Nowadays, it’s not all that often that professional athletes truly speak their minds and say exactly what they’re thinking, even if it’s divisive. That’s true even more so for rookies, who are just starting out in a league and don’t want to cause unnecessary distractions for their team.

Yaxel Lendeborg has proven to be an exception to that rule. A couple of weeks ago, the Golden State Warriors rookie made waves by criticizing the way Luka Doncic behaved during their game. It was a “Welcome to the NBA” moment for Lendeborg, but not in a good way: He didn’t like the way NBA players whined and complained while trying to get foul calls.

That could have rubbed Doncic and other players the wrong way, but it hit with fans, who loved hearing a pro athlete be refreshingly honest. It helps, of course, that Lendeborg is balling on the court to back up his trash talk. Saturday’s overtime win against the Orlando Magic was another opportunity for Lendeborg to continue building his Rookie of the Year case.

Yaxel Lendeborg overtakes Cameron Boozer as favorite to win Rookie of the Year

Lendeborg dropped 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three blocks in the Warriors’ win. Golden State has now won seven straight games, and Lendeborg has been a major part of that. He’s averaging 21.0/7.1/4.1 while shooting nearly 50% from the field. It’s been incredibly impressive, although this was the type of ceiling he showed at Michigan.

He’s now the odds-on favorite to win Rookie of the Year. There’s still plenty to go, and Cameron Boozer isn’t far behind at all. But Lendeborg has been every bit as advertised, and more, through the first stretch of his NBA career. And he’s doing it his way, which Doncic and others will have to get used to.