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Yaxel Lendeborg, the rookie already known for his heated exchange with Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic, delivered the best offensive output of his young career on Saturday. Steve Kerr still walked away from the Golden State Warriors‘ 131-122 defeat to the Phoenix Suns focused on what still needs fixing. The rookie forward scored 26 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished five assists, yet Kerr made clear that a big scoring night will not paper over his biggest issue on the floor.
Kerr Praises the Scoring, Questions the Habits
Lendeborg shot 9-of-19 from the field and drained six of his 11 attempts from three-point range across 36 minutes against Phoenix. Devin Booker torched Golden State for 43 points on 17-of-25 shooting, adding seven rebounds and seven assists to seal the win.
Kerr did not hold back praise for Lendeborg’s physical tools and offensive instincts.
“He’s fearless. He’s huge, and he’s got a great skill set,” Kerr said. “He can dribble, pass, and shoot.”
The head coach made clear that offense is not where his concern lies.
“The defensive side is where I want to see the most improvement,” Kerr said. “His weak-side awareness right now is very poor.”
Kerr pointed to Lendeborg’s frame as a tool currently going unused on that end of the floor.
“With his size, he should be one of our best defenders at the rim,” Kerr continued. “Right now, he’s unaware on the weak side, and that’s an area he really has to improve.”
Decision-Making Still Catching Up to the NBA
Kerr also flagged a specific sequence from the first half as an example of college habits colliding with NBA size and length.
“He had a play in the first half where he got free and then launched himself into [Khaman] Maluach,” Kerr explained. “That’s got to be a pull-up jumper. That’s got to be a Euro step. That’s got to be kicking it out.”
“In college, he could do that, but this is a different league. He’ll learn.”
Kerr framed the growing pains as part of a natural process, pointing to the sheer volume of minutes Lendeborg is already logging as a rookie.
“He’s playing a ton, and he’s going to get all these reps,” Kerr said. “We’re going to keep showing him film, and he’ll get better and better.”
Through three games, Lendeborg is averaging 18.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists, numbers that would headline most rookie campaigns. Golden State has lost all three contests to open the season, and the No. 11 overall pick’s defensive gaps have been part of the problem.
Lendeborg’s Season Already Carries an Edge
Lendeborg’s rookie year has generated attention beyond stat lines. In his regular-season debut, he clashed with Lakers star Luka Doncic in a heated exchange that drew league-wide notice.
After that game, Lendeborg said he had lost all respect for Doncic, pointing to what he viewed as constant complaining and foul-baiting on the floor. Doncic responded that Lendeborg had been “talking crazy,” while Draymond Green and Kerr both said they appreciated seeing the rookie refuse to back down from one of basketball’s biggest names.
Lendeborg later conceded he may have gone overboard with some of his remarks, but he did not retreat from his central point, saying of Doncic: “He’s not Michael Jordan.”
The blend of talent and confidence has made Lendeborg one of the more watched rookies early in the season. Whether Golden State’s record improves will depend heavily on how fast he tightens up the weak-side gaps Kerr flagged.
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