Save for the trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, the Golden State Warriors have long struggled to develop young talent into superstar-caliber players. Just ask James Wiseman, Jordan Poole, and Jonathan Kuminga.
But after the 2026 NBA Summer League, that narrative might soon change.
The Warriors, whose roster was filled mostly with rookies and sophomores, captured the championship behind the stellar play of their 11th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, Yaxel Lendeborg, who earned both the Summer League Most Valuable Player and Finals MVP awards.
Yaxel Lendeborg: Golden Performance in the Summer League
The 6-foot-9 forward from the University of Michigan put the league on notice after emerging as the Warriors’ top option throughout the Summer League.
Facing fellow rookies, sophomores, and players looking for contracts, Golden State finished the elimination round with a 4-1 record, good enough to secure a spot in the semifinals. Across those four games, the 23-year-old averaged 13.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
Then, in the semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers, Lendeborg recorded 15 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks to lead his team to the championship game.
With a chance to win the title against the Memphis Grizzlies—the only team that had defeated the Warriors during the tournament—the 2026 NCAA Division I National Champion did not back down, even against the third overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, Cam Boozer.
Lendeborg finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in 32 minutes, leading Golden State to the NBA Summer League championship.
Steve Kerr’s Greatest Weapon—or Weakness?
As the Warriors now prepare for the NBA preseason in October, one of the biggest questions for head coach Steve Kerr is whether he can unlock the full potential of his new rookie.
It’s also worth noting that when Lendeborg was drafted, he made some pointed remarks about his new head coach during an interview with the media, saying:
“He [Steve Kerr] doesn’t normally play rookies as much, he has a history of that. But the way that the team is looking now, I’m gonna have a real good chance of playing, maybe even starting,” said Lendeborg.
While that statement may sound controversial, there is some truth to it.
Warriors rookies over the past two seasons, such as Will Richard and Quinten Post, saw limited playing time during their rookie campaigns, mostly coming off the bench despite showing they were capable of earning spots in the starting lineup.
Can Lendeborg Help the Warriors?
To put it simply, the answer is yes. Yaxel Lendeborg has the potential to become a key piece for the Golden State Warriors as they look to bounce back from underwhelming performances in recent seasons.
Then again, it all comes down to how multi-time NBA champion Steve Kerr utilizes his young players—and whether he can properly develop the franchise’s next generation of stars capable of competing for championships in the future.
