The Golden State Warriors selected Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 11 pick of this year’s NBA draft.
Lendeborg has impressed for the Warriors in the Summer League and preseason. He is poised to make an impact ahead of his NBA debut on Wednesday, October 21, against the Los Angeles Lakers.
However, Lendeborg is the oldest rookie in the league at 24 years old, though it could be a good trait to have.
Yaxel Lendeborg Key Trait Similar to Steph Curry and Other Warriors Legends
On a recent episode of Byron Scott’s Fast Break podcast, former NBA player Olden Polynice revealed that he’s a big fan of Yaxel Lendeborg. He felt that Lendeborg’s age was the reason he fell in the draft, but history suggests he could still be great for the Warriors.
Polynice argued that Golden State legends like Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson all played multiple years in college, which helped them succeed in the league.
“I like the Yaxel pickup,” Polynice said. “That young kid’s going to be nice. I mean, he fell (in the draft) because of his age, supposedly. He’s too old. … But these guys know how to play basketball. You look at the look at your greatest players. Steph Curry, (junior) Davidson, Klay Thompson, you’ve had these guys, Draymond, you’ve had these people that played longer in college. And so to me, it’s weird that the mentality is here.”
It’s a great take and observation from the 16-year NBA veteran. Lendeborg’s college experience should help him succeed in the league and be the Warriors’ next star.
Curry played three years at Davidson and became the greatest shooter the game has ever seen. He’s a two-time MVP and a four-time NBA champion. He became an All-Star at the age of 26.
Green played all four years of his college eligibility at Michigan State. It took him a couple of years to find his role in Golden State. As for Thompson, he played three seasons for the Washington State Cougars.
Aside from the three legends, current Warriors veterans Jimmy Butler and Al Horford also played multiple years in college for Marquette and Florida, respectively.
Both are multiple-time All-Stars and respected around the league.
Lendeborg’s First Matchup
On Wednesday, Yaxel Lendeborg will get tested immediately in his NBA debut.
The Golden State Warriors face the Los Angeles Lakers on the road, and Lendeborg’s first defensive assignment is none other than Luka Doncic.
Lendeborg is tasked with slowing down Doncic, who has a career average of 30.7 points per game against the Warriors.
It’s a tough matchup, especially for a rookie, but it’s all part of his development.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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