Warriors practice notes & quotes: Wiseman almost wore Gordon Hayward ANTA shoes!
Also second unit, upcoming tough games
Here are notes from Warriors practice, day before the Lakers. We were supposed to have Steve Kerr, Damion Lee and Kevon Looney, which prompted me to want to ask Looney about the recently announced James Wiseman shoe deal with ANTA, obviously the brand that both Looney and Klay Thompson endorse, but only Kerr and Lee were available. The Q&A started earlier than the scheduled 12p moon start, so I missed the first question(s) about the logistics of the schedule coming up with respect to the All-Star Game.
With Lee, I wasn’t even sure if he’s “allowed” to comment on another brand as he’s part of the Under Armour family, as I’m sure Stephen Curry is probably literally restricted from saying or referring to another brand in public, so I asked Lee for a quick reaction and he gave me an in-depth one which was cool. I should’ve followed up with if he saw that Wiseman was about to wear the Gordon Haywards but I guess that’s past my pay grade, oops! #brainfart
NOTE: This is a free version because it’s an off day with no hot topics. Some of the additional annotations that I provide for the subscription-only versions that subscribers know about are not in this one…
KERR
- ASG logistics protocol Steph questions, guys in LA already meet there
- recap; “we feel like we can be a team that puts together winning streaks…ball was moving like crazy…then the game got ragged”
- upcoming games: “continue to do the things that have put us in this position.”
- Wiseman development vs wins: “I’ve used the phrase thread the needle…get James out there as much as possible but make sure we’re winning games…playoff chances…those things don’t always go hand in hand…he’s 19…maybe take him out of the game…because he’s just a kid and he’s learning but he’s also incredibly talented…why you see us putting him out there with the second unit to increase his minutes.”
- tough games, break coming up: “they’re in the exact same boat, so every team has to deal with the layoff and the break…we have formed an identity so we’ll be in good shape…they need to recharge their batteries…it all evens out.”
- second unit: “before that we at least had a little bit of a rhythm…Eric’s downhill attacking game…more of a challenge to create an offensive rhythm…on the fly trying to put together a group…we have to show some patience…film study…change a piece or two.”
- season recap: “our continuity…Draymond missed the first few games…Andrew and Eric played together for 12 games…basketball is a game of continuity and familiarity.”
- OKC game rank? “One of the best games I’ve ever been involved with…seems like you get one or two games like that a year…wild…you recognize it while you’re in it…what made that one special was the finish, I’d never seen anyone hit a buzzer beater from that far out…we knew Steph so well at that time, even though we had a timeout…let’s just let him dribble up and shoot…other than Damian Lillard…but that’s who Steph is, we knew that.”
- crazy when you think about it, good shot? Draymond: Steph wyd? “I was, Luke Walton and I were on the sideline…during the timeout before the play, Luke and I discussed (not taking a timeout)…if there’s time enough for Steph to dribble let’s let him go…so lethal…judgment call…Steph Curry.”
- seen BHM video? No.
practice logistics: “Young guys gonna play 3-on-3”
- Wiseman Anta: “I signed a huge deal with Converse, $1k cash, $1500 gear from Converse it felt like I hit the lottery…back then more players had shoe deals…deals are concentrated more on the superstars…most of the players are getting gear and shoes…last night James before the game, Jacob Rubin, had a pair of Antas…Gordon Hayward (Rubin told him he can’t wear GH when playing against GH 😂)…changed to the Klay Thompson’s.”
DAMION
- video BHM: “mesmerized by it, shout out to our video team…last home game for Black History Month…the history of the organization, how strong our people are, how brave we are.”
- seeing all the moments, everything going black: “gave me chills…I actually took a seat on the court…every day I wake up I’m thankful to be a Black man in America.”
- momentum: “this is our first streak of any sort…going out there with some confidence…last game wasn’t our best game…taking the mistakes that we had and learning from them.”
- Biggest growth: “essentially at full strength…second unit it all starts on defense…getting stop and getting out and running.”
- OKC game (playing in college during)? “The wildest part of that shot…Bang Bang…they highlighted the NBA arc…oh wow he pulled it from basically halfcourt…around greatness…doesn’t mattter if he has a ten-minute workout…still amazes you…work is done in darkness.”
- huge game? “Any game was a great game to watch…between 2 and 4 in college on Saturdays…marquee matchup.”
- see game live? “No”
- “I was in college…one way in, one way out”
- Wiseman ANTA: “It’s dope…him speaking Mandarin…the expansion of his market grew ten fold and hundred fold…Klay James and Loon…”Big Jim”.”
/fin
Thanks PMC!!
Wiseman weaing GH's instead of Klay's?? What does Klay think?