Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney, along with Jordan Poole, achieved the now-rare feat of playing all 82 games this season. The reliability of Looney is a telling aspect of the leadership that he provides for the team.
Head coach Steve Kerr spoke about the value of having a player like the former-UCLA standout on his squad, during a recent appearance on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs.”
“[Looney] is definitely our moral compass,” Kerr told the hosts. “He’s the guy who’s there every single day, doing exactly what he should be doing and setting an example for everybody else. He’s perfect in that role because his role changes so often. He’s gone in and out of the starting lineup, this year and in past years, but it never affects his preparation, never affects his energy, his mood, if I play him for 10 minutes or if I play him for 35, you get the exact same effort. For him to be able to be the example for all of our younger players, for me to be able to say to JK [Jonathan Kuminga] and Jordan [Poole] and Moses [Moody] and all of these young guys ‘watch Loon, go about your business like Kevon, he’s the ultimate pro.’ I can’t tell you how valuable that is to have on our team.”
Steve Kerr Shares that Andrew Wiggins is ‘Ready to Go’ for Warriors
During the same interview, Kerr discussed the impending return of Andrew Wiggins for Golden State’s opening playoff-game against the Sacramento Kings.
“The biggest thing with Andrew will be the rhythm,” he explained. “Going from not playing to the playoffs. That’s a pretty big leap. He’s looked great over the last week. He’s feeling good and he’s ready to go.”
Wiggins’ return against the Kings will mark the first time he’s played since February 13. He was away from the team for nearly two months, as his father reportedly battled a serious medical issue.
Andrew Wiggins is Ready to Help Warriors Win in Playoffs
Wiggins recently discussed his state of mind as he prepares for the postseason with NBC Sports Bay Area.
“I’m approaching these playoffs the same way, just going in there and leaving it all on the floor,” he said. “I’m trying to get every rebound, trying to defend full court, trying to score the ball. Whatever I can do to help us win.”
The 28-year-old shared that he’d watched a ton of Warriors games while he was away from the team, trying to catch every one he was able to.
“I tried to watch every game I could,” he said. “I was trying to find ways to feel like I’m involved and a part of the team. I always feel I can help the team,” he said. “But I was just watching to see what we didn’t do well that game, or what we could have done better. But every game, they fought. Sometimes we made mistakes down the stretch.”
Wiggins later explained that the thing he missed most during his absence was going out and competing with his Warriors teammates.
“The competition,” he added. “Just going out there and competing with these guys. Being out there with them on the floor and around the locker room and on the road trips. Just being around the fellas. And having fun. Playing basketball and having fun.”
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Steve Kerr Drops Strong Statement on Kevon Looney Ahead of Warriors-Kings Series