Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg accomplishes feat not seen in decades in home debut

SAN FRANCISCO — An hour or so after the Warriors’ collapse Friday night, Yaxel Lendeborg stood at his locker and swapped out his white No. 1 jersey for a blue throwback No. 4.

Dug out of his childhood closet by his mom, it was already an appropriate homage for a Michigan man trading in one shade of blue for another. Then, Lendeborg went on to have a game that no Warriors rookie had had since the guy whose name was on the back of that jersey.

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“This is the jersey I’ve been wearing since I was a kid on the basketball court,” Lendeborg told reporters in the locker room following Golden State’s 111-108 loss to the Grizzlies. “Chris Webber, Michigan legend. Warrior legend. Had to represent, you know?”

Golden State Warriors’ Yaxel Lendeborg (1) dunks the ball during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

Lendeborg did more than represent.

Although he got the short end of his first NBA showdown with fellow rookie forward Cameron Boozer, Lendeborg matched the No. 3 overall pick with 13 rebounds and six assists to go with 18 points — the first Warriors rookie since Webber to put up such a line in one game.

Only two Warriors, period, in the past six seasons have stuffed the stat sheet to the degree that Lendeborg did in just his second professional game. Steph Curry went for 23, 13 and 13 back in 2021. And Brandin Podziemski notched 18, 15 and nine this past February.

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That’s it.

However, Lendeborg was also responsible for six of the Warriors’ 19 turnovers.

“He’s gonna get better and better,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He just has to get used to the NBA. … He’s putting himself in some risky spots that he won’t be doing a few weeks from now.”

Yaxel Lendeborg (1) of the Golden State Warriors smiles against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, October 23, 2026, at Chase Center in San Francisco. NBAE via Getty Images

Yaxel Lendeborg (1) of the Golden State Warriors and Cameron Boozer (27) of the Memphis Grizzlies battle during a game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

After going back and…

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Publish date : 2026-10-24 16:51:00

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