Steve Kerr Rips Yaxel Lendeborg’s Individual Defense Praise After Lakers Blowout: ‘Who Cares?’

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged the fiery back-and-forth between rookie Yaxel Lendeborg and Lakers superstar Luka Doncic on opening night, but he had plenty of other critiques regarding Lendeborg’s NBA debut following a blowout loss.

Although Doncic led the Lakers to a decisive victory with 28 points on Wednesday night, that didn’t stop Lendeborg from continuing his verbal battle with the superstar afterward.

In addition to claiming he “lost all respect” for Doncic due to his complaining to the referees, Lendeborg boasted about his individual defensive efforts. He asserted that he told Doncic he couldn’t score on him, a claim that held some statistical weight, as Doncic went just 1-of-5 in their direct matchups.

It was this boastful commentary that drew the ire of Kerr, who took issue with his rookie speaking so confidently after a team defeat.

Kerr was blunt when asked about the individual matchup, questioning the significance of the performance. “Who the eff cares?” Kerr stated. “He did a good job on Luka 1-on-1, but we got torched by Luka as a team. I don’t care. … They scored 120 on us. That stuff’s all bulls–t. It’s our defense. He knows that. I talked to him the other day. Our defense was not good regardless of him individually when he guarded the ball.”

Despite his defensive boasts, Lendeborg finished the game with 12 points, four personal fouls, and a technical foul in 29 minutes of play. He will look to channel this intensity in another high-stakes matchup on Friday during the Warriors’ home opener against the Memphis Grizzlies.

This upcoming game will mark the first NBA showdown between Lendeborg and the No. 3 overall pick out of Duke, Cameron Boozer. The Michigan native, who was drafted eight slots after Boozer, has already marked the date on his calendar. However, Kerr remains unconcerned about the rookie’s mental state heading into the contest.

Instead of focusing on the psychological aspect of the game, Kerr offered more concrete, practical feedback regarding Lendeborg’s NBA debut performance.

Kerr pointed out specific areas for improvement, describing the rookie as “a little bit of a coaster.” “I want to see him run the floor harder. I think that will open up a lot of opportunities. He’s so skilled and big that if we get him to run the court — both ways — a little harder, a little faster, he’s going to end up finding the ball more and be more of a threat,” Kerr explained.

Kerr concurred with Steph Curry’s sentiment that Lendeborg must back up his bold statements with strong on-court play. The opportunity to prove himself against Doncic once again is just around the corner.

With the Lakers set to visit Chase Center next Friday, Lendeborg is certain to face intense scrutiny and have a target on his back.

Despite the tough critique, Kerr expressed his overall appreciation for the young player’s drive. “I love the young guy. He’s really talented. I love his competitiveness,” Kerr said. “Like I said, I didn’t mind the stuff the other day. But as Steph said, you’ve got to back it up. That’s the thing.”

“We play the Lakers again next week, so, OK, here you go.”

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