Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has always been vocal about the love for his mother, Yissel Raposo. Together, they shed tears of joy when his name was called at the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to the Warriors in June.
Lendeborg has been vocal about the sacrifices that his mother made for him and one of his goals was to pay her back. He debuted a new YouTube channel showcasing “behind-the-scenes, life outside of basketball and everything in between” where a video released on Friday, Nov. 6 had a surprise reveal of a recently purchased house for his mother.
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“On behalf of everybody that came to show up, welcome home,” Lendeborg said to Raposo, moving her from New Jersey to California.
Raposo was speechless as happy tears trickled down her face and she took the keys out of a box Lendeborg handed her and she opened the door as they took a tour of her new home.
Lendeborg said it took him 2 to 3 months to finalize the house. To keep his mom from finding out, he and his sister would often disguise phone conversations around visiting Hawaii; instead, they were talking about how to get their mom to her new house without suspicion.
“There is no gesture big enough to properly say thank you for all the love, sacrifice, and support my mom has poured into me but this moment was pretty special and one I’ll never forget,” Lendeborg said in his video description. “She deserves it all. For me, it’s bigger than basketball. It’s about making sure the people who believed in me get to enjoy the blessings too.”
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Lendeborg has always discussed the bond that he and his mother share and how she’s directly responsible for his achievements in basketball and finding early success in the NBA.
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
TNT college basketball analyst Ernie Johnson on air before the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament between the Michigan Wolverines and the Connecticut Huskies at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 6, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Longtime host Ernie Johnson announced Wednesday, Oct. 28, in a video message posted to his social media channel that the 2026-27 season, which began last week, will be his last with the show.
“You know I’ve been hosting ‘Inside the NBA’ for a long time – this is my 37th year.” Johnson said. “I’ve long described it as a ‘get to job,’ still amazed that I get to do this for a living. As the years have gone by, and I turned 70 this past summer, folks have asked me: ‘So how long are you going to keep doing Inside?’ Well I want to take a couple of minutes of your time to answer that.
“This will be my last season. Totally my decision. It’s just time.”
Look back at his career.
(Mitchell Layton, Getty Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
TNT college basketball analyst Ernie Johnson on air before the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament between the Michigan Wolverines and the Connecticut Huskies at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 6, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Longtime host Ernie Johnson announced Wednesday, Oct. 28, in a video message posted to his social media channel that the 2026-27 season, which began last week, will be his last with the show.
“You know I’ve been hosting ‘Inside the NBA’ for a long time – this is my 37th year.” Johnson said. “I’ve long described it as a ‘get to job,’ still amazed that I get to do this for a living. As the years have gone by, and I turned 70 this past summer, folks have asked me: ‘So how long are you going to keep doing Inside?’ Well I want to take a couple of minutes of your time to answer that.
“This will be my last season. Totally my decision. It’s just time.”
Look back at his career.
(Mitchell Layton, Getty Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
2002 photo of Ernie Johnson bobblehead.
(LESLIE SMITH,JR., USA TODAY)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
(L-R) Referee Dick Bavetta, TNT announcer Ernie Johnson and NBA legend Charles Barkley stand at mid-court before the start of the Bavetta/Barkley Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend on Feb. 17, 2007 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
NBA on TNT television show, hosted by Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley. Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley clown around on the set during halftime show on May 2, 2007 in Atlanta.
(Michael A. Schwarz, USA TODAY)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
NBA on TNT television show, hosted by Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley. L to R: Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley at postgame show on May 2, 2007 in Atlanta.
(Michael A. Schwarz, USA TODAY)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates as he speaks with TNT’s Ernie Johnson after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 100-92 in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs on May 29, 2008 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Jeff Gross, Getty Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
From left, Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Chris Weber, and Charles Barkley on the TNT set at the 2012 NBA All-Star Shooting Stars competition at the Amway Center in Orlando.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Turner sportscaster Ernie Johnson, Jr speaks during the Legends Brunch at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans on Feb. 16, 2014.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Hosts Ernie Johnson attends a NBA 2K15 Uncensored roundtable discussion at Baruch College on Aug. 19, 2014 in New York City.
(Brad Barket)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
From left, Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith attend the Turner Upfront 2015 at Madison Square Garden on May 13, 2015 in New York City.
(Theo Wargo, Getty Images for Turner)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
From left, Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley appear on stage during the Turner Upfront 2015 at Madison Square Garden on May 13, 2015 in New York City.
(Theo Wargo, Getty Images for Turner)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
TNT’s Inside the NBA host Ernie Johnson Jr. puts on an iGrow laser-based hair-growth helmet during a live telecast of “NBA on TNT” at CES 2017 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center on Jan. 5, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. CES, the world’s largest annual consumer technology trade show, featured 3,800 exhibitors showing off their latest products and services to more than 165,000 attendees.
(Ethan Miller, Getty Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Television sportscaster Ernie Johnson during practice for the 2017 Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium on Mar. 31, 2017.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
LeBron James accepts the MVP award from TNT sportscaster Ernie Johnson Jr. during the NBA All-Star Game 2018 at Staples Center on Feb. 18, 2018 in Los Angeles.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Getty Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson Jr. attend the 2018 NBA Awards Show at Barker Hangar on June 25, 2018 in Santa Monica, California.
(Allen Berezovsky, Getty Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Tiger Woods (left) reacts at Phil Mickelson as sportscaster Ernie Johnson looks on during The Match: Tiger vs Phil golf match at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas on Nov. 23, 2018.
(Kyle Terada, Imagn Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
TBS announcer Ernie Johnson with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after Team LeBron defeated Team Durant in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland on Feb. 20, 2022.
(David Richard, Imagn Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
TNT commentator Ernie Johnson Jr. interviews Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green after winning game five of the 2022 western conference finals against the Dallas Mavericks at Chase Center in San Francisco on May 26, 2022.
(Kelley L Cox, Imagn Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Ernie Johnson attends the 2023 Beloved Benefit presented by The Same House at Georgia World Congress Center on Aug. 24, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Derek White, Getty Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Ernie Johnson speaks onstage during the 2023 Beloved Benefit presented by The Same House at Georgia World Congress Center on Aug.24, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Derek White, Getty Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Ernie Johnson Jr. interviews Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty after their 3-point challenge during the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 17, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Stacy Revere, Getty Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Commentator Ernie Johnson on set during Capital One’s The Match IX at The Park West Palm on Feb. 26, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
(Cliff Hawkins, Getty Images for The Match)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Shaq’s OGs general manager Shaquille O’Neal and Chuck’s Global Stars general manager Charles Barkley and broadcaster Ernie Johnson during a break in the game against Chuck’s Global Stars during the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center on Feb. 16, 2025 in San Francisco.
(Kyle Terada, Imagn Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Ernie Johnson interviews Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle after game six of the eastern conference finals against the New York Knicks for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on May 31, 2025.
(Trevor Ruszkowski, Imagn Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
Ernie Johnson looks on during a practice session ahead of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on April 3, 2026.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
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Ernie Johnson says 37th year as ‘Inside the NBA’ host will be last
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (R) celebrates with the Larry O’Brien championship trophy while being interviewed by broadcaster Ernie Johnson (L) after game five of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on June 13, 2026.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)
“I got here because of her,” Lendeborg said in June after getting drafted. “She pushed a dream, forced me to go out there and step into the world and become a man. I had no choice but to go out there and do the best I could. So I vowed every day to be a better man, be a better person and just do the best I can for her.”
Sharing the moments of success with his mom means everything to Lendeborg because of the sacrifices that she made for him and his sisters, having to work multiple jobs to ensure they have what they need. Raposo also battled Stage 4 appendix cancer, another thing that fuels Lendeborg.
“She put her whole life on hold for my life and I’m super proud of her for fighting so hard and I’m glad we get to share this moment together,” he said in a June interview after being drafted.
Lendeborg has been a bright spot for the Warriors on the court, who are on a six-game winning streak as they face the Orlando Magic in a 5:30 p.m. PT (8:30 p.m. ET) tip-off on Saturday, Nov. 7 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California.
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The rookie averages 21.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game through his first 9 games of the 2026–27 NBA season.
