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Yaxel Lendeborg gets a chance to show what he can do with the beginning of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas this week.
And frankly, it's clear that the Golden State Warriors need to see one thing from him more than anything else as he takes the court in July.
The Warriors need to see Lendeborg be the best player on the floor.
There's no excuse for him not to be.
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He's 23 years old, a national champion who was just one of the best players in the country for Michigan.
This is an all-around star who will be playing against less physically impressive one-and-dones mixed with journeymen.
Lendeborg may not end up as a star in regular NBA action. But in Summer League? He should be the man.
"The Warriors drafted Lendeborg to be a plug-and-play role player for Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, but they have every reason to expect him to be a summer league standout given that he was the oldest player selected in the first round," ESPN's Ben Golliver wrote in a new article this week. "Remarkably, the 23-year-old Lendeborg was in the same high school class as Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley, who are set to enter their sixth NBA seasons. After earning All-America honors and winning a national championship at Michigan, the versatile forward should thrive as a scorer and multi-positional defender in Las Vegas."
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Lendeborg had a winding journey that also included journey college as well as a mid-major stop at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
Now, he's in the NBA. He has high expectations for a team that wants to be competitive when the season arrives. And Lendeborg has years of experience as a college hooper.
The Warriors would be concerned if Lendeborg struggled, because that wouldn't add up based on the past he brings to the floor. Lendeborg should shine brightly in Summer League, and as long as he does, Golden State will know he has a chance to help them.
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