Warriors’ Curry and Kerr rave about Lendeborg: “He’s special”

31 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists in his fourth NBA game. Yaxel Lendeborg wasted no time taking center stage at Golden State, leading the Warriors to their first win of the season with a convincing 134-114 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

What stood out most was the 24-year-old rookie’s poise, as he handled crucial possessions without letting the pressure affect him. Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr both highlighted that quality, each particularly impressed by his impact.

Curry praises Lendeborg: “He has incredible poise”

Despite a difficult shooting night from beyond the arc, finishing just 1-for-8 from three, Lendeborg made a difference by attacking the rim and earning numerous trips to the line.

The rookie made 12 of his 13 free throw attempts, finishing as the game’s leading scorer and adding a block to his stat line.

For Curry, though, the most intriguing aspect goes beyond the numbers.

His poise. He’s coming off a run to the NCAA championship, and you can see he has tremendous composure and feel for the game

Stephen Curry

No. 30 then explained what makes Lendeborg such a difficult matchup.

His size creates problems for opponents, but he never rushes. He’s starting to read situations really well, moves the ball, attacks aggressively, gets to the free throw line and grabs offensive rebounds. He’s a really complete player, and we want him to stay aggressive

Stephen Curry

Kerr: “For a Rookie, that’s extremely rare”

Steve Kerr also had high praise for Lendeborg, focusing particularly on his ability to take responsibility in crucial moments.

He’s strong as a bull, and with the way the game is played today, he’s going to get to the line a ton. You saw it tonight: in big moments, we put the ball in his hands. For a rookie to be this far along is extremely rare. And the exciting thing is that I think he can still get so much better

Steve Kerr

According to the Warriors coach, having a player who can consistently draw fouls can completely change how a game is managed, especially when opponents start mounting a comeback.

When you can get to the line often, you can control the pace. If the other team goes on a run, you can turn to guys like Yax or Jimmy Butler who can draw a foul. The game slows down, and you have time to get your defense set

Steve Kerr

That quality, combined with his court vision, could make him an essential piece in tight finishes, too.

With that ability and his passing skills, he’s going to be one of those guys who closes games, just like he did tonight

Steve Kerr

After just four games, Lendeborg’s numbers are looking pretty intriguing: 21.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, shooting 45% from the field and 34.6% from three.

It’s only the fourth game of the season, so it’s best to take the comparisons slowly. But if this is any indication, Golden State may have found a player around whom it can build something significant.