Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg could be an All-Star this season, according to NBA insider Shams Charania.
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania made an early All-Star case for Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg on The Pat McAfee Show, noting his star-level impact right out of the gate.
No Rookie Has Ever Been An All-Star in The Last 15 Seasons
Charania highlighted that an NBA rookie hasn’t been selected to an All-Star Game since Blake Griffin in 2011, and only 45 rookies in league history have ever made the team. Yaxel could be the next, if he continues his starmaking contributions.
“Yaxel is the real deal. He’s changed their entire outlook this year,” Shams said. “I mean the fact that he’s been able to come in, already be a #1 option. I mean he’s playing like an All-Star already right off the bat. There hasn’t been an All-Star as a rookie since Blake Griffin. Yaxel, right now the way he’s leading this team, I don’t think anyone could’ve expected this and so he’s been dominant honestly. I was watching the game the other night when he had 37 points, this guy is already turning heads in Golden State and he’s changed their entire trajectory.”
“Yaxel is the real deal. He’s changed their entire outlook this year. I mean the fact that he’s been able to come in, already be a #1 option. I mean he’s playing like an All-Star already right off the bat. There hasn’t been an All-Star as a
Lendeborg has put together an exceptional start to his rookie season with the Warriors, emerging as an early breakout star and leading Rookie of the Year candidate.
The 11th overall pick is averaging 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, while logging 31.9 minutes of floor time through eight games. The 6-foot-10 forward has showcased elite efficiency for a rookie, shooting 50.0% from the field, a sharp 40.0% from 3-point range with 2.5 triples per game, and 76.9% from the free-throw line.
His versatility as a do-it-all glue guy has translated seamlessly into Steve Kerr’s motion offense, highlighted by an explosive, career-high 37-point performance against the LA Clippers where he added 6 assists and knocked down 6 three-pointers to lift the team in the absence of Stephen Curry.
Best Of Yaxel Lendeborg Has Yet To Come
We have not seen the best of Yaxel yet, according to Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
“He’s playing this way and he really doesn’t know the NBA game yet,” Kerr said, per Anthony Slater of ESPN. “He’s going to get a lot better.”
“You see on a night like tonight without Steph, you know, we score 124 points and Yax is the main reason that we’re with, you know, high power. We knew he was a good shooter. When he came in to work out for us [in June], you could see the skill. But I didn’t expect what I saw tonight.”
The Warriors are on a five-game winning streak after starting the season 0-3. Lendeborg’s emergence as a legitimate contributor to the Warriors’ cause is a welcome surprise, especially as the team deals with multiple injuries on their front court such as Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody, and Kristaps Porzingis, and the load management of Draymond Green and Al Horford.
Lendeborg could also be the secondary on-ball creator the Warriors are looking for to pair up with Stephen Curry moving forward.
NBA Insider Shams Charania Names Yaxel Lendeborg As Potential All Star