Yaxel Lendeborg of the Golden State Warriors holds up the 2026 NBA Summer League MVP trophy and championship ring after his team’s victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 19, 2026, in Las Vegas.
Yaxel Lendeborg of the Golden State Warriors holds up the 2026 NBA Summer League MVP trophy and championship ring after his team’s victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 19, 2026, in Las Vegas.Ian Maule/Getty Images
There isn’t much to take away from the Golden State Warriors winning an NBA Summer League championship. But if one thing was clear out of their two weeks in Las Vegas, it’s that rookie Yaxel Lendeborg sure looks like he’s going to be a media darling this season.
The No. 11 pick in this year’s draft, Lendeborg led the Dubs to the Summer League crown, earning MVP honors in the title game by tallying 21 points and 10 rebounds. When he was asked how the Warriors were able to come from behind to beat the Grizzlies in the final game, Lendeborg was rather descriptive in his assessment.
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“Their butts got tight, man — they puckered up, you know what I mean?” Lendeborg told reporters. “Some of us are built for the moment, some aren’t. So when you get those opportunities like that, and you go attack the moment, then you know you belong in that moment. So just our spirit, our will, our desire to not lose is pretty much what decided the game.”
Yaxel Lendeborg on their fourth quarter comeback to win against the Grizzlies:
“Man, their butts got tight, man. They puckered up, you know what I mean? Some of us are built for the moment, some aren’t. So when you get those opportunities like that and you go attack the moment,… pic.twitter.com/SvIFNCjDs3
— aly ✶ (@jinthirty) July 20, 2026
When asked about his former Michigan teammates playing in the Summer League, he quipped that he’s “definitely going to brag to those losers” about the title he just won. He also made it clear he viewed the matchup against Cameron Boozer, the Grizzlies’ lottery pick at No. 3 out of Duke, as a chance at revenge for Michigan’s loss to Duke in February. (Never mind that Michigan won the national championship, while Duke crashed out of March Madness in the second round.)
Lendeborg even said there was an added boost to prove himself against a player drafted ahead of him. That line sounds quite similar to what Warriors star Draymond Green has said over the years.But while the two may have some similarities, because they went to rival colleges — the rookie out of Michigan and the vet from Michigan State — they have already had some playful banter back-and-forth. It seems mostly humorous, though Lendeborg admitted to the San Francisco Chronicle that he’s “a little nervous” about Green’s plans for training camp. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.)
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Lendeborg is much older than your typical rookie, as he will be 24 when the regular season begins in October — in fact, he’s nearly five months older than Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski, who will be entering his fourth year in the NBA in the fall. Lendeborg played six seasons of college basketball, starting at an Arizona junior college and going to UAB for two seasons before his year at Michigan. And yes, he’s aware how people have knocked him for being older than a usual prospect.
“If that’s the only flaw that you have in the game, is that you’re 23, it’s like you must be doing something right,” Lendeborg said on Sunday. “I’m going to continue to play every single day with that chip on my shoulder to prove to everybody else that I belong in the NBA, no matter how long it took me. I know I didn’t have the traditional path. I mean, I’m here now, and I continue to dominate. So I will continue to get better every single year and hopefully continue to win.”
Yaxel Lendeborg on playing with a chip on shoulder because of his age:
“I get doubted every single day. I’m getting complained at, hated every single day because I’m 23. But I’m like, if that’s the only flaw that you have in the game, is that you’re 23, it’s like you must be… pic.twitter.com/5l7ORxDiTp
— aly ✶ (@jinthirty) July 20, 2026
The most encouraging soundbite for Warriors fans, though? Lendeborg sure seems to understand how rare Steph Curry is, saying he’s so far asked Curry for advice on building up his stamina. And in a stark contrast with some other young Dubs players of recent years, he seems willing to play whatever role necessary next to the star.
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“I’m gonna do anything that the team needs,” Lendeborg said, per the Athletic. “As for right now, for this specific team, it’s more so being a secondary playmaker, hitting open 3s when needed obviously and just taking the pressure off some of the older guys. Steph (Curry), I know he gets double-teamed, triple-teamed, fouled, hacked all the time. So it’s, like, maybe (in) the chance when he gets tired, I can relieve that pressure for him. So, just trying to be an easy outlet in a way. Do whatever’s needed.”
The Summer League title won’t matter when the real basketball begins in the fall. But it clearly mattered to Lendeborg, both on the court and off — just look at the clip of him showing off the trophy and ring to his girlfriend. A player who is confident and is willing to speak to that confidence sounds like a media star in the making. Add in how Lendeborg seems all-in on the Dubs organization on the whole, and he’s got the makings of being a fan favorite, too.
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July 21, 2026
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Sports Editor
Alex Simon is the sports editor for SFGATE. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Alex has been in journalism for years as an editor, reporter and adjunct professor, most recently working at Bay Area News Group. He has degrees from Elon University and Arizona State University. When not at a sporting event, Alex enjoys playing sports and finding a good dive bar, and he loves In-N-Out Burger a bit too much for his own good.