Here are 7 NBA players you'd never believe are younger than Warriors' Yaxel Lendeborg

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Here are 7 NBA players you'd never believe are younger than Warriors' Yaxel Lendeborg originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

If the first five games of Yaxel Lendeborg's NBA career are a sign of what's to come, the Warriors will be thrilled with their No. 11 pick in June's draft.

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On a team that needed players to step up early in the absences of Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis and Moses Moody, Lendeborg has been a perfect fit, continuing his huge 2026 calendar year by going from NCAA champion and All-American to quick NBA stardom. 

Throughout the draft process and into his rookie season, Lendeborg's age (24) has been a major talking point — he had an extensive collegiate career, leading to his delayed timeline to reach the pros compared to his peers. It's also part of the reason, though, he was considered so NBA-ready.

Lendeborg's timeline to reach the NBA compared to some former one-and-done or other top draft picks is a bit staggering, put in perspective. There are a number of multi-year pros who are still younger than the rookie.

Here are seven notable NBA players who are younger than the 24-year-old Lendeborg, who is emerging as a star rookie for the Warriors.

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NBA players younger than Warriors' Yaxel Lendeborg

Bronny James, Lakers

At this point, Bronny James has been in the NBA for a while — his selection at No. 55 in the 2024 NBA Draft, becoming teammates with his father, was already 2.5 years ago. James, born in October 2004, recently turned 22.

As a four-star recruit in the 2023 class, James wound up spending just one season at USC that was shortened by a cardiac arrest medical emergency before appearing in 25 games. He went to the NBA before most scouts thought he was league-ready — but the Lakers gave him a chance at a young age to pair him with his father and develop him.

James has now spent two full seasons in the NBA, while Lendeborg is about two full years older.

Jalen Duren, Pistons

Pistons center Jalen Duren inked a massive rookie extension, five years and $200 million, before Lendeborg even stepped on an NBA court — and Detroit's big man is still two years younger.

Duren, born in November 2003, was a consensus five-star recruit in the 2022 class who spent just one year at Memphis in college before going No. 13 to the Pistons in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 2026-27 season is his fourth in the NBA, while Lendeborg, a member of the 2020 recruiting class, is just reaching the pros now.

Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

Arguably the best player in the NBA right now is also two years younger than Lendeborg. Victor Wembanyama, if you forgot, is still just 22 years old, born in January 2004. He has already been named a 2-time All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year and reached an NBA Finals over three NBA seasons before Lendeborg reached the league.

Wembanyama was just 19 years old when he was drafted to the NBA after playing professionally in France. In 2023, when he was the No. 1 overall pick, Lendeborg was entering his first season at UAB after three years at Arizona Western.

Ausar and Amen Thompson

The Thompson twins are both entering their fourth NBA seasons in 2026-27, and both have secured long-term money on their respective rookie contracts at 23 years old.

Ausar Thompson inked a $155 million extension with the Pistons after finishing third in DPOY voting, while Amen Thompson got $208 million from the Rockets as a riding star defender and finisher. The two entered the league in 2023, when Lendeborg still had three full collegiate seasons ahead of him.

Brandon Miller, Hornets

Another star member of the 2023 NBA Draft class is the Hornets' Brandon Miller, entering his fourth season in 2026-27 after going No. 2 overall in that draft and becoming a young star in Charlotte.

Miller, now 23, is around two months younger than Lendeborg. He was a five-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class who went one-and-done at Alabama.

Jonathan Kuminga, Timberwolves

Here's where the list of players younger than Lendeborg may get a bit more surprising — Timberwolves forward Jonathan Kuminga, born in October 2002, is a few days younger than the Warriors rookie. What's even more intriguing is that Kuminga went through an entire multi-year cycle of his career in Golden State before Lendeborg, in some ways, joined the team to fill a similar role as a young forward at the end of the Stephen Curry era.

Kuminga went No. 7 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, a consensus five-star recruit in the same class as Lendeborg — 2020 — who spent one year with the G League Ignite before joining Golden State. 

Kuminga spent four full seasons with the Warriors, then another season between Golden State and Atlanta, before Lendeborg joined the league. Now, Lendeborg is shining with Kuminga's former team after the latter could never carve out a role in Steve Kerr's rotation.

Josh Giddey, Bulls

Born on Oct. 10, 2002, Bulls point guard Josh Giddey is only a few days younger than Lendeborg, but has plenty more NBA experience.

Giddey emerged as the No. 6 pick to the Thunder in the 2021 NBA Draft after playing in Australia, becoming the youngest player to record a triple-double in NBA history at age 19 as a rookie. Since then, he was traded to the Bulls, now in his sixth NBA season as Lendeborg enters his first, but at the same age.

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