A lot of jokes have and will be made about how old the 2026 Golden State Warriors are. It’s true, they have a very experienced roster to put it kindly, but rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who is even old by rookie standards at the age of 24, is already listening to his elders which is a really positive sign.
Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr have both praised Lendeborg for his willingness to learn and take advice. Kerr spoke about how coachable Lendeborg is and how receptive he is. It certainly showed after Kerr and Curry both said that Lendeborg needed to be more aggressive after the team’s preseason opener, leading to him being much more assertive and confident on the floor during Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Lendeborg has also talked about how he texted both Curry and Draymond Green after that preseason opener to get their feedback on what he needed to do better.
That’s great to see because even if Lendeborg is surrounded by older, injury-prone players, he at least has the benefit of all that veteran experience and leadership around him which can help mold him into a better player.
Some players coming out of college might have a certain cockiness or hubris to them where they think they know everything, and that the old dinosaurs they’re playing with in the NBA don’t have anything to teach them. Lendeborg is definitely confident, but he has never seemed like the type to think he knows everything, and he’s going to be the key of the Warriors hope to have any amount of success this season.
Yaxel Lendeborg needs to get along with all of the Warriors' veterans
Lendeborg’s relationship with Draymond Green will be watched very closely since we know how the veteran is and with some viewing the rookie as his eventual replacement. Yet if they can get along well, that’s only going to be a positive for both because Green has a lot to teach Lendeborg that will make him a better player, and part of the 36-year-old's value to Golden State will be as a mentor figure going forward.
If the veteran does a good job imparting his wisdom to Lendeborg and helps him grow, perhaps that incentivizes the Warriors to keep Green around even if he's not the same player he once was.
Golden State needs there to be synergy between the veterans and the younger players like Lendeborg and Brandon Podziemski. Not only will that make for better Warriors basketball in the present, but it will position Golden State for the future. It’s great to see Lendeborg’s willingness to learn from all the guys around him.
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