Warriors rookie making waves already, rips pro players for ‘lazy’ habit

It was a tough offseason for the Warriors, who didn’t make any big moves and will enter this season without championship-contending expectations.

But there’s something to be excited about.

Yaxel Lendeborg is proving to be everything the Warriors hoped for when they selected him with the 11th overall pick in June’s NBA Draft.

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The 6-foot-9 forward is a crafty scorer, skilled playmaker and strong rebounder, all things the Warriors need with Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Kristaps Porzingis out.

In the Warriors’ exhibition game against the Lakers on Tuesday, Lendeborg finished with 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one blocked shot. It was his second preseason game with nine rebounds.

“I think it’s a lot easier to get rebounds here,” Lendeborg said. “In college, the paint was always packed and there’s always somebody coming out of nowhere to rebound.

“These guys, I feel they’re more lazy to get the rebounds. I’m having clear-shot rebounds by myself. It’s crazy. I feel like I’ll have a lot of rebounding games where I’ll have like, nine to 12, something like that.”

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That’s an exciting prospect for the Warriors, considering most incoming NBA players feel out of sorts while adjusting to a sped-up game with bigger and stronger competitors.

Lendeborg appears to be having the opposite reaction.

For him, this is easier than anticipated.

Golden State Warriors forward Yaxel Lendeborg (1) gestures after shooting a 3-point basket next to Los Angeles Lakers forward Kevon Looney (55) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in San Francisco. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

The Warriors selected Lendeborg because they were hoping he was NBA ready. He’s 24 years old, which is typically a demerit on draft boards for teams coveting young talent who they can develop.

But for the Warriors, who have aging stars, including the 38-year-old Steph Curry, 36-year-old Draymond Green and 37-year-old Butler, acquiring a player who could make an immediate contribution was the team’s priority.

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For those guys, the window to compete is now. And it’s closing. The franchise needs to do…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/warriors-rookie-making-waves-already-181618751.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-07 18:16:00

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