Warriors Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg Declines Media Training Ahead of Luka Doncic Showdown
The rookie stated he will remain authentic in his media interactions.
Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has stated he will not undergo media training, opting to remain authentic in his public interactions ahead of a highly anticipated matchup with Luka Doncic.
Lendeborg, who has had an eventful start to his NBA career, told Luca Evans of the San Francisco Chronicle that he intends to "stay true to myself" and be honest in interviews. "I’m not doing that, man," Lendeborg said regarding media training. "I’m going to stay true to myself and be honest. I’ve seen plenty of interviews where people are talking and it’s like, ‘Man, I don’t want to watch this,’ you know what I mean? And it’s not like I’m click-baiting or click-farming or whatever the heck people are saying. But it’s like, that’s honestly how I feel."
He further emphasized his commitment to truthfulness, stating, "I’m not gonna lie about it. I’ve never been a liar. So, just tell the truth."
This stance comes after Lendeborg made controversial remarks following his NBA debut against the Lakers. He told reporters, including Evan Webeck of the California Post, that he "lost all respect" for Luka Doncic, accusing him of "flopping, a lot of foul baiting, a lot of praying to the ref" during the Warriors' 127-105 loss. The following day, Lendeborg admitted he had "went overboard" with his trash talk.
Lendeborg also drew attention after being selected with the 11th pick in the NBA draft last summer, when he revealed he grew up hating Warriors star Steph Curry. He explained that as a Cavaliers fan in the 2010s, he was a "big Kyrie [Irving] guy," and his formative years were marked by the Cavaliers' repeated NBA Finals matchups against Curry's Warriors, a series Golden State dominated.
Despite his past comments about Curry, Lendeborg has since integrated into playing alongside the veteran guard. On Wednesday night, Lendeborg scored 26 points in a game where Curry recorded 44 points, tying LeBron James for the most 40-point games after the age of 35 with 15.
Lendeborg is scheduled to face Doncic again on Friday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco.