Yaxel Lendeborg got the Luka Dončić assignment on night one, jawed back at the Lakers star, and said he mostly knew the NBA through highlights.
Welcome to the league, rookie. Golden State Warriors forward Yaxel Lendeborg made his NBA debut a memorable one, trading words with Luka Dončić while handed the job of guarding the Los Angeles Lakers superstar for long stretches on Wednesday.
The chatter got heated, and Lendeborg wasn't shy about his frustration afterward. He took issue with Dončić's appeals for foul calls and fired back with a pointed 'weak ass' description of the Lakers star. Few debutants open their careers by going at one of the league's biggest names.
The rookie also made a surprising admission: he hasn't watched much NBA. His exposure to the league came mostly through highlight clips before he turned professional, so he arrived without years of game-watching behind him.
The night ended in a loss for Golden State. Dončić's Lakers won 127-105. Lendeborg's first assignment was about as tough as they come, and he showed no fear of the matchup. The Warriors will hope that attitude carries over as he learns the league in real time.
