The Golden State Warriors finally picked up their first win of the season on Monday, but ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins noticed something about Stephen Curry that went beyond the final score.
Perkins suggested that rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has become a particularly bright spot for the two-time NBA MVP, who is navigating a difficult start to the season with Golden State.
“Seems like the only player that brings Steph joy!!! Just saying….” Perkins wrote on X on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
The former NBA center made the comment while reposting Lendeborg’s impressive early-season statistics, which have already placed the rookie in rare company.
It was a pointed observation about Curry’s apparent relationship with his newest teammate, especially as Golden State attempts to recover from an 0-3 start.
Kendrick Perkins Sees Something Different With Steph Curry
Perkins’ remark came hours after the Warriors defeated the Denver Nuggets 134-114, with Lendeborg delivering the best performance of his young NBA career.
The 24-year-old finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, leading Golden State in scoring and helping the team snap its three-game losing streak.
Curry was nearly flawless himself, contributing 24 points while shooting 8-of-8 from the field and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.
Yet Perkins appeared more interested in what Lendeborg’s emergence means for Curry than in the numbers themselves.
His suggestion that Lendeborg is the only player bringing Curry joy is an opinion, not an indication that Curry has publicly expressed dissatisfaction with his other teammates.
Still, the partnership is already producing tangible results.
The Warriors made 22 three-pointers and recorded 31 assists against Denver, with their five-out offensive approach delivering its best performance of the young season.
That balance allows Curry to influence possessions without carrying the entire scoring burden.
Against Denver, Lendeborg repeatedly punished the defense while the Nuggets devoted attention to Curry. The rookie also helped extend Golden State’s lead after Curry and Draymond Green went to the bench late in the third quarter.
It’s the sort of contribution that could prove valuable for a Warriors team that remains heavily dependent on its 38-year-old superstar.
Steph Curry Has Already Made His Feelings About Yaxel Lendeborg Clear
Although Perkins offered his own interpretation of Curry’s relationship with Lendeborg, the Warriors guard has been openly enthusiastic about the rookie.
After Monday’s victory, Curry praised Lendeborg’s composure and versatility, highlighting how quickly the former Michigan standout has adjusted to the professional game.
“He’s just got composure and feel,” Curry said. “He’s a matchup problem, but he’s never really in a hurry.”
Curry also described Lendeborg as “kind of the full package.”
The numbers support that assessment.
Through his first four NBA games, Lendeborg is averaging 21.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Golden State selected him with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
His performance against Denver also carried historical significance.
Lendeborg became the first Warriors rookie since Curry in February 2010 to record at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a game, according to the NBA.
And the admiration goes both ways.
In a recent interview with Kevin O’Connor, Lendeborg discussed learning from Curry’s relentless off-ball movement and the physical attention he receives from opposing defenses.
The rookie also credited Curry’s preparation and work ethic as examples he has tried to follow.
Perkins’ observation may be deliberately provocative, but the connection between the two players is becoming difficult to overlook.
With Golden State sitting at 1-3, Curry and Lendeborg will look to build on that chemistry when the Warriors visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, Oct. 28
Kendrick Perkins Makes Eye-Opening Steph Curry Claim Amid Warriors’ Slow Start