Draymond Green may not have loved the way Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg pitched himself to LeBron James.
But it turns out Lendeborg may have been right.
Lendeborg essentially said earlier this summer that he's not an "average rookie," so James shouldn't be deterred by the possibility of being a teammate with him in addition to the Warriors' veteran stars.
Green thought it was silly that a rookie was trying to advertise his own skills to the King.
Still, Lendeborg did everything he could this month to back up his talk. He led the Warriors to the NBA Summer League championship.
In every game he played, Lendeborg made it clear he's not an average rookie. He was the best player on the floor, as you'd expect for a 23-year old rookie who just won the national championship with Michigan.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 20, 2026
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No, LeBron probably isn't picking his team based on which roster has the best rookie. But by the same token, James surely understands it takes more than just the stars to win a title.
It's also fair to look at the Warriors roster and be concerned about age. Knowing that a youngster like Lendeborg is ready to contribute is key information, whether in the case of resting or injuries throughout the year.
LeBron may have already made up his mind, or he might still be weighing other factors.
Either way, he'd work well on the floor with Lendeborg. That won't be the deciding variable in his choice, but it can still be true.
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