Yaxel Lendeborg Just Made His Case for a Warriors Roster Spot with a Perfect Shooting Night

Yaxel Lendeborg didn’t just have a solid Summer League outing on Sunday. He had one of those games that makes front offices take a second look. The former Michigan star and national champion went a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in Golden State’s 91-85 loss to the Sacramento Kings at the California Classic.

It wasn’t just the shooting. Lendeborg nearly posted a double-double with eight rebounds and added two blocks on defense. He looked comfortable running the offense from the high post, finding cutters and keeping the floor spaced. For a Warriors team that built its dynasty on that kind of versatility, it’s easy to see why people are already projecting him into a specific role.

Draymond Green comparisons are starting

Warriors beat reporter Joseph Dycus of the San Jose Mercury News didn’t waste any time drawing parallels. On X, Dycus wrote that Lendeborg looked “awfully comfortable facilitating the Warriors’ famous split cuts from the post a la Draymond Green.” He even imagined the rookie making the same passes to Steph Curry that Green has made for a decade.

That’s high praise for an undrafted player, but the fit is genuine. Lendeborg’s skill set — defensive instincts, passing vision, and now a reliable three-point shot — checks a lot of boxes Golden State looks for in its forwards. And he’s already shown this summer that his shooting wasn’t a fluke.

Perfect from deep twice in a row

Sunday’s perfect night came right after his July 4 debut, where Lendeborg also knocked down all four of his three-point attempts. That’s 7-for-7 from deep across two Summer League games. In the opener, he helped the Warriors crush the Lakers 104-72, showing off that same mix of defense and shooting that made him a standout at UAB before he transferred to Michigan and won a title.

The sample size is tiny, sure. But you can’t shoot it any better than he has. And for a Warriors team that needs cheap contributors who can play off Curry and Draymond, Lendeborg is making an awfully strong case to stick around when the regular season starts.

Fans are already imagining him spacing the floor next to Curry. And so far, the rookie hasn’t given them any reason to stop.