Yaxel Lendeborg has been in the NBA for about five minutes, and he’s already winning over Warriors fans. Not because he’s dropping 30 every night — though he did put up 15 points, nine boards, three assists and two steals in Summer League on Tuesday — but because of the way he talks about the game.
In an interview with ESPN, Lendeborg didn’t rattle off stat goals or rookie-season awards. He didn’t say he wants to be Rookie of the Year or make an All-Rookie team. Instead, he talked about slowing the game down and being someone kids can look up to.
“I don’t really have any like MVP kind of things,” Lendeborg said. “I just want to be a role model to the kids, I wanna be somebody that the kids look up to and wanna be like. Try to be as simple as possible.”
That kind of mindset is rare for a 23-year-old rookie — especially one who’s older than most of his draft classmates. But Lendeborg is a Michigan alum who knows what he is and what he isn’t. And that self-awareness is exactly what made him an appealing pick for Golden State.
Why He Fits With the Dubs
The Warriors system isn’t easy to plug into. It requires guys who can defend multiple positions, make quick decisions and play without the ball. Lendeborg checks those boxes. He prides himself on both ends of the floor, and that two-way approach is starting to look like a natural fit.
He shot 6-of-12 from the field in Tuesday’s Summer League game, though he went 0-for-2 from deep. The outside jumper is still a work in progress, but the effort and basketball IQ are already there. He’ll have a real shot at a rotation spot when training camp rolls around.
The LeBron Factor Looms
Of course, a lot of what the Warriors do this offseason depends on LeBron James. The team is still hoping he’ll bring his talents to the Bay, and that uncertainty puts some things on hold. But for a guy like Lendeborg, none of that changes his approach. He just wants to play the right way and let everything else sort itself out.
That attitude? It’s going to play well in a locker room full of veterans who’ve won championships.
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