SAN FRANCISCO – For once, Yaxel Lendeborg seemed to be at a loss for words. The Warriors rookie has entertained with his play and his words in the first three weeks of his NBA career. On the court, in the locker room and at the podium, Lendeborg has given answers that have gone viral and have shown what a quick learner he is. This time, he needed a moment to ponder the point he wanted to make.
Lendeborg squinted his eyes and blew air into the microphone. “Hmmm … that’s a good one,” he began.
My question was about identity. Who are the 2026-27 Warriors at their core beyond the standings? What describes their collective personality?
“Ummm … damn,” Lendeborg continued.
In those eight seconds of contemplation, Lendeborg found his answer.
“I would say, I mean, I feel like we’re pretty gritty,” Lendeborg said. “Honestly, I feel like we don’t take none of that fake tough guy stuff that everybody tries to throw at us. We feel like we’re willing to get in your face, willing to play as hard as we can, just do whatever we have to do to win,...