Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg ‘lost all respect’ for Luka Doncic
Yaxel Lendeborg bit on one of Luka Doncic’s pump fakes midway through the first half, and the two were off and running — their mouths, anyway.
In a loss to the Lakers, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg of the Warriors admitted he lost all respect for Luka Doncic following the game. Lendeborg explained that Doncic's incessant whining and complaints during the match had diminished his previously held high regard for the superstar. The rookie found Doncic's actions to be unprofessional and unimpressive, stating that after getting fouled, Doncic would often boast about his performance, which he found weak and disheartening.
Although Doncic only received nine fouls, Lendeborg felt it was a much more frustrating experience. Doncic acknowledged Lendeborg's relentless back-and-forth comments, but the rookie continued to engage with the Lakers star, resulting in him receiving a technical foul. Coach Steve Kerr defended the decision, saying it was ridiculous for Lendeborg to be the only one to receive a technical for the exchange.
Despite Doncic's reputation for rising to the occasion when provoked, Lendeborg believed that the half-court shot he scored was the result of Doncic's provocative behavior. As he reflected on his debut, Lendeborg expressed excitement about the NBA, noting the prevalence of flopping, foul baiting, and praying to the referee.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
