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First round pick makes bold claim about potential role with Golden State Warriors originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Starting as a rookie in the NBA is difficult. Starting in the NBA as a rookie for Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is exceedingly difficult – and rare.

Kerr has a reputation for not giving many minutes to rookies, probably because he’s coached contending teams replete with veterans for the vast majority of his career.
But, Warriors first round draft pick Yaxel Lendeborg thinks he might have an opportunity to do just that. Speaking at his introductory press conference with the Warriors, Lendeborg expressed optimism that he could potentially start for Kerr as a rookie.
“He doesn’t normally play rookies as much. You know, he has a history of that,” Lendeborg said of Kerr.

“But the way that the team is looking now, I’m gonna have a really good chance of playing, maybe even starting. So just having that kind of hope definitely gives me extra motivation to just go out out there and be one of the new guys that actually does that and actually comes in and builds a reputation right away.”
There’s certainly nothing wrong with aiming high, but cracking the starting five for the Warriors will be easier said than done.
With that said though, the Warriors selected Lendeborg with the No. 11 overall pick in the draft because they viewed him as a player who could come in and contribute right away. So, he will definitely be given an opportunity to establish himself as a key contributor.
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