Yaxel Lendeborg’s latest accolade comes with uncomfortable Warriors warning

Blue Man Hoop · Jul 22, 2026 01:00 · 2 min read

Yaxel Lendeborg’s latest accolade comes with uncomfortable Warriors warning — Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) reacts on the bench during the second half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the Golden State Warriors should be happy Yaxel Lendeborg took out NBA Summer League MVP, he joins some pretty uninspiring company of former winners.

The Golden State Warriors showed a lot of promise by winning the NBA Summer League. Their young players balled out and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg got a nice feather in his cap by winning the Summer League MVP award.

Sadly, the winners of that award haven’t exactly gone on to have a great track record in the NBA. Since 2016, players like Lonzo Ball and Jalen Wilson have won the award, meaning it hasn’t really proven a precursor for bigger and better things in the last decade.

Yaxel Lendeborg may be able to break NBA Summer League curse

It’s easy to feel like it may be more of a curse than a blessing, but Lendeborg’s play suggests that he should go on to be a very solid player in the NBA. There are legitimate concerns about his defense and he probably won’t be draining three-pointers the way he did in Summer League when going up against NBA-caliber defense, but he displayed a confidence and moxie that will serve him well.

The 11th overall pick wasn't afraid to take big shots late in games. He wasn't not afraid to talk a little smack after the team won. That confidence can be a double-edged sword, but there's no doubt NBA players have to have an irrational belief in themselves sometimes.

The next test is going to be how he meshes with Golden State's veterans. He did great when it was the Yaxel show in summer league, but how is he going to be on the floor when he’s there to facilitate the ball to Stephen Curry? That is going to determine how he fares early on in his NBA career.

The whole reason Golden State drafted Lendeborg is because they felt he could be inserted into the team’s system fairly seamlessly. This is not supposed to be another Jonathan Kuminga situation where they’re trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, and the hope is Lendeborg can make an impact right away.

Another test is going to be the chemistry fit. How will he get along with Draymond Green? We know that when Green gets annoyed with younger players it can go in the wrong direction fast. Just ask Jordan Poole. Will Lendeborg’s confidence, and the fact that he may eventually replace him, rub Draymond the wrong way, or can they be on the same page?

The Summer League MVP may not have the most illustrious former champions, but maybe Lendeborg can break that trend by building upon all the things he did well, while also continuing to learn from his mistakes and grow in his first season with the Warriors.