A “Welcome to the NBA” moment almost occurred for Golden State Warriors top draft pick Yaxel Lendeborg on Tuesday night in a preseason bout against the Los Angeles Lakers.
He was supposed to guard Luka Dončić — an assignment many veteran defenders don’t wish to have, let alone a rookie.
Lendeborg, the No. 11 overall pick coming out of the national-champion Michigan Wolverines program, told reporters that he was just on his phone before the game when assistant Warriors coach Frank Vogel came up to him and said something that left him baffled.
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“’Hey, you’re guarding Luka tonight,’” Lendeborg said. “I said, ‘What the f—? You’re just gonna throw me in the fire?’”
To be honest, not an over-exaggerative answer at all for a rookie trying to get acclimated to the league.
Lendeborg’s reaction was genuine because he didn’t think his assignment would be the Lakers’ star player and one of the most prolific offensive weapons in the league when he’s on the court.
Ultimately, Lakers head coach JJ Redick decided to rest Dončić, leading to Lendeborg matching up with center Walker Kessler, who debuted this preseason for Los Angeles. The Warriors ended up winning the game, 101-89.
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“It was a complete shift of what I had planned in my mind,” Lendeborg said about gearing up for the game before hearing the Dončić news.
Lendeborg is, however, a solid defender, winning Defensive Player of the Year in the AAC with UAB before becoming a first-team all-defense member in the Big Ten during his season at Michigan in 2025.
Guarding Dončić is completely different than going up against even the best college players, but Lendeborg tried his best to play the part.
“I tried to act all cool, but I was spooked,” he admitted. “That was crazy.”
“I think [Vogel] said he averages like 30, 35. Nobody can stop him, so do your best. That was it. My mind was all over the place after that.”
No defender wants to be put through a clinic by his opponent, so it’s understandable how Lendeborg feels. But to Vogel’s point, Dončić is someone that can hit shots even with great defense, averaging 33.5 points per game last season, which led the NBA.
In the end, Lendeborg held his own against Kessler, while also dropping 19 points on the other end of the floor.
Looking ahead to the regular season, Lendeborg will likely be utilized by head coach Steve Kerr as a versatile defender, with the 6-foot-9 rookie able to handle multiple assignments, no matter his opponent’s position on the court.
So, while the matchup with Dončić didn’t come this time around, the Warriors and Lakers will tip off their regular season schedule on Oct. 21 in Los Angeles.
If that happens, well, best of luck, Yaxel. Welcome to the NBA.