One of the biggest X Factors heading into the Golden State Warriors’ season is rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.
Golden State will need to rely on the young forward without Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, who will miss the first few months.
If his showing in Butler’s minicamp was any sign of how well he can contribute, he will make a name for himself quickly.
Yaxel Lendeborg’s Size and Skill a Perfect Match
A big reason why Lendeborg fits what the Dubs need is his size and scoring ability.
Teammates saw the 6-foot-9 forward from afar during NBA Summer League, but his size surprised them up close.
“He’s f— massive; like he is a big human being,” said Butler, who hosted the camp in San Diego. “And he shoots the ball so incredibly well; he’s smart, he wants to learn, and he’s a winning player.”
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Much of last season was defined by players’ inability to capitalize on defenders loading up on Curry. Lendeborg’s three-point shooting will be essential to spacing the floor and forcing defenses to react. He will get the open looks; it will be up to him to knock them down.
With his height and ball-handling skills, his role as a playmaker should be utilized more to ease the load off of Curry and Draymond Green.
Players were particularly taken aback by how smart he proved to be on the floor. After playing six years of college ball, the 24-year-old has developed a strong basketball acumen.
“The one thing I’ve been really impressed about playing with him so far is his IQ and feel for the game, and the way he reads defenses and makes decisions,” Al Horford praised. “It’s setting him apart right away.”
Many of the Warriors’ issues with young players in the past stemmed from their struggle to read the game and make smart decisions. Lendeborg’s understanding of the game is a welcome sight.
Fitting Within the System
The minicamp let Lendeborg build chemistry with Green and Curry and get a feel for what could work in live games.
Green highlighted a specific example in which Curry set a backscreen for Lendeborg, freeing him up to slip to the basket for a dunk. Warriors’ vets immediately identified an easy opportunity that will be available for Lendeborg all season long alongside Curry.
“It was an out-of-bounds play. It happened with like two seconds, and I had a wide-open dunk,” Lendeborg detailed. “They were both talking about, ‘That’s all year, all year,’ super loud and aggressive, and I’m like, ‘Oh wow, if it’s gonna be like that then it’s gonna be a lot of fun.’ I’m hoping it is like that.”
Getting a first taste of what it’s like to play with the Warriors superstar left the rookie in awe.
“I’ve never come off of a backscreen and seen nobody in front of me or behind me, so yeah it was ridiculous.”
Putting in the Work
Warriors players weren’t just impressed by the talent he showed on the court, but also by his desire to learn.
Lendeborg is surrounded by four All-Star veterans who have had the kind of longevity he hopes to reach in the NBA. The team get-together gave him a chance to pick their brains and expand his basketball knowledge. His willingness to do whatever it takes to win is music to the team’s ears.
“That’s what I was most impressed by is like, ‘What you want me to do? I’m gonna be able to do it,'” Butler said of his conversations with Lendeborg. “He asked me about some of the things that I look for and some of the things I do while I’m out there playing the game.”
Lendeborg specifically made a point of asking questions about defensive rotations and playing off-ball. He admitted that mastering their off-ball offense and help defense is still a work in progress.
“At Michigan, we switched everything. Here it’s more so like a chase-over fight-over kind of game; I’ve never really done that,” he revealed. “I’ve been still trying to navigate that. And some of the rotations off ball as well—like when to help, when not to help—those kinds of things have been confusing me a little bit.”
Kerr made a point of spotlighting the rookie’s work ethic—an area that had previously been a concern. Lendeborg has made a concerted effort to shed the narrative that he’s an unmotivated worker.
The Warriors coach even told Lendeborg to stay out of the gym for a few days because of how much he had been working.
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Yaxel is Committed to Winning
Coach Steve Kerr has yet to disclose his rotation plans, so it is unclear whether Lendeborg will be a starter. But no matter what Kerr decides, Lendeborg emphasized that he will be happy regardless of his role.
Yaxel’s strong showing in Butler’s minicamp will hopefully translate into preseason and meaningful NBA games.
His biggest area for growth will be defensively. But the Warriors can be patient with his development on that side of the ball if he produces on offense.
The season is just getting underway, and he already has the respect of vets and the head coach. Now it will be up to him to show how high his ceiling is.
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