Transcript: Toohey on getting used to NBA speed and the Australian connections
shout out to Randy Bennett of St Mary's College of California
Partial Transcript
2025-07-14 Alex Toohey, Willard & Dibs 95.7 THE GAME
Q
Yeah. So, hey, I know last night was by far and away the best performance that you've had so far. How did that feel? Was there like a light bulb that kind of came on? Like, take us through the journey so far?
Alex Toohey
Yeah, I mean, not the start I was kind of looking for in those first two games but I think just kind of adjusting to the pace and the level of physicality and and that sort of thing and I think now just being comfortable playing with these guys and feeling comfortable in the system and still not kind of playing at the level I'd like to, but definitely a good step in the right direction. So, yeah, keep getting better each day. Yeah, we've got a few more to go, so hopefully keep progressing as a team.
Q
And do you like that sort of pace and that sort of style of ball? Because the Warriors last year they wanted to be up and down and go go go and play fast and shoot threes. Is that something that makes you comfortable on the court?
Alex Toohey
Definitely. That's kind of one of the reasons I stayed in Australia, like the 24-second shot clock and playing in a high-pace offence. It's definitely something that excites me and I think it's hard to guard. Like guys don't want to play that fast for 48 minutes and obviously the shooters and the smart players the Warriors have I think it plays to their advantage and different teams have different play styles that suit their players, but I think the Warriors playing fast is something that I enjoy and I can't wait to really do it.
…
Yeah, so I met Draymond and Buddy yesterday, which was exciting, and seeing them around at the facility here and how they're training and showing their commitment to the team. They're supporting the young guys, coming to watch games and then kind of QP, BP and Trayce, seeing those guys around and they've been training with us a little bit in the lead up and the California Classics. So seeing them around and they're great guys, they have a conversation with anyone on the team if they're on the roster or not. So yeah, it's just a great organisation and yeah, just great leaders all around.
Q
You mentioned QP Quinten Post. How much has he been somebody that you can model yourself after in that he came in and took him a little while, but then he was able to find the shot and make an impact. Do you look at a player like that as far as your own trajectory?
Alex Toohey
Yeah, I think he's a great story and obviously being a second round pick like myself and Will, I think, just shows that the Warriors value talent and if you're good enough to play, they'll find room for you. It's definitely exciting that if you're good enough, you're going to find a spot somewhere. So I think just the conversations with him, he's a great person and he's a chill guy. He knows what it's like, he knows the business now. Yeah, he's definitely giving me a lot of advice.
Q
Alex, I know that you're probably aware of this. The Warriors are in such a win-now mode that when they get to the draft, they tend to look for players who are not necessarily projects, maybe guys who could play right away. What is your thought on that? And to what level do you feel ready to contribute this year?
Alex Toohey
I think I'm definitely ready. It's obviously an adjustment from any league to the NBA. I mean, the athletes are better, the pace is faster, but I think the faster you can adapt to different situations and adapt to the daily routine and the offense, I think that's kind of stuff that sets players apart. And I think I'm one of those guys that can pick that stuff up pretty quickly. find ways to understand what certain players on the team like and how to get players in the right area. So I think just, yeah, being able to have that mental fortitude to kind of adapt and be ready in different situations and then Yeah, continuing to get in the gym and work on your shot every day and understanding that might not be that many minutes at the start, but if you're in the G League for a bit and you're showing what you can do down there and continue to just get better each day, they're going to appreciate that, and then eventually, if you're ready, you can help out.
Q
Yeah, you'll force your way up here if you play well enough in Santa Cruz. And I wonder. Being down in Australia, how much of the NBA growing up you watched and which team and which player did you gravitate toward?
Alex Toohey
The NBA when I was growing up, it was kinda hard. It wasn't really on TV in Australia and it was more just like YouTube highlights. So kinda like that Lob City Blake Griffin era. That was when I started to really get into it.
And then yeah, I mean like Steph Curry and the Warriors are such a big deal in Australia. So I like watching them and then Klay Thompson's one of those guys that I like to watch and obviously his shooting is incredible but his footwork and how he gets to a spot and then I mean defensively Draymond and how much he changes the defensive scheme of the team and he's always in the right areas telling guys where to be. Yeah, I think everyone always has a bit of information, and I can't wait to get around those guys and try and pick off as much as I can.
Q
… What did [Bogut] tell you about what you're about to experience?
Alex Toohey
He was super honest. He said they value smart players that can shoot, pass and dribble. So he thinks I'll fit in that area. And then it's just from there that the league is a different level of physicality. The pace is another level, but kind of the guys that can adapt to that and understand the flow and the cadence of the game are the guys that last a long time. So having pretty good conversations with him and He's pretty blunt in his texts about what he sees, so I definitely value that from him.
Q
Have you gotten some texts since you've been out here? Like has he given you some real-time feedback on your couple of games here in Vegas?
Alex Toohey
Yeah, definitely. And kind of asking him about the physicality and he's like, yeah, that's how it goes. The superstars will get their calls in the season. So you’ve got to expect nothing as a rookie coming in, and everything you get away with, you've got to take it.
Q
Alex, you said he's blunt. That means he's giving you some constructive criticism. I'd love to hear more about that. What does he see?
Alex Toohey
He just thinks I'm playing a bit timid right now, which is probably fair. I think just: trust myself a little bit more, find my ways and kind of let the game come to me. So yeah, he's definitely a big help. I also messaged Delly when I saw him and I said, hey man, give me some tips on guarding Steph. What do you got for me?
Q
Matthew Dellavedova. Does he actually still think that he's the Steph Stopper?
Alex Toohey
Delly's a great guy. I think he plays every game as it is, and he's still going down in the NBL. Yeah, he believes in himself and I think he's done some great things in his career and he's just appreciative of everything that's gone his way and he's kind of one of the hardest workers and Kind of like that TJ McConnell. He probably shouldn't be where he is, but he found a way and got it done. So definitely kind of epitomizes that Australian toughness and culture.
Q
Yeah, and we have a soft spot for him because Dellavadova went to St. Mary's, which is in the town where I actually live in the Bay Area. And so I wonder about you as a kid. Did you ever have any thoughts about American College? And did you get recruited by Randy Bennett to go to St. Mary's?
Alex Toohey
I did. I got recruited by Randy. But in the end I decided to commit to Gonzaga and then went back to the NBL and stayed in Australia and I loved my time there and I think it definitely prepared me. This last offseason I got all the Australians there [at St. Mary’s] I'm very close with. So last offseason I drove up from LA and saw them all and I was like, hey, can I watch a practice? I was like, oh Randy’s going to be so mad at me. But he was the nicest dude I've ever met, like, so genuine. And yeah, it just shows the character of him. And the Aussie pipeline they've had for ages is super cool. And I'm glad to be around them, and I'll definitely pop in.
Q
… The Summer League team. You want to be a team, right? But at the same time, you've got to kind of be out for yourself as well. Is that a little bit of a weird experience?
Alex Toohey
I don think so. I think the Warriors, they've done a great job of finding good guys and I think watching some teams play Summer League, it's just like it's an iso ball game where the stars just trying to get their own and I think they've done a good job of finding guys that play the right way, share the ball, and I think that's kind of the way the Warriors play. So and those guys are generally the guys you want to hang around and build connections with. And I feel like I've definitely done that with these guys so obviously end of the day everyone will split up and do their own thing but it's kind of those memories you'll you'll build forever and Like thinking of this, Joe Ingles played Summer League for the Warriors, so that's kind of random that some of these guys I'm sure will be having some great NBA careers eventually. So it's definitely cool and kind of build that connection now and then. Link up whenever we see each other again.
Q
…Most people know Andrew is part owner of a team for which you played over there in Australia. Does this go back maybe to even before the draft? Were there conversations maybe even between the Warriors and Bogut that you think led to them being interested in you?
Alex Toohey
Maybe not like off the bat. I think obviously you've got to be good enough to make it that level, but I think after that initial interest of this guy's a good player and kind of realizing that, oh, we've got some of them that we've had around and we enjoyed having around in Bogut and then they can reach out and be like, hey, what's he like off the court and how's he in training and that sort of thing. So I think that's probably the further connection where they probably found out a little bit more than the average scout's able to find out. So having that and then Luc Longley's another owner as well and Luke obviously played with Steve Kerr and very fond of each other and Luke's been a big help in this process as well. And yeah, he's been super supportive. Both those owners have been my whole journey.
Q
…When did it hit you that this dream might actually be realized?
Alex Toohey
Probably, I had a tournament over here in Atlanta with our NBA Academy team and kind of got a few offers out of that. That was kind of the start of, all right, like there's steps to getting where you want to get and it's making the high school varsity teams the biggest deal. And then you make that and it like, all right, I want to go play Division I College or play Pro and then Kind of looking at that, and when you're one step away in the NBL or in college, I think that's when you can kind of eye towards if I get through the NBA, what's it going to look like? What do I need to do to get there? What position would I be in? So I think The NBL definitely helped me prepare for that and then being in Australia and seeing Giddey and Dyson and kind of being with them before they are who they are and kind of seeing them when they're in high school and their habits, the things they do and they're being like, oh, I can I can probably do what Giddey does or I can take pieces of Dyson's defense and kind of apply that in my own way and then from there you just get confident and you get to not just watch NBA as a fan but kind of analyse it and realise that I can be in that position or this guy's probably in the wrong spot to get this catch and shoot shot so I think you just get confident in watching and playing, and then you kind of have that intrinsic confidence in yourself that you're ready.
Q
Alex, great stuff. All right, take us inside your trip and your experience. Have you had any sort of like star struck moments. Who have you run into across the league?
Alex Toohey
Pretty cool seeing Wemby walking around the hotel and Kawhi Leonard as well. Meeting Draymond was pretty cool as well and he's been around for a while and my brother played Division II basketball at Saginaw Valley State University so got to talk about that for a while.
But yeah, it's been cool and meeting all these guys and they're just humble people. They're superstars from afar, but when you meet them, they're just ordinary people too.
Q
What did Draymond say to you?
Alex Toohey
It was just a brief brief hello. He was taking off and we were coming in, but yeah, we'll have some good conversations.
In case it has not been posted yet - a real nice article by Scott Ostler in the chron on looney-kerr relation!
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https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/ostler/article/warriors-steve-kerr-addresses-kevon-looney-s-20772474.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x1lPGG9Y_c
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