Stephen Curry’s Perfect Response to a Rookie Who Admitted He Used to Hate Him

Yaxel Lendeborg got drafted by the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. Then he told the world he used to hate Stephen Curry. And Curry’s response? About as perfect as you’d expect.

The Michigan forward went 11th overall, a pick the Warriors had been sitting on for weeks. Most draft analysts had Lendeborg locked in for Golden State, and the team made it official. But the post-draft interview was where things got interesting.

“It’s a full-circle moment for me,” Lendeborg said. “In 2016, I’m a big Kyrie guy, so I used to hate Stephen Curry.” He caught himself a little, adding that he’s met Curry a few times and called him “a very great guy, a genuine person.” He wrapped it up by saying he’s excited to learn from him.

The clip hit social media fast. Some Warriors fans winced. Why admit you hated the franchise’s cornerstone on your first night with the team? But Curry, who has heard way worse over the years, wasn’t bothered.

He hopped on Instagram to welcome Lendeborg to the Bay. The message was short and classic Curry: “Let’s go! Welcome to the Bay! I’m going to work hard to be your new favorite player.”

That’s it. No passive-aggressive jab. No fake outrage. Just a two-time MVP having fun with a 22-year-old who basically said out loud what half the league was thinking back in 2016.

Context matters here. In 2016, Curry was coming off an unanimous MVP season and the Warriors had just set the regular-season wins record. Kyrie Irving hit the shot that beat them in Game 7 of the Finals. If you were a Kyrie fan that year, rooting against Curry was practically the price of admission.

Lendeborg isn’t the first rookie to show up with some baggage about a future teammate. He won’t be the last. The difference is most guys keep that to themselves on draft night.

On the court, Lendeborg earned his spot. He averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists for Michigan’s national championship run this past season. He shot 51.5 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from three. The Warriors get a versatile forward who can play inside and stretch the floor. He gets to learn from a guy he used to root against.

Curry’s response basically says what everyone in the locker room already knows: that stuff doesn’t matter once you share a jersey. Lendeborg will figure that out pretty quickly. And if he ever needs a reminder, he’s got the Instagram reply saved.