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Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors officially landed the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The NBA listed Golden State at 37-45 with the 11th lottery slot in its updated 2026 draft order. The lottery will determine the top four picks, while the remaining lottery teams select in reverse order of regular-season record. The 2026 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 23-24.
That makes Sunday’s lottery more than a formality for the Warriors. Golden State is not one of the teams with premium odds, but the franchise is still close enough to the top of the board to dream about a major jump at a critical point in the Stephen Curry era.
The Warriors had a 9.4% chance to land a top-four pick, according to The Sporting News’ lottery odds table.
The top four picks where Washington Wizards at No. 1, Utah Jazz at No. 2, Memphis Grizzlies at No. 3 and the Chicago Bulls at No. 4.
If the Warriors stay at No. 11, ESPN’s latest mock draft points them toward a young forward with international experience.
ESPN’s mock draft, posted Thursday, projected Golden State to select Karim Lopez, a 19-year-old, 6-foot-8 forward who has played professionally in New Zealand.
That projection makes sense as a Warriors discussion point because Lopez checks several boxes Golden State could value: size on the wing, developmental upside and professional experience against older competition. He would not be the cleanest “win-now” selection, but the Warriors also need more long-term athleticism around Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.
Lopez would be a bet on upside more than immediate polish. That is where the Warriors’ decision gets interesting. If Golden State wants a player Kerr can put into a rotation quickly, the front office may prioritize readiness, shooting and defensive reliability. If the Warriors are thinking more about the next three to five years, Lopez’s age and physical profile could be appealing.
The mock-draft connection also gives Warriors fans a name to track through the NBA Draft Combine and pre-draft process. The combine runs May 10-17 in Chicago, with the NBA Draft scheduled for June 23-24.
Steve Kerr’s new contract gives the Warriors’ draft decision a clearer timeline.
Kerr agreed to a two-year deal to remain Golden State’s head coach, extending his run with the franchise after weeks of conversations with owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy. NBC Sports Bay Area reported that the deal keeps Kerr with the Warriors after a 37-45 season that ended in the play-in tournament.
That matters for the No. 11 pick because Golden State is not operating like a rebuilding team with unlimited patience. Kerr’s return suggests the Warriors are still trying to thread a narrow path: stay competitive around Stephen Curry while adding younger players who can help extend the franchise’s window.
The pick could go in several directions. Golden State can keep it and try to land a prospect who fits Kerr’s system, or it can use the selection as part of a broader offseason move if the front office decides a veteran upgrade is more valuable than another developmental player.
Either way, Kerr’s extension removes one major unknown. The Warriors now know who will be coaching the next version of the roster. The harder question is whether the No. 11 pick becomes a player Kerr can trust quickly, or a trade chip in the team’s attempt to retool around Curry.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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