Warriors Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg Dons Michael Myers Costume Ahead of Luka Doncic Rematch
Lendeborg, who previously engaged in trash talk with Doncic, embraced a Halloween theme for his arrival at the Chase Center.
Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg arrived at the Chase Center on Friday night dressed as Michael Myers, the iconic antagonist from the "Halloween" horror franchise, just one day before Halloween and ahead of his team's second matchup against Luka Doncic.
Lendeborg, early in his NBA career, gained attention for his vocal interactions with Doncic during their first game at Crypto.com Arena. Lendeborg reported trash-talking Doncic, stating, "he sucks. You can’t score on me. You talk and you can’t score on me." This exchange ultimately led to Lendeborg receiving a technical foul for using profanity.
Following the game, Lendeborg expressed a loss of respect for Doncic, despite having previously admired his play. He told The California Post, "Had a lot of respect for him, just watching him. …I’d see him kill people all the time." Lendeborg also commented on his initial NBA experience, noting "A lot of flopping, a lot of foul baiting, a lot of praying to the ref."
Warriors veteran Draymond Green, the 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, voiced his approval of Lendeborg's assertive approach. Green stated he was proud that the rookie did not back down from Doncic, encouraging such competitive behavior. "You f—ing go talk to somebody. You talk until you can’t f—ing talk no more. And if he busts your a— guess what? You play him again three more times," Green said after the Warriors' season opener. He reiterated that Lendeborg should "go at his a— again" in future encounters.
Despite Green's encouragement, Lendeborg later admitted that his trash talk towards Doncic had gone "overboard."
The second game between Lendeborg and Doncic is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PT.