Golden State Warriors rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg has provided the spark the organization was hoping for at the start of his NBA career.

While Lendeborg’s production has excited Warriors fans, he has also established a growing beef with Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Dončić. With the adversaries preparing to face off again, Lendeborg revealed whether he’d consider changing his media approach.

Warriors Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg Says He Won’t Take Media Training

Lendeborg revealed he’s not interested in changing his candid approach when talking to the media.

“I’m not doing that, man. I’m going to stay true to myself, and be honest. 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,” Lendeborg told the San Francisco Chronicle this week.

Lendeborg believes it’s better to tell the truth than give generic answers when talking to the media. However, the outspoken rookie has already been criticized following his intense opening matchup against Dončić.

The Lakers defeated the Warriors 127-105 to start the season, with Dončić having a signature performance with 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Dončić was generally ineffective when guarded by Lendeborg, and the two players engaged in multiple back-and-forth exchanges throughout the game. Lendeborg received a technical foul after one animated exchange with Dončić.

Lendeborg candidly said after the game that he lost respect for Dončić after witnessing him constantly interact with the referees over foul calls. While Lendeborg received some criticism, Warriors teammate Draymond Green publicly backed him and encouraged him to bring the same intensity to the next matchup with Dončić.

The Warriors and Lakers are preparing to face off in the first game of the NBA Cup Tournament for both teams, and Lendeborg is excited to guard Dončić again. It’s perhaps one of the most anticipated player matchups during the opening stages of NBA Cup action.

The Dončić controversy hasn’t impacted Lendeborg’s production, as he’s given the Warriors an immediate impact player to help franchise player Steph Curry.

Lendeborg is averaging 22.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game, while shooting 47.5% from the field. He’s also shown the ability to stretch defenses with his perimeter shooting.

Lendeborg’s age was viewed as one potential concern entering the draft, though Golden State still selected him No. 11 overall. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr believed that he’d quickly become one of the team’s core players due to his maturity.

Lendeborg plans to continue being authentic, even if that leads to more confrontations with Dončić.