shooting threat. Mullins, who turns 20 years old on April 18, is 6-foot-6 and can let it fly for someone shooting just 32.8 percent beyond the arc. That number doesn’t tell the full story.
From Dec. 1 through Feb. 25, Mullins had a 39.4 3-point percentage on 6.5 attempts per game in 21 total games. In his last nine games, however, Mullins has made just 19 percent of his threes. Trust the former more than the latter when it comes to Mullins’ ability to be a shooting weapon at the next level.
Without it being an official job interview of sorts, Burries certainly made a strong first impression in front of Kerr. The freshman combo guard led Kerr’s alma mater to the Elite Eight with a team-high 23 points on efficient shooting. Burries went 7 of 11 from the field, including 2 of 4 from 3-point range, and was 7 of 8 on free throws.
He’s been great throughout March Madness, averaging 17.8 points while going 22 of 38 overall (57.9 percent) and 13 of 19 on threes (68.4 percent). Burries also is averaging 6.3 rebounds, with at least five rebounds in Arizona’s four tournament games so far.
Burries is very strong at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds. In his one year at Arizona, Burries has shown how he can impact the game on both sides. This season, he has led the team in both points per game (16.1) and steals per game (1.5), and also ranks third in assists per game (2.5), fourth in rebounds per game (4.9) and third in 3-point percentage (40.2 percent).
Highlighting two prospects from Kerr’s school was an obvious decision. Peat’s possible fit on the Warriors and in the NBA isn’t as much of a sure thing.
Like Burries, Peat impressed in front of Kerr. Peat scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting. All eight made shots were inside the arc, as were all 11 of his total shot attempts. There’s a forcefield around the 3-point line for Peat. He has taken 361 shots this season, and 19 have been threes.
Peat is strong and has good size at 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds. He’s a fluid athlete but not super explosive. There’s a lot to like about Peat, but his limitations could see him slide.
Of these five prospects, Wagler seems the least likely to slide down to the Warriors if they’re picking at No. 10, 11 or even lower. Is he someone the Warriors would consider if they jump into the top four? Probably not, but maybe, just maybe.
There’s just a lot to like about Wagler if you value feel for the game being clear as day. Wagler is a 6-foot-6 combo guard who doesn’t throw down dunks and isn’t an elite athlete. Watching him should answer any of those concerns. Wagler is averaging 17.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game with a 40.7 3-point percentage.
Where Wagler winds up in the draft will be one of the more interesting storylines. It would take some good luck for him to still be on the board for the Warriors. Teams will be mixed on his upside, and Golden State should be a team that easily sees the vision, though Wagler could require some patience as he physically develops.
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