Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has no plans to change his outspoken personality, revealing that he is declining media training as he looks to remain authentic throughout his NBA career.

As the Warriors (2-3) prepare to host the Los Angeles Lakers (4-1) in their first NBA Cup matchup Friday night, Lendeborg explained why he refuses to alter his approach when speaking publicly.

Speaking with Luca Evans of The San Francisco Chronicle, the 24-year-old rookie emphasized the importance of honesty rather than delivering carefully rehearsed responses during interviews.

“I'm not doing that, man. I'm going to stay true to myself, and be honest,” Lendeborg said. “I've seen plenty of interviews where people are talking and it's like, ‘Man, I don't want to watch this,' you know what I mean? And it's not like I'm click-baiting or click-farming or whatever the heck people are saying. But it's like, that's honestly how I feel. And I'm not gonna lie about it. I've never been a liar. So, just tell the truth.”

Lendeborg's comments come after the rookie drew attention for his outspoken criticism of Lakers superstar Luka Doncic following Golden State's season-opening loss to Los Angeles.

Yaxel Lendeborg's outspoken approach adds intrigue to Warriors-Lakers rematch

The rookie previously questioned Doncic's behavior toward officials before making another headline with his declaration that the Lakers star was not Michael Jordan.

Although Lendeborg subsequently acknowledged that his initial criticism might have gone too far, his latest remarks indicate that he has no intention of changing his personality to avoid controversy.

The No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has also made an immediate impact on the court, emerging as one of Golden State's most promising young contributors.

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His early performances have given the Warriors an encouraging development as they attempt to overcome a difficult start to the 2026-27 season.

Friday's matchup will provide another opportunity for Lendeborg to face Doncic following their public exchange earlier this season.

Golden State will host Los Angeles at 7 p.m. PT on Prime Video, with both teams opening their NBA Cup schedules.