Yaxel Lendeborg says he 'lost all respect' for Luka Dončić in first NBA game: 'I was telling him he sucks'

Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg was given a tough task in his first NBA game. In his NBA debut, Lendeborg was tasked with stopping Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Dončić, one of the most explosive scorers in the league.

Some rookies might shy away from that assignment, knowing Dončić has the ability to make even veteran defenders look mediocre. Lendeborg, apparently, isn't most rookies.

The Warriors forward went right at Dončić, engaging in some tense trash talk throughout the contest. Lendeborg didn't back down after the game — a 127-105 win by the Lakers — either, saying he told Dončić "he sucks."

Lendeborg added that he "lost all respect" for Dončić after seeing the way the Lakers star plays the game up close. Lendeborg specifically called out Dončić's "complaining" throughout the game.

Lendeborg did take things a bit too far with his trash talk, however. In his first NBA game, the rookie was given a technical foul before halftime.

Dončić didn't seem too bothered by Lendeborg's trash talk. The Lakers star finished the contest with a team-leading 28 points … and led the Lakers to a win.

After the game, Dončić said he elevated his play due to Lendeborg's antics.

Dončić later added that Lendeborg was "talking crazy" the entire night.

Despite Dončić's numbers and the Lakers' win, it seems unlikely Lendeborg will change his approach any time soon. The rookie had the support of Draymond Green after the game, with Green using some colorful language to encourage Lendeborg to keep talking trash, regardless of his opponent.