Lendeborg Powers Warriors to Las Vegas Summer League Championship
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Rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg capped a remarkable four-month run Sunday night, guiding the Golden State Warriors to a 94-90 win over the Memphis Grizzlies and the Las Vegas Summer League crown.
The No. 11 overall pick, who won an NCAA title with Michigan in April, became just the second player—joining Davion Mitchell—to claim both an NCAA championship and a Summer League title in the same year. Lendeborg earned Championship Game MVP honors after finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds at Thomas & Mack Center.
Golden State closed Summer League play with a 5-1 record, becoming the third franchise with multiple Las Vegas titles since the event launched in 2013.
“Coming into this program, I just wanted to prove I’m a winner,” Lendeborg said. “At Michigan, we played team ball. Here, we play team ball. That’s what wins games and championships.”
Memphis was paced by No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer, who posted 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists. His late third-quarter three-pointer put the Grizzlies ahead 76-66, but Lendeborg sparked a Warriors rally that included 21 points off the bench from guard Deivon Smith. Golden State ultimately placed five players in double figures.
The Grizzlies had late chances to reclaim the lead, but Boozer missed a go-ahead three-pointer and Olivier-Maxence Prosper turned the ball over on an inbounds pass. “Their butts got tight,” Lendeborg said. “Some of us are built for the moment and some aren’t.”
Across six Summer League outings, Lendeborg averaged 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 28.3 minutes, shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. The 23-year-old, who turns 24 in late September, is expected to fill a complementary role with Golden State when the regular season begins.
Lendeborg also acknowledged a measure of satisfaction in outperforming Boozer, whose Duke squad defeated Michigan in February. “Every game we play, them refs be saving him,” he said, adding that facing players drafted ahead of him fuels his competitive drive.
Source: HoopsRumors
