Yaxel Lendeborg needed only one game to answer Warriors' biggest concern

Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has produced a stunning debut at the California Classic, with the 11th overall pick leading his team to a dominant 104-72 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

There were some concerns on how Lendeborg's shooting would transfer from the college game, but he answered that emphatically in his debut with an equal game-high 19 points on a scorching 4-of-4 shooting from 3-point range.

Yaxel Lendeborg answers any shooting concerns in extraordinary debut

Lendeborg shot an efficient 37.2% on 4.5 attempts from 3-point range last season at Michigan, yet before that was a 35.1% shooter on much lower volume during his two years at UAB. That was seen by many draft analysts as a swing factor in his potential at the NBA level, but the early signs are incredibly positive for Golden State.

Lendeborg began his Warrior career with a wing three, quickly followed by a triple from the top of the arc. The 23-year-old made them from everywhere in the first-half, going a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor and 4-of-4 from 3-point range as Golden State built a 24-point lead thanks to a 29-10 second-quarter.

Lendeborg began the third-quarter with a tough and-one in the paint, showcasing his strength and physicality, which combined with the 3-point shooting stroke, makes him an incredibly exciting prospect for the Warriors entering next season.

But it was about far more than just the scoring for Lendeborg who displayed the versatile skillset that saw Golden State use the 11th pick on him at last month's draft, even despite concerns over his advanced age compared to other prospects in the first-round.

Lendeborg also added five rebounds and six assists in less than 22 minutes on the floor, demonstrating the ability to handle the ball in transition, play within control, and find teammates in a variety of positions.

Warriors obliterate Lakers in California Classic opener

Lendeborg was far from the only positive for the Warriors in Friday's opener, with second-year guard Will Richard showing some improvement in his game as part of an impressive performance. The 23-year-old had 16 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals in just over 21 minutes, shooting 6-of-8 from the floor and 4-of-5 from 3-point range.

Young guard LJ Cryer had 12 points and five assists on 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc in less than 19 minutes, while fellow two-way player Malvey Leons added 11 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals in 22 minutes.

Lendeborg reflected the hot shooting nature of the Warriors overall, with the hosts shooting 62.9% from the floor and 61.5% from 3-point range in the 32-point victory.

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