Transcript
Where were you when you heard the news and just what was your reaction?
I was on a family vacation in Mexico, just hanging out with them by the pool. But I kind of understood the situation leading up for months, so I wasn't really surprised. But it took me a little bit of time to process. You know, it's my first time going through something like this, so I'm thankful that I had my family with me.
Well, welcome to Golden State. Just going back to your visits out here with OKC, what sort of impression do you have about Chase Center, the fan base, just everything like that, the organization?
Yeah, I mean, I've already experienced fans on the street welcoming me to the Bay, and just the hospitality—it's amazing. I grew up watching the Warriors and their style of basketball, and it excites me. So I'm more than excited to be here.
You said you understood the situation. What do you mean by that? Just the playing time obviously had dropped. Is that where you were kind of figuring something might happen?
I think being around the league for the last three years, seeing guys' situations and how the business works, sometimes good things come to an end, and new doors open up. So whether I stuck around in OKC for another year or two, I was ready for whatever opportunity came.
You mentioned watching Warriors basketball growing up and everything like that. How much did a player like Steph and just that style influence your game?
100%. Spreading the floor, shooting the ball, playing fast. You know, it's just like the style of basketball that we grew up playing. My dad was my coach growing up, so he wanted us to play fast, and we always watched film on them growing up. Even as kids, I didn't understand what I was watching. I just saw Steph and Klay burning those nets, so they influenced most of my game.
You've had a journey up to this point in the league, all of it really taking place in one place. Now you're coming to a storied team with obviously big names on that team. How welcomed are you or welcoming are you to this new place, playing here and playing with guys that you're about to step out there with?
It's pretty crazy coming from where I come from to be able to make it through pretty much all the cities in Oklahoma and then get into the big leagues. So that alone just gives me confidence, knowing that I can take my talents wherever and be successful. Like I said, the style of play, the organization—I've been watching them ever since I've been in love with basketball. So I'm just excited to be here, excited to meet new faces and play great basketball.
Steve Kerr's been very open about they need shooting here, and obviously Klay is one of the all-time best shooters. So I'm curious just sort of your fit here, how you see that?
I'm here to shoot the three and play defense and do whatever the team needs me to do. So whatever Coach Kerr asks me to do, I'm looking to put my head down and work for it.
Why did your three-point shooting improve that dramatically? I mean, that's a pretty significant jump. Was there a mechanical change? Was there taking different kinds of threes? What triggered that?
I think a little bit of help from playing in the G League, getting more experience, practicing more difficult shots, different situations. Not just practicing stagnant catch-and-shoot threes, always trying to make it a challenge every single day, make it harder and harder so that the games become easier.
What's maybe an aspect of your game that will surprise some people?
I try to do all the little things great. Be there for my team, help defense, rebounding, boxing out—all the little stuff that's not going to show up on a stat sheet, I try to be great at.
You talked a little bit about your journey and where you come from. Can you talk a little bit about the pride you have in your heritage and just how important that is to you to be representing that in the NBA?
Yeah, it means everything to me. There's not too many people that are able to ever do something like this, coming from where I come from. And I know I have a huge influence on my community. Especially coming from Oklahoma, I see a lot of people that look just like me. So trying to be an inspiration for them, making sure I'm trying to do the right thing, and continuing to show them that these things are possible.
What is the reaction among family and friends, people around you, to this trade? I mean, it's a more high-profile situation in some ways, even though OKC obviously had a great year last year.
Yeah, I mean, they're sad to see me go. Like I said, I've been in Oklahoma my whole life, so I'm going to miss them. But they're happy for me, so I get to play for the Golden State Warriors.
Have you heard from Steph at all since the trade? What have you learned watching him shoot over the years?
He hasn't reached out yet. That's OK. I'll see him soon and give him a hard time about that. But just the way that he approaches every single day and tries to challenge himself. It doesn't matter how many threes he hits; he's going to come in the next day and work just as hard as if he'd never hit a three. So that's something that's inspiring to me, and I can't wait to be around that every day.
You played with Trae Young in high school, if I'm not mistaken. What was that experience like?
We grew up together since we were little boys, and just watching him grow into the player he is and the father he is. He has been amazing. So I got to be on his podcast, got to talk a little bit and catch up, but I'm happy for him.
Question about your heritage, how did that shape you growing up? Who you are today, like you said, this kind of unique background for an NBA player. How did that affect and shape who you are now?
Just remembering that there are more important things in life than what we see on TV. There's family, there are traditions, there is your culture. The materialistic things come and go, and you can never control those things, but the things you can control is how good of a person you are. Being around my family and being around my relatives and tribes and trying to give back to my community has shaped me into the person I am today, and that just translates to the basketball court.
In what ways are you still involved?
I have a foundation, so I do a golf scholarship fundraiser out in Tulsa. I do camps for kids in North Dakota, North Carolina, Oklahoma. I have a basketball tournament at the end of this month on my birthday where I hand out scholarships to kids going off to college. Last year we handed out 10 or 11 scholarships worth a couple thousand dollars each to kids, just trying to continue to push them to get out and not be afraid to go for their dreams.
"Free agent F Marcus Morris has agreed to a one-year deal with the New York Knicks, agent Yony Noy of LAA Partners tells @TheAthletic. Morris will have a chance to enter his 14th NBA season with the Eastern Conference contender."
https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1835447451144040457
In minor Draft Tourney news,
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The Lakers have decided to waive Blake Hinson in order to open a two way spot for Christian Koloko according to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype. Did they make the right choice?
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https://www.threads.net/@trevorlanenba/post/C_9YTZDsqL_/?xmt=AQGzoBMpQS1uEk-ARr_KRrkIDUolGpgAozbRR4WBzTSWvQ
Blake Hinson was in our 2024 Draft Tourney and was worked out by GSW before the draft. There’s an outside chance he could end up back in the GSW organization, though I think the best they could do would be a SCW spot
https://dubnationhq.com/p/dub-nation-hq-draft-tournaments?s=w