2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot
2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot
The Golden State Warriors could be fielding a rookie as a starter to open the 2026-2027 NBA regular season.
According to Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, all signs are pointing towards rookie Yaxel Lendeborg starting in the team’s regular season opener.
Steve Kerr Gives Verdict on Yaxel Lendeborg’s Spot In Warriors Rotation
Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 06: Yaxel Lendeborg #1 of the Golden State Warriors high fives teammates as he is introduced for their preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center on October 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
While Kerr does not guarantee it, Lendeborg seemed to be nearing a shoo-in spot in the team’s first five.
“It’s been a week before the season starts, but it’s looking that way, for sure,” Kerr said of Lendeborg’s chance as a starter.
Kerr attributed it to Lendeborg’s size and skill, which were on full display during the Summer League and the preseason games.
“Watching Summer League, meeting him and just seeing how big he was, and then seeing the skill combined with the size, we knew he was absolutely the perfect fit for our team,” he said. “We desperately needed size in the frontcourt and on the wing, and he provided that. As soon as you get a look at his skill, and you see his ability to dribble, pass and shoot, it’s obvious, like, yeah, this guy’s going to play a ton for us right away.”
“But it’s looking that way for sure.”
Steve Kerr won’t technically guarantee Yaxel Lendeborg will start in the regular season opener, but all signs point to the rookie being in the first five on Oct 21.
After a quiet four-point preseason debut against the Los Angeles Clippers, the 11th overall draft pick responded to coaching directives from Kerr and leadership advice from Stephen Curry to hunt his own shot.
He dismantled the Los Angeles Lakers on October 7 with a game-high 17 points and 9 rebounds, matched that 17-point output in an October 14 rematch, and stuffed the stat sheet against the Sacramento Kings with a dominant 23-point, 10-rebound, and 6-assist double-double.
Previously, the 24-year-old Lendeborg has drawn high praise from Kerr as “already one of our best players” due to his brute straight-line drives, smooth three-point stroke, and defensive rebounding.
However, his primary focus remains mastering defensive positioning and rotations alongside veteran Draymond Green ahead of the regular season.
The Warriors open their 2026-2027 NBA regular season on Wednesday, October 21, against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto Arena in Los Angeles.
Yaxel Lendeborg Learning Everything From Draymond Green And Steph Curry
Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 06: Stephen Curry #30 speaks to Yaxel Lendeborg #1 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half of their preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center on October 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Yaxel Lendeborg has yet to play in a regular-season game, but he is already soaking up everything he can learn from Warriors veterans Draymond Green and Steph Curry.
Talking to NBC Sports, Lendeborg revealed that he has asked a “million questions” to the Warriors veterans ahead of his regular-season debut.
“I’m asking everything that comes to mind. Like, ‘Why did you wear this outfit instead of that one today?’ Or like, ‘Why did you make this play right here instead of passing it there? What did you see to make you not take this read?’ Stuff like that,” Lendeborg said.
“And then I was asking a lot about the defensive rotations. ‘Why did you rotate here so early? Did you know that was going to happen? Is that a play, or is that just you reading?’ So I’m doing a lot of that. Jimmy, I was asking questions about like, his shimmy jab, you know, trying to learn that. And then Steph, the same thing, like conditioning. ‘How did you work like this? How did you get this up?’ So, I have a lot more questions to ask soon, too.”
Lendeborg must now prove that he deserves the trust of the coaching staff and the team as the Warriors look to be competitive in the upcoming season.
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Rob Andrew Lo Rob Andrew Lo is a writer at Heavy Sports and is covering the NBA. He has covered local, collegiate, professional and international sports in various sites. He was the sports editor of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of University of Santo Tomas, and a sports, entertainment, and lifestyle writer for Rappler. A Journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, he has built his voice across both collegiate and international platforms, previously contributing NBA coverage to Fansided and Sportskeeda. More about Rob Andrew Lo