Warriors-Blazers morning shootaround: Mannion said Jeremy Lin mentioned “coronavirus” slur after a G League game; Draymond scouted clips with Nico

Mulder proud to rep Canada on Rising Stars

Here are notes & quotes from Warriors morning shootaround before tonight’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Originally the plan was to have Jordan Poole and Nico Mannion, but Mychal Mulder was swapped in for Poole after Mulder got selected to the Rising Stars World team this morning.

This article is free and therefore extra notations that subscribers are used to have been redacted. Friendly reminder to check our YouTube channel for more coverage with visual appeal. Here’s the first video of Nico on Jeremy Lin and saying they’d first heard of the “coronavirus” racial slur in the locker room from Lin after one of the G League games:

MULDER:

- As it’s announced Poole has been replaced by Mannion for media availability, we are informed that both Poole and Mannion passed testing protocols (they had arrived in Portland yesterday, per our report yesterday from practice in LA).

- Rising Stars: “it’s an honor…been a crazy year for me to think about where I was…it gets me hyped…so much more room for growth…honor to represent where I’m from.”

- not playing though: “just to be mentioned and to be in that group that’s something special to me…watching Canada Basketball rise.”

 - family knows? “I just got the news on the court.”

- who wins? “I gotta take World…everybody back home is extremely proud of us.”

- 1on1 with Wiseman? “For sure but no post moves.”

- Canada spark in talent: “individual guys have helped grow the conversation…Wiggs and other guys go as high draft picks…big ups to those guys and all the guys who helped paved the way.”

- boost/growth: “just the long grind and the long path that I’ve been on personally…my growth has come from just being a professional…we have great leaders in our locker room.”

- Olympics? “Absolutely. That’s something that’s been on my mind…especially being from a border city…hope that call comes.”

- contract guaranteed: “survival dates…I’m just really focused on today and maximize…big for me and my family…but that’s not really the reason why I do this…I would pay them to play here.”

- another NBA team in Canada? “A lot of talent up there.”

- Poole/Nico: “I saw Nico when I was coming into the hotel last night…we’ve been missing them…really proud…handling their business like professionals…won 9 straight games.”

- Poole/Nico minutes: “great for development and confidence…coming out of Kentucky I didn’t have a lot of minutes…(skills vs game reps)…good for a guy’s confidence and a guys rhythm.”

- assessment of season: “time of growth…we have really good guys in the locker room…nobody’s individualized…still working on being able to put a little streak together for you guys.”

NICO:

- value of G League: “minutes…play freely…feel somewhat the NBA…make mistakes and learn from them…I was playing 30+ per game…first time playing big minutes since March of last year.”

- joining now: “when I got the call I was super super excited. I miss the vibe…really good group of guys, staff, players…being around guys like Draymond and Steph and Andrew and Kelly…now I’m kinda back to that role where I’m listening a lot more.”

- apply from GSW to G League: “small things…Draymond texted me a couple times…watched a couple games…clips of games…have your back.”

- surprised? “The plan was for me to stay the whole G League season…it’s good to come back early…it was a little bit of a surprise, a shock, I’m really happy to be back.”

- role? “Whatever’s asked of me is what I’ll do. I’m not expecting anything.”

- who called you? “Coach Kerr.”

- What did Kerr say? “Just to have me back for these two games…brutal back to back…we end in Phoenix which is home for me.”

- confidence? “I’m very confident right now…it’s hard to get in a rhythm and a flow (just practicing and work outs)…I’m more comfortable on the floor…feel like myself.”

- expectations? None.

- Jeremy Lin? “I was probably 11 or 12 years old when he had his little run…learn as much as I can from him…awesome…great dude…learned some good tips from him.”

- Lin called coronavirus: “takes a lot of courage to come out and say something like that…(wasn’t accusing anyone) more of just an awareness factor…the whole team had his back, we didn’t really have a whole conversation about it…in the Bubble it’s not like you have your family…it’s the whole team…had his back.”

- heard Lin coronavirus: “I didn’t witness it personally…I think Jeremy had said something about it after the game…coming up in the locker room after the game.”

- GSW plans: “it means a lot and I can tell they’re bought in with me…as a player your goal isn’t to go to the G League but they kinda pointed out it’s not a demotion…development….just get a feel again…shooting a text here and giving me calls…really positive experience…I feel a lot better now.”

- Poole: “he was just being himself…he has a bag offensively…a bigger guard, playing with him was super-fun…he’s a great player.”

/fin