While Stephen Curry has been phenomenal to begin the 2026-27 season, Warriors fans have become accustomed to seeing his dominance, as the Davidson alum has two MVP trophies and four championships to his name. However, many supporters weren't expecting recent No. 11 overall pick Yaxel Lendeborg to get off to such a hot start as a rookie. Through nine games to begin the year, Lendeborg is averaging 21 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting 49.2% from the field and 39.6% from 3-point range.
In a recent interview with HoopsHype, longtime Warriors forward and Hall of Famer Chris Mullin spoke about Lendeborg's performance to begin the year, saying, "Yaxel, probably after eight or nine games, has played better than
anybody. He'd probably get the Rookie of the Year award right now. And quite frankly, if the Warriors keep winning and he plays like this, he'll be in the All-Star game!"
"If the Warriors win enough games, he'll be in All-Star consideration for sure. And I think he's going to be a perennial All-Star and just an All-NBA type performer moving forward consistently," Mullin continued.
While this is high praise coming from Mullin, Lendeborg's impact has been undeniable early on. In 13 seasons with Golden State, Mullin made four All-NBA selections and five All-Star appearances while averaging 20.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.6 blocks.
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This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors Hall of Famer envisions great success for rookie Yaxel Lendeborg
