The Golden State Warriors selected Yaxel Lendeborg with the 11th pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, and despite not yet playing a minute of professional basketball, the early returns on the rookie are sky-high.
Along with getting the start for opening night against the Los Angeles Lakers, many names throughout the Warriors organization have sung Lendeborg’s praises.
But though he has yet to play in an NBA game, the latest prediction on Lendeborg this season is amazing news for the Warriors and could set the franchise up for another decade of success.
Warriors Get Great News With Yaxel Lendeborg Prediction
Writing for Bleacher Report, Grant Hughes predicts Lendeborg will be the Warriors’ second-best player this season.
That’s right. Over Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and the currently injured Jimmy Butler, the rookie is expected to soon fall behind Stephen Curry as the number two player in Golden State.
“Draymond Green is going to be in the Hall of Fame. Brandin Podziemski just signed a $110 million extension. Jimmy Butler and his five All-NBA nods will be back at some point. None of them will matter more to the Golden State Warriors’ success than rookie Yaxel Lendeborg,” Hughes wrote. “He’s the outlier on a roster that otherwise lacks athleticism, physical force and, well…youth.”
Lendeborg is expected to fill the small forward role for the Warriors until Butler comes back. He had some solid showings in the preseason, but as Hughes believes, the 24-year-old rookie will soon become a big name in the NBA and Golden State’s second-best player, only behind Curry, whom he is expected to star next to.
“Lendeborg showcased a downhill attacking game that no one else on the roster possesses. He dominated stretches of games with size and speed, presenting matchup problems and drawing attention in ways so few of Stephen Curry’s teammates have over the last few seasons,” Hughes added.
“Competitive on defense, capable of knocking down threes at high volume and able to overpower every defender who can’t match his size (which is most of them), Lendeborg will be key to alleviating pressure on Curry and keeping the score close whenever the 38-year-old superstar rests.”
Though Lendeborg has yet to step on an NBA court, Hughes’ prediction might be seen as a big far-out. However, perhaps some recent comments from his Hall of Fame teammate might make it more realistic that he turns into a huge difference-maker for Golden State this season.
Draymond Green On Golden State’s Rookie
Speaking on the latest episode of his podcast with guest Taylor Rooks, Green said Lendeborg is poised to be the next face of the Warriors franchise.
“The Golden State Warriors has found the next face of the franchise,” he said. “He has the game. He has the personality.”
“We’re gonna talk Rookie of the Year next, that’s my pick. We had open practice, and these are just the types of things I pay attention to. We do the signing, this dude went up in the crowd, and the fans loved it. They were going crazy,” Green continued. “I don’t even think he realized what he was doing … he’s in the tunnel signing autographs. Steve [Kerr] has to go get him, literally, Steve has to walk over there and go get him.”
On the surface, Lendeborg will have the chance for success just based on the injuries across the roster the Warriors are dealing with.
Head coach Steve Kerr has already tabbed him for the starting lineup, and though there might be some growing pains along the way, Lendeborg has only gotten praise from his teammates, coaches, and the media through his four-month NBA career so far.
The rookie will play a big role for Golden State this season, and if the predictions are true, perhaps he could elevate the ceiling of the franchise in the final few years they have left with Curry. After that, he could lead the franchise on his own and become the team’s next star in the following decade.
The Warriors’ season begins on October 21 when they will play the Lakers. It will be Lendeborg’s first NBA action, as he starts his career with sky-high expectations.
Warriors Dealt Great Yaxel Lendeborg News If Latest Prediction Comes True