Story by
Steph Curry details why rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is ‘full package' for Warriors
- Story by
- Steph Curry details why rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is ‘full package' for Warriors
Steph Curry details why rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is 'full package' for Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
With a big performance in Monday's win over the Denver Nuggets , Yaxel Lendeborg showed why the Warriors drafted him with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Advertisement
Steph Curry, speaking with NBC Sports' Robbie Hummel in a postgame interview Monday, listed what has stood out to him about the Warriors rookie.
"His composure. I mean, he just came off of an NCAA championship run," Curry noted. "He's just got composure, feel. His size on the court; he's a matchup problem. He's never really in a hurry and he's starting to see the pictures really well. Distributing, being aggressive, getting to the free-throw line, offensive rebounding.
"Kind of the full package. So, we want him to continue to play aggressive."
It was clearly difficult for Curry to just pinpoint one of Lendeborg's qualities that has stood out to him. The Warriors rookie displayed a wide variety of skills in his fourth NBA game, recording 31 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
Advertisement
The Golden State offense is built around Curry, but Monday night's 134-point explosion was centered around Lendeborg. In the first half, Curry had just three points on one field goal attempt, while Lendeborg led the team with 15 first-half points on 12 shot attempts.
The rookie's impact was not limited to scoring. His game-high 12 rebounds outpaced Denver's triple-double machine Nikola Jokić, who finished with seven. Four of Lendeborg's rebounds were on the offensive side, helping the Warriors score 23 second-chance points.
Lendeborg showed off his ability to facilitate as well, driving deep into the paint and either kicking the ball out or dumping it off to a cutting teammate. His six assists were the second-highest on the team behind Draymond Green.
Three of his six assists came in the fourth quarter while Curry rested, helping the Warriors seal the win and allowing their superstar to rest for the remainder of the game.
Advertisement
"Basically, in all the critical moments of the game, we just put the ball in his hands," coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the win in Denver. "And for a rookie to be that advanced already, it's extremely rare."
The Warriors rookie already seems to have gained the trust of both the team's superstar and coach. Lendeborg looks to build on his historic start to his NBA career Wednesday, when Golden State faces off against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
