Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg isn’t buying the usual debate about the NBA’s best player. For him, the answer is Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving.
“Nobody can guard him,” Lendeborg said, via Nadia Houneini. “He’s been through a lot as well, media-wise and just basketball-wise in general. And I feel like he’s just all-around the best-skilled player ever.”
That kind of praise turns heads, especially when the league usually funnels that conversation toward names like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Doncic. But Lendeborg has made it clear he’s been an Irving believer for a while. The 24-year-old said he’s a big fan of Irving and admitted he used to dislike Stephen Curry after Golden State selected him with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
He’s not alone in admiring Irving’s game. Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant has described the nine-time All-Star as the most skilled player ever, and that sentiment has plenty of believers around the league. Irving’s handle remains his signature weapon, and Lendeborg said the thing he appreciates most is how impossible he is to stop.
“I would rather not,” Lendeborg said. “Yeah, I’d rather not guard him.”
The rookie won’t have to wait long to see Irving up close. Golden State and Dallas are set to meet on Nov. 18, a matchup that figures to mean a little extra to Lendeborg.
Irving’s production this season looks different from the peak years that built his reputation, though. He’s back on the floor after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee in March 2025, and his 2026-27 return has been steady rather than explosive. Through the early part of the season, he is averaging 18.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game for Dallas.
He has settled in as the Mavericks’ No. 2 option behind sophomore forward Cooper Flagg, who has opened the season at a blistering pace. Flagg is putting up 25.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game in 2026-27.
That means Lendeborg may spend more of his night chasing Flagg than Irving when the Warriors see Dallas. Either way, the matchup won’t be easy.
And Lendeborg has earned some attention of his own. The former Michigan standout has burst out of the gate in his rookie season, averaging 22.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game. For a player many expected to need time, he has looked ready immediately.
Golden State has started to find some momentum, too. The Warriors have won two straight to move to 2-3, and they’ll try to keep that going against the Los Angeles Lakers next at Chase Center on Friday at 10 p.m. ET.
As for Lendeborg, the rematch with Doncic is already circling on the calendar. The two traded trash talk in their season opener, and Lendeborg is looking forward to another round. It’s the kind of matchup that should draw plenty of eyes.
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Now those worries look even harder to dismiss after Simmons suffered a torn Achilles in a workout and was ruled out for the season. For the Warriors, it is one more reminder that any evaluation of Simmons has to start with the same issue that has followed him for months: whether he can stay on the floor long enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]