Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg didn’t waste time taking a shot at Draymond Green after being drafted by the Bay Area franchise on Tuesday.
“I know he’s a Michigan State guy,” Lendeborg said of Green after being drafted No. 11 overall, via ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
“I’m really not too fond of that. But I’m definitely excited to be able to meet him and speak to him in person and learn. Just learn everything I can.”
The University of Michigan alum has good reason to beef with Green, who remains a proud Spartan after spending four years at the rival Michigan State University before entering the NBA. Although Lendeborg played only his senior year with the Wolverines, he played a key role in their NCAA title win this past season. As such, he’s very much a Wolverine for life, who’s about to team up with a Spartan.
Warriors Take Big Gamble
Many analysts feel the Warriors took a big gamble by drafting a 23-year-old player — who spent six years in college — with a lottery selection, given that most teams typically prefer freshmen or sophomores with such a high draft pick. However, GM Mike Dunleavy is the least bit concerned about Lendeborg’s age, and feels the 6-foot-9 wing can be an immediate contributor to the veteran Warriors outfit.
“He’s, what, 23, almost 24?” Dunleavy said. “I’m not worried because he’s not 38.”
When asked which aspect of Lendeborg’s game excites him the most, Dunleavy said: “The passing of the ball, The defensive stuff, whether it’s on the ball or off the ball. [He] connects some lineups with his size. … can play inside. He can play outside. So it probably makes our job in free agency a little easier.”
Warriors Draft Win-Now Player
ESPN Draft analyst Jeremy Woo feels the Warriors, the oldest team in the NBA last season, made the right call by drafting a win-now player rather than a teenager.
“He probably won’t win, but he’s going to play a lot and have to have a significant role for the Golden State Warriors to have a good season,” Woo wrote.
“They picked him at No. 11 with urgency in mind. If he can earn the trust of Steve Kerr — who was thought to have a degree of influence over this pick — he’ll have the minutes necessary to make a case on a team that needs him.”
Lendeborg was apparently not the Warriors’ top choice with the No. 11 pick, with ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel noting that the franchise had their eyes set on Arizona Wildcats’ Brayden Burries, who went to the Milwaukee Bucks at No. 10. When Burries was off the board, Golden State pulled the trigger on Lendeborg.
“It was always going to come down to Burries and Lendeborg for the Warriors,” Siegel reported. “Once Burries was off the board … they land on Lendeborg after no real trades materialized for this pick.”
Warriors No. 11 Pick Brutally Roasts Draymond Green After Getting Drafted