A star has been born, and the Warriors are certainly celebrating it. After a string of misfortunes and poor decisions from the front office, Yaxel Lendeborg has arrived to restore belief in San Francisco, to make people believe in a present where his brightness pulls them out of the gloom.
The rookie, the 11th pick of the 2026 draft, is becoming the big sensation of the early stage of the 2026-27 NBA season; so much so that he has granted himself the luxury of matching a stat line that had only been seen in Golden State under Stephen Curry.
In last night’s game, which marked the Warriors’ fourth consecutive win by defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 124-112, Lendeborg piled up 37 points (6 of 11 from three), 4 rebounds and 6 assists. Well, now he stands, along with Curry, as the only rookie for the Californians to combine at least 35 points, 5 triples and 5 assists. Enjoy it!
The rookie’s role has been vital for the team. Last night, with Stephen Curry out, they beat the Angelenos convincingly to make clear that this year they can at least contend, especially if pieces like De’Anthony Meltol contribute 21 points or Brandin Podziemski deliver a 17/8/8 line.
Steve Kerr Wasn’t Lying About Yaxel Lendeborg
That’s right. Back on October 4, at the start of training camp, Steve Kerr said the following: “He’s the most NBA-ready rookie I’ve ever had.” The coach’s praise sounded like an exaggeration, but the reality has proven decisive in his favor. He analyzed his defensive and offensive qualities, concluding that he had something big on his hands.
Is this level sustainable? Only time will tell. For now, we’re talking about averages of 22.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists, all while shooting 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. Yaxel Lendeborg isn’t bluffing.
