Yaxel Lendeborg’s NBA debut delivered a tough lesson in top-level basketball, but the Golden State Warriors rookie left with more than a 127-105 defeat. After a heated battle with Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic, the 11th overall pick declared he had “lost all respect” for the Slovenian after taking issue with his complaints to officials.
The 2026 draft pick was thrown straight into the action as the Warriors dealt with injuries to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody. Lendeborg was handed the task of guarding one of the league’s most dangerous scorers, and he showed flashes of promise despite the heavy defeat.
Tracking statistics showed Doncic shot just one of six when Lendeborg was his primary defender. However, the Lakers star still finished with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as his team built a commanding lead.
The tension boiled over in the second quarter. Doncic used a pump fake to draw a shooting foul before appearing to taunt the rookie, who took exception to what he saw as excessive complaining.
“You get the foul call. Congratulations, bro,” Lendeborg said afterward. “Then you talk to me like you did something great. C’mon, dog.”
The exchange continued after Lendeborg briefly went to the bench. Coach Steve Kerr sent him back to defend Doncic, and the rookie continued to trade words with the Lakers star.
Lendeborg eventually received a technical foul after shouting at Doncic following a defensive stop. But the Lakers guard had the perfect response just before half-time, sinking a 48-foot shot off the backboard as the buzzer sounded.
Doncic pointed and laughed at the rookie, while Kerr questioned why the Lakers star escaped a technical foul for his reaction.
“He was talking crazy,” Doncic said. “But I wasn’t trying to talk back. This season, I’m not trying to get techs.”
Warriors veteran Draymond Green backed his young teammate, insisting rookies should not be intimidated by established stars. Green encouraged Lendeborg to maintain his competitive edge rather than treat the encounter as a lesson in deference.
Lendeborg finished with 12 points in 29 minutes, but his first NBA night will be remembered as much for the confrontation as his performance. The Warriors host the Lakers again at Chase Center on October 30, giving Doncic and the rookie another chance to settle the score.
