Yaxel

Lendeborg

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.