Yaxel Lendeborg Scores 19 on 6-for-6 Debut as Warriors Rout Lakers by 32

Q: Did a video game help create the NBA's next dominant two-way star?

Yes—at least in Yaxel Lendeborg’s case, a video game appears to have played a real role in his development. The strongest evidence comes from Lendeborg’s own background. The Warriors forward, who stood out in Golden State’s 104-72 Summer League win over the Lakers, has said he did not seriously take up basketball until age 18 and learned much of the game by extensively playing point guard in NBA 2K. He has credited that experience with helping him understand reads, spacing and adaptability—skills that now show up in his real-life game. That does not mean NBA 2K “created” him by itself. Lendeborg’s rise is also rooted in his physical tools, late development, and elite college production. He is a 6-foot-8¾ forward with a 7-foot-3¼ wingspan, coming off a title-winning season at Michigan in which he earned Big Ten Player of the Year, All-Defensive honors and first-team All-American recognition. Scouts view him as a high-level two-way prospect because he can defend multiple positions, finish at the rim, pass, and hit catch-and-shoot threes. His Summer League debut supported that profile. Against the Lakers, he helped set the tone early and was part of the efficient Warriors attack that overwhelmed Los Angeles. So the careful answer is that a video game likely helped shape Lendeborg’s basketball IQ and feel, but his emergence as a potential dominant two-way NBA player is the product of much more than that alone.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 4

19 points in 22 minutes put Yaxel Lendeborg at the center of Golden State's 104-72 California Classic win over the Lakers in his NBA summer league debut.
6-for-6 shooting, including 4-for-4 from 3, plus five rebounds, six assists, a steal and a block showcased the No. 11 pick's scoring range and all-around game.
Warriors coach Khalid Robinson said Lendeborg played with force and physicality, while the rookie highlighted his passing and versatility even after calling his rebounding and physicality not good enough.
Chase Center fans chanted Lendeborg's name and crowded the tunnel after the game, giving the rookie an early sense that he belongs before the Warriors play again Sunday.