Yaxel Lendeborg guides the Warriors to the NBA Summer League title
The Bay Area team defeated the Cameron Boozer-led Grizzlies in the final in Las Vegas
The Golden State Warriors were crowned champions of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas after a 94-90 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the grand final held at the Thomas & Mack Center at the University of Nevada (UNLV). The standout player of the game was Yaxel Lendeborg, who recorded a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds to cap off a perfect summer.
The power forward, selected with the 11th pick in the 2026 Draft, now secures his second title in just four months after winning the NCAA championship with the University of Michigan. In doing so, he becomes only the second player in history to win the Division I college title and the Las Vegas Summer League in the same year, matching the achievement of Davion Mitchell.
"When I joined this program, I just wanted to show that I am a winner. I don't care about the stats, just the outcome. In Michigan, we played as a team and here too. That's how you win games and championships," Lendeborg stated after the final.
Lendeborg Leads the Comeback
The final was tightly contested and tied at halftime. In the third quarter, Cameron Boozer, the 3rd pick of the 2026 Draft, guided Memphis with a buzzer-beating three-pointer that gave the Grizzlies their first double-digit lead.
However, Lendeborg responded when it mattered most. The center scored three consecutive baskets in the last quarter to fuel Golden State's comeback, securing the franchise's second Summer League title in history. This victory adds them to Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers as the only teams with multiple championships since the event's inception in 2013.
In addition to Lendeborg, Deivon Smith contributed another 21 points coming off the bench, while LJ Cryer was part of a five-player lineup from the Warriors who ended with double-digit scoring figures.
Boozer Comes Close to Overtime
Despite the loss, Cameron Boozer once again impressed with 19 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Memphis had several chances to tie or win in the final minute, but Boozer himself missed a three-pointer that would have sealed the win for the Grizzlies, and shortly after, Olivier-Maxence Prosper lost the ball on a crucial sideline inbound.
Lendeborg did not shy away from his confidence after the game.
"They got nervous. Some of us are made for these moments, and some are not. Our competitive spirit, our will, and our desire not to lose were key to the comeback," he stated.
Boozer, on the other hand, reflected on his near miss of the title.
"I have to find ways to step up more. I had two good shots in the end, but they didn't go in. We lost, but it's games like this that make me love this sport. It was a high-intensity battle," Boozer remarked.
A Promising NBA Rivalry
The victory also served as redemption for Lendeborg, as Michigan had fallen to Boozer's Duke University in a college showdown last February.
"I think about that rematch every time I play against Boozer. There's always a competitive element with all players who were picked ahead of me in the Draft," commented the new Warriors player.
Although Lendeborg was the offensive focal point for Golden State during the Summer League, the coaching staff anticipates him playing a complementary role alongside Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III in the upcoming season.
The Warriors' Summer League coach, Khalid Robinson, emphasized that Lendeborg's versatility, physicality, and competitive spirit align perfectly with the team's style.
"His versatility, physical profile, and competitiveness are ideal for us. Tonight, when our backs were against the wall, he stepped up and said, 'Let's go for it.'"
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Yaxel Lendeborg guía a los Warriors al título de la Summer League de la NBA