fr this guy is gonna be getting reporters bonuses all season lmao. especially if he’s actually good. because i get the impression he’s not gonna stop saying shit like this if they keep asking him

looking up*

Draymond has probably never admitted fault to anything in his entire life.

Yaxel is already miles ahead of him.

Did i miss something? Has Draymond died?

Or if Yaxel keeps on this pace, there’s a possibility Draymond gets annoyed at him. But I don’t think he will because he’s already said he went a little too far when talking to the media.

they rly got next gen draymond just in time lmao. i love this guy’s energy but he’s for sure gonna piss a lot of fanbases off. the nba is more fun with some unique characters though. when is the last time a rookie had the nerve to tear into a top 5 player in front of the press? amazing shit

“Hey Draymond, we’re good. Yaxel Lendeborg is here”

Because this entire site is just a giant complaint box where everyone endlessly bitches and whines over every little thing that ever happens

For real… this is what makes basketball fun. Love that he’s come into the league as a rookie, talks shit back, and backed it up with his play yesterday

I just think it’s funny

idk, we literally watch a game where people get paid a ridiculous amount of money to put a ball in a hoop for entertainment. its not that serious and he isnt being offensive.

and i find this very entertianing.

Reddit is 90% bot accounts and bot-run subreddits that do everything they can to cause discourse or incite a culture war that increases engagement because people keep going back for more when a nerve is hit. All these “menace” or “nba talk” or “gossip” subreddits are bullshit, and they are going to keep popping up until it stops being profitable.

Obviously Lakers fans are massively overrepresented on r/nba. But I don’t think anyone else wants you upset.

It’s just incredibly unusual for a rookie after his first game to state directly to the media that he lost all respect for an All NBA vet, who really did nothing other than play a normal game (and win).

I don’t like either of these teams, but as someone who has followed the NBA since the 90s, this set of choices by Yaxel is kinda unprecedented. He’s way out on a limb in a way that’s at least very interesting and at most tells us something about the way he’s going to conduct the rest of his career.

No one does. It’s entertaining to many, but no one is expecting you to be upset about it.

Because this sub is run by Laker fans and Luka glazers.

i’ve never been so force fed something i care so little about lmao

Engagement bait

Cuz these people aren’t hoopers so they don’t understand shit talk is apart of the game.

Everything I know about this guy is against my consent.

r/lakers2

He spoke negatively about luka so the subs gonna throw a tantrum to defend their golden boy

Because negative emotions drive site/app engagement

I’m grabbing my torch and pitchfork currently. RABBLE RABBLE!…

ikr?? I love Yaxel now lmao this is hilarious

Idk dude but I love this shit. Everyone is so sensitive and just bitches but honestly that’s the NBA. Real housewife shit is all they are. Try to be strong men but they are diva ass bitches. Get em Yaxel

Aren’t you people going on about how it’s a breath of fresh air to see a player talk like this and now you complain when someone posts it? Just breath your fresh air lol

Because these hoes are as soft as Luka

They be hoes

This is way too much of a “who cares.”

Not Reddit, just me, specifically. 😠

People forgetting that the entire thing is just supposed to be entertainment. He is entertaining me as did Luka. It’s great.

So you can purge!

It leads to engagement which leads to ad revenue; the algorithm gods demand outrage

Drives engagement

Nobody on the court is upset about this. I know for sure Luka loves it lmao

Exactly, because I am actually excited about this. The league needs more of it tbh.

because its fun to hate players in a WWE kinda way

Manufactured outrage

why is a 24 year old out here clarifying that hes not a “hoe”? misogynist mf

Lol for real. I like this dude

Warriors player

Adds an instant negative buff for a good majority of r/NBA

If he was on any other team that wasn’t GS or the Lakers people would be hyping this up more.

People hate that players are too friendly nowadays until a player actually brings some intensity back and then everyone switches up

Where? What threads are looking at where all the top comments are not supportive or saying they love it? This happens on this sub all the time, where you all are just fighting ghosts.

Laker fans are pissed about this for whatever reason lol

Clicks for the precious bot accounts

Rage bait boosts engagement and clicks. Internet runs on clicks. Money exchanges hands proportionally to outrage

Does it have to be exaggerated then just be a simple hey this kid hasn’t earned his right to talk when he does he can talk.

No one has to be mad but there can be judgment

Intentional insult superstar player to get the media attention. Dude is just a low life role player.

I love this we need all the shit talk we can get nowadays

Because he dared talk shit about the great white hope luka

Crabs in a bucket.com

Nobody mentioned being upset about it, they just posted what he said. I think getting upset is just your knee-jerk reaction.

At this point I only see comments saying it either isnt a big deal, or wondering why people(who I dont see) are making a big deal about it

I’m biased, but I really like that Yax doesn’t back down. Yeah he could’ve shut up so he doesn’t have a target on his back, but where’s the fun in that?

Well you see, Luka plays for the Lakers.

Lot of kids here have a weird mentality about things like this, and make a bigger deal about it than it really is.

because this feels disingenuous, cheap and fabricated. Remember when one guy ( I am leaving name out to prove the point) who is average, started to talk shit about lebron and suddenly every headline had his name in it ? He generated alot of media pressence and was named “bad guy” for a month or two ? overall good PR stunt for ur own career. So this xmen guy tries to do exactly same shit that has nothing to do with basketball. Just throwing out random shit at the wall and hope some sticks. Lemme ask you exactly same question, why does axeman want to be upset about luka ? Complaining is his game, it has nothing to do with you or ur game. Just play ur game and stop pocketwatch. And out of all players to say “he is not Jordan”… he is actually fucking close. Meanwhile aux guy is literally nobody, just happy to be in nba. Just douchebag energy.

No one wanted u to be upset ffs

You don’t need to be upset. The guy does seem like a mouthy dumb fuck though.

the dude has been obnoxious going back to college, some “NBA only” basketball fans may not see it yet but you will eventually

Luka Fanboys*

is more like it

wtf are you talking about lol

When did Luka suddenly not become a real life Cartman? Dude has always been a whiny ass but a rookie can’t call him out on it?

Barely anyone who uses sports subreddits has ever actually played sports before, unfortunately. It’s even worse on subs that try to take themselves seriously like r/baseball

Wait is there something to be upset about here?

Cause mods never remove reposts during hate circle jerks

Are ppl trying to make you upset? This is just entertainment

Reddit will complain about how soft the league is while bitching every time theres a hard foul

Because he is a loudmouth fool, we were gonna have to hear from way too much over the next decade

He hasn’t proven anything yet and the internet loves cocky nobodies. As people point out, he is just out of his league. Luka was playing as a pro at 16 and at 24 took his team to the Finals. Yaxel can only wish he can have that run as his career.

He lost and Luka scored 28. Stfu if you lost, specifically on a team that won championships

reddit is a bunch of kids and people who never leave the house.

like luka saying “your 24 and a rookie” got 10K upvotes ffs lol, which shows you the level of trash talk this place is OK with, anything more and this place would have a meltdown

Serious question, what do you do for work?

I am an attorney, I do civil litigation so everything is adversarial. But just becaue I am trying to beat the people on the otherside doesn’t mean I am an asshole. There is a certain amount if professionalism that is expected and actually required by the ethical rules we are supposed to follow.

But then there are the assholes. I have spent the last year dealing with a guy who is either dumb or malicious, probably both, who thinks he is getting an advantage by making even the most simple thing into a fight, even if he is clearly wrong. The kind of guy who will never admit to making a mistake.

Yaxel is essentially that guy.

Because a white lakers superstar is basically jesus to half the community so anyone that talks back against him is evil

Insulting the Lakers star + he’s not one of the 25 basketball players the average Lakers fan knows

Because this is r/lakers and yaxel talked shit about a Lakers player

white suburban dudes who cry at the slightest hint of confrontation

edit: ohio mad

Luka got no rings, Erneh

exactly, not even a ring to kiss for Luka either

And it’s not like HE keeps bringing it up.

They ask him. Of course media wants to slaughter that shit. But they’re just gonna annoy the shit out of us and make us not like him even more meh

No ring or MVPs to kiss.

There’s a difference between not kissing the ring and saying “I lost all respect for star player” after literally one game.

You don’t see an issue with a guy whining after a blow out loss? Also it’s hypocritical because his own teammate may be the biggest whiner in nba history.

Gonna use this to win every argument I’m ever in.

But i did go over the top with the media stuff

Very few people could use it. A lot of us like to get butthurt about the most little shit, myself leading the way.

its not something you have to say unless people think you a hoe

Makes me think of Jeff Teague imitating KAT during the Embiid fight

I’ve been a lifetime Laker fan and im from Slovenia so obviously im a Luka fan as well.

I absolutely love this kind of energy. It makes things more competitive and entertaining. From now on Lakers vs Warriors is not just another regular season game. It’s Luka vs Yaxel and obviously their teams are gonna back them up.

Talk your shit bro

Literally all the top comments are exactly like yours.

People need to relax though, they’re acting like Yaxel pissed all over their breakfast.

Talk is always fun. But the real thing is can he back what he says with his performance.

Yea for real. League needs MORE of this. Fuck the chumminess.

LET THE HATE (of the fans) FLOW THROUGH YOU (nonviolently)!

More pros should call eachother out for things.

Hoes in shambles

Loved this guy at UM last year. Hes got a lot of heart, look at what he did in the Natty.

Yea i NBA culture is a little weird and hypocritical. On a one hand people criticize the current game, on the other hand people don’t like when players talk trash at times etc etc

corny

I am with you. But he needs to back it up, if you talk trash and don’t back it up, you’re gonna be clown pretty hard. People would love it even if you put in effort continuously and make this matchup exciting for the viewer, even if you lose, we’re all for that.

I hope they feud/have fun with it through the whole season

And honestly Luka probably loves it too. He gets excited with that kind of stuff

For real some people will go “players are too soft now” and then be mad when someone like yax will talk some shit in

Does that make you a hoe?

Yea but you cant play both sides and say “its just trash talk” then tell the press after the game you lost all respect for him lol ; bro basically had a tantrum , own up to it

Its always Pistons flairs defending him.

Hmmm…

The pearl clutching in the NFL fanbase is even worse. People get really bent out of shape if a player gets too chirpy.

I got zero problem with him talking shit as a concept, but a rookie trash talking Luka is gonna get clowned on and deservedly. But he can still go off, I encourage it.

Never any problems with Luka talking to other players. But the CONSTANT ref complaining is just embarrassing

I love Luka, man. He’s currently one of the most entertaining players to watch when hes good but someone really needs to call out his foul baiting bullshit more often. I want more players like yaxel to call foulbaiting out.

I don’t see a single comment hating in the top 5 comment threads

This is funny and i love chirping and sports hate, it pisses off redditors

The only “dumb” thing Yaxel did was some stuff he said in the press conference after the Lakers game. I don’t understand why people are mad that a player talked trash.

insanely corny

This dude going Europe

Agree 100%, this the energy that makes the NBA entertaining

Except Dillon Brooks when he talks mad shit and then ducks the media when things don’t go as planned.

And I respect the actual point he’s making. Flopping and whining about calls should lose some respect because it goes against the spirit of the game. Winning via rule manipulation vs just being better than me.

Thats only true when you back it up with your play

Absolutely - stand on business, young man. And, as much as I love Luka, he is a fucking crybaby. Let him hear it lol

Animosity from a rookie during his first game isn’t good for the league. It’s a clown show.

Draymond and Steph showing beef sure but this kid? Shits delusional

100%. But probably the reality for a lot of this entire upcoming generation. Clip-ification of their entire media diet, sports included.

A lot of NBA players never watch basketball.

This was also my biggest takeaway from this whole thing, if he was telling the truth. Reminds me of Suns era Grant Hill boasting that he didn’t watch tape because he had intuition. And by golly, his defense in that time was pretty darn good. But, in the Western Conference Finals, he ended up having to guard Kobe Bryant, who everyone knows watched tape like a maniac, all to get any little edge on the competition that he could. And in that climactic battle, Kobe put on a shooting show for the ages, at Grant Hill’s expense. The margin for error for those shots was less than a fingertip, but that was a margin that Kobe earned with all his study.

Because a lot of former and current players don’t watch either. Even ones that get hired to cover the sports.

He didn’t watch NBA games when he was in college. That didn’t mean he didn’t watch college games.

He said he didn’t watch the NBA last year. Maybe he does now that he’s in the league

He’ll be watching plenty of game tape now that he’s in the league

Brother he played against the guy and guarded him 1v1.

I think that’s enough grounds for him to decide if he doesn’t respect whining to the referees every single play.

tbf it’s luka. 10 year vets get baited into fouling him all the time

but yea at the end of the day he’s still a rookie. learning how to defend hard without fouling is one of the biggest learning curves for new nba players.

He’s also already picked up two techs so far this season. He needs to rein it in or he’s gonna be getting suspensions in a couple months.

Only reason he’s getting ANY camera time is because he’s talking about Luka. He should know right there that he is not flexing.

Who he play for lmao

I started to question my interest in ball because I was like, was this guy a higher prospect than I was aware of or something? Wtf lol

I mean… “TNT: We know drama.”

Who is “ya’ll”? Every top comment is a copy of yours.

Does Yaxel like hoops as much as he likes drama? He likes talking shit more than he even watches ball.

Only to drama addicted redditors.

Even if he did, who cares?

i think anyone who doesn’t just doesn’t follow basketball outside of the NBA because dude has a history of being a bit obnoxious so this isn’t some isolated thing lol

Like no one is clutching their pearls here, the dude just running his mouth and it hasn’t really been earned yet so he’s getting clowned

I spend wayyyyyyyy too much time online and I love this shit. I do also love hatred between players and teams

2 year old reddit account with 18K comment karma says other people spend too much time online?

He’s not going to hate him. He’s just not going to respect him.

Lol this was already one of the top bullet points of ESPN’s scouting report on Jared McCain

This sub would welcome more shit talk from trash vs better play lol.

Can you smell what the Chef’s got cooking?

Things usually swing wildly from thread to thread. Everyone agrees here but there was likely another thread where everyone agreed the opposite way

So top comments are usually people who commented close to when the post went live. A lot of threads could have early comments that people mostly disagree with, but haven’t had time to be downvoted.

The top commenters might have entered the thread where up to that point, a lot of “hate” comments were up unchallenged. If you sort by controversial, you can see the comments that are referenced by the top comments.

You’d have to follow what’s going on. This story didn’t start today.

I don’t see people hating per se but I see a lot of people pointing out how Yaxel hasn’t “earned” the right to trash talk Luka yet or that his trash talk doesn’t make sense. Basically a lot of weird nitpicking without fully hating on the guy. It’s just weird to me too cause people usually complain that players are too friendly with each other but then there’s pushback against this kind of trash talk

Hate bots are professionals. They don’t need much.

Yeah, at most I have seen is people saying it is corny, but if you read the comments here, you would believe that r/NBA is full of haters.

How the fuck is this a rivalry.

The Warriors are cheeks.

That’s a low bar lol and people want rivalries between the best players like Luka. The gap is too big between them for it to be a real rivalry

I mean, you gotta be able to take as well as you give.

He proved nothing so far though.

Nah you got it all wrong. Fans want the rivalry and shit talking because they get to be part of it. Pretty unreasonable to expect fans to give all praise and zero hate. Part of the rivalry experience that people want back is having other players to hate on, and Yax gives them that. All the hate is completely normal imo.

Generally people are into it once the players involved accomplish something, but someone who hasn’t backed it up on the court or achieved nothing might be clowned

Yeah but usually guys shit talk each other on the court, then off the court basically say good game, and have mutual respect as competitors. The stuff Yaxel said off court was lame whiny shit and I think he knows it

Shit talking is great, but maybe after some established heated gameplay? We’re 2 games into the season, and the first game is where it all started

Is he being hated on or clowned because he lost and didn’t stop talking? Then said that all Luka did was bitch while Draymond and Kerr are blue in the face from yelling at the refs.

He doesn’t know how to quit while he’s behind.

It’s the same as playing at the park: your play earns you the right to talk shit, even if you have a point. Dude hasn’t played nearly enough for this level of shit talk.

Fr this fan base vicariously live through Luka and take shit personal they all pussy

For it to be a rivalrie boh have to be on the same level. This is just cringe lack of self awareness.

Some punk noname lashing out in the media is not a rivalrie.

They hate that its a 24 rookie doing it to one of the best players in the league, which is equally as dumb a reason.

If a guy is gonna be a trash talker, why does he need to wait until he’s done something? Go at the best person in front of you. Get beat. Get better and keep talking trash. A competitive mindset doesn’t need to wait for the ability to back it up in order to announce itself.

82 out of respect for Bam

On 50 free throws

No he won’t.

Nah, he aun’t Michael Jordan.

He shot ²⁄₇ guarded by him. Yaxel’s a decent defender

How many tantrums though ?

He does not lmao Yax publicly lied that he texted Draymond and Dray didn’t text back

Cuz he’s the only one clout chasing lol

If he was doing it to SGA this sub would be eating it up.

Cuz he’s done nothing yet to really warrant talking how he’s talking.

The only 2 games into his career part is what most people seem to have an issue with. I don’t really give a shit, it’s entertaining, but rookies smack talking will always turn some people off.

He’s just coming off as salty at best, if you’re gonna talk shit at least back it up on the court

🤡 comment. You can credit his opinion because he is literally played on the court against Luka unlike you sitting your ass on a couch with dorito dust on your hand