Steph Curry’s message to Lendeborg: “Make mistakes, but don’t be passive”
After going 1-for-6 in his debut, Stephen Curry sends Yaxel Lendeborg a very clear message: mistakes are allowed, passivity much less so
“We don’t want passive players.” Stephen Curry has already made it clear to Yaxel Lendeborg what it will take to carve out a role with the new-look Golden State Warriors: making mistakes is fine, backing down much less so.
The No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft made his preseason debut in a 104-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, finishing with 4 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists, but most notably shooting 1-for-6 from the field, highlighting some difficulty finding the right offensive balance.
Steve Kerr has already asked him to be more aggressive in looking for his shot, and Curry echoed the same message, while also explaining how normal it is for a rookie to go through mistakes and difficult moments.
For a young player who’s expected to make an impact, the challenge is finding the right balance: being aggressive, while at the same time accepting that you’re going to make mistakes without being afraid of them. You have to be able to move right on to the next play. But we don’t want anything passive
Stephen Curry
The point, then, is not to ask Lendeborg to suddenly turn into a scorer. The rookie has already shown a willingness to do a little bit of everything, move the ball, work on the glass and contribute defensively. Golden State, however, wants him to add the ability to take his opportunities when they come.
That request becomes even more important considering the physical issues surrounding Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis: the Warriors will need to find scoring from players beyond the usual sources, and at 24 years old, Lendeborg enters the NBA with different expectations than a much younger rookie.
Curry, however, does not seem concerned by the early struggles:
I think he’s responded well to that request so far
Stephen Curry
In short, the 1-for-6 debut only matters so much. Golden State would rather see Lendeborg miss while being aggressive than pass up a shot because he is afraid of missing. And when the message comes directly from Curry and Kerr, it is worth listening.