Warriors' Lendeborg tops Rookie of the Year race three weeks into season

About three weeks into the 2026-27 season, the first edition of this season's Rookie Power Rankings has been released. Yaxel Lendeborg of the Golden State Warriors took the top spot, ahead of other leading contenders.

The 24-year-old forward has played in eight games so far. He is averaging 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists, and his field goal percentage stands at 50.0%. He has put up consistent numbers in both scoring and rebounding.

An assist is a pass that leads directly to a basket and is credited to the player who made the pass. Averaging 3.9 assists shows he is also contributing to his team through plays that create scoring.

The NBA is a men's professional league in North America made up of 30 teams that play an 82-game regular season. The Rookie of the Year Award goes to the best player among those who debuted that season, and early-season performance offers clues to the contenders for the honor.

The race for Rookie of the Year can change depending on results over the full season. The early leader does not always remain on top through the end, as scoring, efficiency and team winning percentage all factor into evaluations.

The top spot is based on results from just the first few games of the season, and rankings are expected to shift depending on future playing time and performance. Whether Lendeborg can maintain his early numbers will be a key point to watch.

This article was written by the Basketball Press editors based on the cited reports. Please check the source for full details and exact figures.