A star is born, and the Warriors have plenty to celebrate. After a string of setbacks and questionable front-office decisions, Yaxel Lendeborg has arrived to restore hope in San Francisco, giving fans reason to believe that brighter days lie ahead.
The rookie, selected with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, has been one of the standout performers at the start of the 2026-27 season. In fact, he has now achieved something only Stephen Curry had previously managed as a Warriors rookie.
In last night’s game, a 124-112 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers that marked the Warriors’ fourth consecutive win, Lendeborg finished with 37 points, including six three-pointers from 11 attempts, four rebounds and six assists. He joins Curry as the only rookie in Warriors history to record at least 35 points, five three-pointers and five assists in a game. Enjoy!
The rookie is already proving vital to the team. Without Stephen Curry, Golden State comfortably beat the Clippers, showing that they could be a competitive force this season. They also received valuable contributions from De’Anthony Melton, who scored 21 points, and Brandin Podziemski, who recorded 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Steve Kerr wasn’t lying about Yaxel Lendeborg
That’s right. Back in early October, during training camp, Steve Kerr described Lendeborg as the most NBA-ready rookie he had ever coached. At the time, such high praise might have sounded exaggerated, but Lendeborg’s early performances have proved him right. Kerr had already highlighted his offensive and defensive qualities, making it clear that he believed the Warriors had something special on their hands.
Can he maintain this level? Only time will tell. For now, he is averaging 22.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting an impressive 40.9 per cent from three-point range. Yaxel Lendeborg is the real deal.
(Photograph by IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)