News Article
Published
Oct 22, 2026 at 09:51 PM EDT
The Golden State Warriors kicked off their 2026-27 season against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, and it certainly did not go the way they had planned.
The Warriors lost 127-105 and they were simply dominated. Now, the Warriors will be aiming to get things back on track when they face the Memphis Grizzlies in their next game on Friday night.
However, following the game, Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg shockingly ripped into the NBA and its players for diving and "foul baiting."
"I got to see what the NBA is like, man," Lendeborg said. "A lot of flopping. A lot of foul baiting. A lot of praying to the ref, man. Interesting first game for me, for sure."
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Lendeborg then called out Lakers superstar Luka Doncic following the game, noting that he lost respect for him as a player.
"I had a lot of respect for him," Lendeborg said about Doncic. "You know, just watching. I didn't really watch the NBA much. I just watched the highlights. Seeing him, you know, kill people all the time. But then being in there firsthand, just watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect, man. Like, that was awful."
When noting that this was Lendeborg's NBA debut, it was certainly bold of him to call out both the league and specifically Doncic after the game. However, the 24-year-old has made it clear that he is not afraid to speak his mind.
Lendeborg is a player who the Warriors are expecting to become a key part of their roster. The 6-foot-9 forward was selected by the Warriors in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, 11th overall. With this, he is a player with good upside, and it will be intriguing to see how he grows his game after his viral moment.
In 29 minutes of playing time against the Lakers, Lendeborg recorded two assists, three rebounds, and 12 points. However, his postgame comments will probably be what NBA fans remember most about his debut.