Yaxel Lendeborg absolutely went off last night, dropping a monster 37 points for the Golden State Warriors in their 124-112 win over the LA Clippers. The rookie forward wasn’t just scoring either, he added 4 rebounds and 6 assists to that stat line, putting on a clinic that had everyone buzzing. But after the game, he hit us with a confession that shows you exactly what kind of player this guy truly is.
The “Ethical Hooper” Stands Up
You’d think after a career-high 37-point explosion, Lendeborg would be soaking up the praise, right? Nope. He admitted he caused himself some grief by actually trying to chase a 40-point night for a couple of minutes. This dude straight-up said, “I’ve never been a stat chaser in my life.” He followed that up with, “I’m a guy that loves ethical hoops. I’m a guy that loves efficient basketball and I kind of, like, didn’t do for that the last 2-3 minutes.” He even noted that after he started chucking a few threes to hit 40, the Clippers came roaring back. He’s living by his own code: “If it comes to me, it does. If I don’t get it, then I wasn’t meant to get it that day.” That’s some next-level humility and poise from a rookie, and it makes you instantly like the guy.
Teammate Hype and Early Season Buzz
Here’s the kicker: his teammates were totally egging him on to get to 40, especially De’Anthony Melton. And you know what? That’s awesome. Melton gets that opportunities for a 40-point night don’t come around every day unless you’re LeBron or something. Seeing a veteran push his rookie teammate to grab an achievement like that, rather than being antagonistic, is pure class. It’s a good sign that his teammates are already behind him. We’re talking less than ten games into the season, and Lendeborg is already making waves with his post-game commentary. Remember “Lost all respect” for Luka? Or “try not to wet the bed” after the Luka rematch? This is his third memorable presser already! We might just be on the ground floor of something special here.
The Real Test of Character
“Ethical hoops” is an interesting self-tag, no doubt. The game has a funny way of humbling you, and “ethical hooping” is basically a smarty-pants way of saying “not a ball hog.” Players and fans are always looking for a reason to throw some shade, and as he keeps playing this well, a backlash is pretty much guaranteed. How Lendeborg reacts to the jeers and mockery when they inevitably come, that’s going to be the real test of his character. For now though, man, what a cool rookie. We’re watching the early days of what could be a truly unique career.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Golden State of Mind.
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