Getty
The Golden State Warriors lost their season opener 127-105 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg made the biggest headlines of the evening for his back-and-forth with Luka Doncic, which included trash talk, a technical foul, and postgame comments that went viral.
Head coach Steve Kerr backed his rookie afterward. Draymond Green endorsed the mentality. Now the most important voice in the Warriors’ locker room has weighed in.
Steph Curry.
Curry on Lendeborg vs. Luka
Curry was asked about Lendeborg going at Doncic during his first professional game.
“I love confidence. I love that care and passion,” Curry said. “From what I’ve seen from him, it’s just about playing basketball. It’s not about anything else other than the competitiveness. So, he’s setting the table for himself to show up, and I like that nature of the game. Whether you do it in between your ears or you let it out, I know he’ll be able to back it up.”
Curry was praising Yaxel for being competitive. The trash talk is the byproduct. The drive underneath it is the part Curry respects. And he feels the rookie can back it up.
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)
The Bigger Picture for Golden State
Lendeborg scored 12 points in 29 minutes in his debut. The production was solid for a rookie thrust into a starting role against one of the best players in the league. But the mentality is what the Warriors are investing in. A young player who competes without fear gives the coaching staff something to build around even when the wins are not there yet.
The Warriors and Lakers meet again on October 30 in San Francisco.
Golden State Warriors v Los Angeles Lakers
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 21: Yaxel Lendeborg #1 and Gui Santos #15 of the Golden State Warriors defend against the dribble of Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on October 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Final Word for the Warriors
Kerr backed him. Green endorsed him. Curry said he can back it up. The rookie still has plenty to learn about how the NBA calls fouls and when to pick his spots. But the competitive fire that fueled Tuesday night is not something the Warriors want to coach out of him.
Curry knows it when he sees it. He saw it on Tuesday.
Enter Heavy's 2026 Pro Football Pick'em contest
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, San Francisco 49ers, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
0 Comments