Yaxel Lendeborg has been impressing for the Golden State Warriors since opening night. The rookie forward has already proven himself as a reliable scorer within Steve Kerr's system and is showing improvements on the defensive end. Over his first eight games in the NBA, Lendeborg is averaging 21.5 points, 7 rebounds and 3.9 assists, shooting 50% from the field and 40% from deep.
Those are some solid numbers for a rookie, especially one who fell to 11th in the 2026 NBA Draft. It would appear that Lendeborg is impressing people outside of the Warriors ecosystem, too. When speaking to the media ahead of Golden State's upcoming matchup with the Miami Heat on Thursday, November 5, former Warriors champion Klay Thompson shared his early impression of Lendeborg.
“Yeah, he’s playing great," Thompson said. "He looks like he’s a great athlete, NBA size, and I know he had a great college career, and Steve is a great coach. I think he’s got a great staff, and they can get the most out of guys. So, not too surprised. And he’s got a good leader, Draymond. So, I know they probably go back and forth with the MSU-Michigan rivalry, but Draymond’s a great, great leader for young players, and so is Steph, so I’m not too surprised.”
Lendeborg has given the Warriors another scorer to rely on, along with a strong presence on the glass. His size and length have also been a welcome addition to Golden State's rotation, especially as he's capable of playing multiple positions. Lendeborg undoubtedly has more development to come, and will likely go through some tough spells in the coming months as the grind of the season catches up with him.
However, if he can produce at his current level on a consistent basis, he'll have to go down as a steal of this years draft.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Warriors’ Yaxel Lendeborg Gets Klay Thompson Seal Of Approval
