Why Yaxel Lendeborg could thrive with the Warriors
· Yahoo Sports
Though he was the last of the three Wolverines who went in the NBA draft lottery, Yaxel Lendeborg was the star player for Michigan basketball this past season. The question now is who he will become now that he has joined the Golden State Warriors.
As far as ESPN sees it, there's a potential for him to be a true star in the NBA, without any time going by whatsoever.
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In ESPN's post-NBA draft primer, the outlet asked itself: Who has the strongest likelihood to win rookie of the year this upcoming season? While one analyst said Darius Acuff Jr., the former Arkansas star, the other said Lendeborg, even if they don't believe he has the strongest chance of winning the award.
Yaxel Lendeborg. He probably won't win, but he's going to play a lot and have to have a significant role for the Golden State Warriors to have a good season.
They picked him at No. 11 with urgency in mind. If he can earn the trust of coach Steve Kerr -- who was thought to have a degree of influence over this pick -- he'll have the minutes necessary to make a case on a team that needs him.
Lendeborg is probably the most pro-ready of the former Michigan trio, and he lands at a spot that certainly needs him to be great. At 24 years old, Lendeborg already has the experience factor, and he is also that five-tool player that the Warriors particularly like, able to play any position on the court, along with a strong defensive prowess in his game. If he can play a similar brand of basketball as what he did in Ann Arbor this past year, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him thrive in the NBA and make a quick name for himself.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Yaxel Lendeborg ESPN's pick for NBA rookie of the year