Yaxel Lendenborg scores 21, wins Summer League MVP

A few months removed from ending his college career with a national title, Lendeborg will play for a Summer League title on Sunday. The lottery pick bounced back nicely from a poor shooting performance in Thursday’s win over the Knicks, shooting over 50 percent from the field and recording another complete stat line. Regardless of what happens with the Warriors’ pursuit of LeBron James, Lendeborg has the skill set needed to contribute immediately. However, no LeBron would give the rookie a higher fantasy ceiling.

After shooting 1-of-7 from beyond the arc in Tuesday’s loss to the Grizzlies, Cryer rebounded nicely to help the Warriors keep their hopes of qualifying for the semifinals alive. He shot 5-of-12 from beyond the arc, leading five Warriors in double figures with 17 points. Unlike first-round pick Yaxel Lendeborg (3/6/6/1/2 with one three-pointer), Cryer’s status for next season is not secure. He’s still on a two-way deal, but if the Warriors stay healthy, Cryer’s role is unlikely to match what it was last season.

After scoring 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting in Sunday’s rout of the Thunder, Lendeborg shot the ball better on Tuesday. The defeat was the Warriors’ first this summer in a game that their first-round pick appeared in, a reminder of what Lendeborg can bring to the table as a connector and winner. How valuable he is in fantasy basketball will depend on the Warriors’ recruitment of LeBron James; if they can’t land the 41-year-old, Lendeborg will possess a higher ceiling as a rookie.

Playing against his college teammate Morez Johnson Jr., Lendeborg was able to turn in his best performance of the summer to lead Golden State to a win. They’re now 3-0 when Lendeborg plays this summer. As an older prospect, is isn’t surprising that he has been able to step in and produce at a high level, and he’ll play a large role for the Warriors this season. He may not see many more appearances this summer.

After making all six of his shot attempts in his summer debut on Friday, Lendeborg cooled off in Sunday’s 98-69 victory. However, the ability to do a little bit of everything was on display, showing why the Warriors selected him 11th overall in last month’s draft. Lendeborg grabbed eight rebounds and recorded three “stocks” while also shooting 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. His fantasy outlook for 2026-27 is in a bit of a holding pattern for now, as the Warriors are among the teams in the mix for free agent LeBron James. If Golden State strikes out on adding the 41-year-old, Lendeborg’s role will take on added importance during his rookie season.

Lendenborg made quite the first impression on Friday in his first action as a pro. He led all Golden State scorers and tied a team high with four three-pointers, with all four triples coming in the first half. He also led the team in assists and was the only one to record at least one block and one steal before the final horn sounded. Lendenborg was selected with the 11th overall pick in this most recent draft. He’ll likely have a chance to be a rotation player from opening night on.

The well-traveled Lendeborg began his college career at the JUCO level, followed by two seasons at UAB. Despite some intrigue last summer, the 6-foot-8 forward decided to transfer to Michigan for his final season instead of entering the 2025 NBA Draft. And the decision was an excellent one, as Lendeborg was a consensus All-American and helped lead the Wolverines to their second national title. In 40 games, he averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.2 blocks and 1.7 three-pointers, shooting 51.5 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from three and 82.4 percent from the foul line. Not only can Lendeborg score on all three levels, but he’s also a capable facilitator and disruptor on the defensive end. At age 23, he can have an immediate impact at the next level, which is exactly what the Warriors are looking for as Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green all enter the final few seasons of their careers. Lendeborg could start, but he’ll at least play a significant role early on.