Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has generated a considerable amount of attention for his versatile offensive skill set and two-way upside at the Las Vegas Summer League this year. Aside from this, however, the 23-year-old has also found himself in the public eye for his hilarious antics in front of the camera.
Yaxel Lendeborg confidently asserted himself as an outspoken individual after cracking jokes at Draymond Green‘s expense. While Green has played along for the most part, the rookie’s recent efforts to recruit LeBron James to Golden State earned a playful warning from the Warriors’ veteran, leaving Lendeborg slightly worried.
While speaking about the 23-year-old’s efforts to pitch to LeBron James on “The Draymond Green Show,” Green called out Yaxel Lendeborg for taking a playful jab at him, sharing:
“Is the pitch too weak or too strong? I don’t know. I think the pitch is pointless, you know.”
Although Green’s response seems nonchalant, the four-time NBA champion followed up by stating:
“But it’s fine. Training camp is coming soon enough, and you know, got to rein the rookie in a little bit. You know, teach him a few things. Training camp’s coming soon enough. Yeah, training camp will be here pretty soon. And I think you all know why I’m hinting at training camp. And yeah, it’ll get here soon enough, Yax. Enjoy all your media. Training camp’s on the way. It’ll be here before you know it.”
While the playful threat could also be viewed as banter between new teammates, the fact that Green has hinted at “rookie hazing” in the past, too, Lendeborg has enough reason to dread what awaits him at training camp. Hence, when reacting to Green’s comments, the 23-year-old responded:
“I got a little nervous. I don’t know what he’s talking about, man. He could be hinting at a lot of different things. Hopefully it’s not the (rookie) hazing. I hope we keep that at a minimum. I hope it’s just like, ‘Yeah, I got you. This is what you should and shouldn’t do.’ So I’m a little worried, but hopefully everything goes well.”
Although the back-and-forth between the two players is a promising sight from a chemistry-building perspective, Yaxel Lendeborg would be advised to reel things in a bit. Given how intense the Warriors’ training camp is, with its emphasis on physical conditioning and the team’s complex offensive system, Lendeborg will have his work cut out for him.
On a promising note, however, Yaxel Lendeborg has proven himself capable of adapting to the system early on. Along with solid physical tools, the 23-year-old possesses impressive shot-creation skills and boasts remarkable floor-spacing abilities.
In six appearances for the Warriors in this year’s Summer League, the rookie is averaging 13.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 48.3% from three-point range.
For all intents and purposes, the Dubs appear to have acquired a real gem in this year’s draft. Although he is an older rookie, Yaxel Lendeborg possesses remarkable upside. By nurturing his talent, Golden State could easily transform him into a key contributor.
