Help has been a long time coming for Steph Curry. For years, the Golden State Warriors tried to find it in the draft lottery, and for years it never arrived. Then, with the No. 11 pick in 2026, it showed up in the form of a 24-year-old rookie forward, Yaxel Lendeborg, who plays like he has been in the league for a decade.
Lendeborg, taken out of Michigan, is averaging 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 31.9 minutes through eight games, all of them starts. He is shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three-point range, and he is already the leading candidate for a conversation that Warriors fans haven’t had in a long time: Rookie of the Year.
Lenderborg’s Numbers
| GP/GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG% | 3P% | FT% | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/8 | 31.9 | 21.5 | 7.0 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 50.0 | 40.0 | 76.9 | 3.4 |
Efficient scoring, steady rebounding, real playmaking, and a three-point shot he is willing to take (6.3 attempts a game): it’s an unusually complete rookie line. The only blemish is the 3.4 turnovers, which are hard to avoid for a player who now touches the ball in the Warriors’ most critical moments.
A Start That Hasn’t Been Seen in Decades
The early returns have been historic. In his fourth game, Lendeborg scored 31 points with 12 rebounds and 6 assists in a 134-114 win over the Denver Nuggets, the team’s first victory of the season. His 87 points through his first four games were the most by a Warriors rookie since Wilt Chamberlain in 1959. He was also the first Warriors rookie since Curry in 2010 to record at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a game, and the only other rookie in NBA history to hit 30/12/6 in 31 minutes or fewer is Victor Wembanyama.
Then came a 37-point night in a win against the Los Angeles Clippers, on 13-of-19 shooting with six threes, the most by a Warriors rookie since Curry himself. It was a big leap for a player who reached 30 points only once in 112 college games.
The Praise Is Coming from the Right People
Steve Kerr, who has a reputation for being careful with rookies, was blunt. He called Lendeborg “100 percent” the most pro-ready rookie he has had, and after the Denver game said, “He’s as strong as an ox and skilled.” Kerr added that in the critical moments, the Warriors “just put the ball in his hands,” which is rare for a first-year player.
Draymond Green has said it’s exciting because “there’s so much he doesn’t know,” and Curry highlighted his composure while calling him a “full package.”
He also arrived with credentials. Lendeborg was named Summer League MVP in Las Vegas, and in an offseason full of questions about the roster, he looked like an answer from the start.
Why This Draft Class Feels Different
For Warriors fans, the contrast is hard to miss. The franchise has spent years trying to turn lottery picks into the next core around Curry, and the results haven’t matched the hopes.
James Wiseman, the No. 2 pick in 2020, never established himself in Golden State and was traded to the Detroit Pistons in 2022. Jonathan Kuminga, the No. 7 pick in 2021, won a title as a rookie, but his development and role became a long-running saga. After a drawn-out contract standoff and a trade demand, he was sent to Atlanta in February, along with Buddy Hield, for Kristaps Porzingis.
To be fair, the draft hasn’t been a total failure. The Warriors committed to Brandin Podziemski, the 19th pick in 2023, with a long-term extension, and reports suggest they’d be open to doing the same for Lendeborg if he keeps this up. Still, Lendeborg looks like the first top-of-the-draft selection in years to give Curry what the team has long sought: a young, ready-made contributor who doesn’t need a development plan.
The Caveat
Eight games is a small sample. Opposing teams will adjust, scouting reports will grow, and the rookie wall tends to show up around midseason. Lendeborg is also an older rookie, which helps explain why he looks so ready, and it means his ceiling may be closer than that of a 19-year-old prospect.
But for now, the Warriors have what they’ve been waiting for. Curry has a running mate who is already making his job easier, and the franchise’s lottery luck appears to have finally turned.
