Warriors practice: Wiseman in-depth, gets advice from Kyrie & Durant

Rooting for Gonzaga, tight with Jalen Suggs

Here are notes & quotes from Warriors practice, day before the Milwaukee Bucks, with Steve Kerr, Damion Lee, James Wiseman and Jordan Poole. The Zoom call actually started about 13 minutes earlier than scheduled, so I missed the first couple questions that had Stephen Curry as the topic, but I copied and pasted other reporters’ tweet content below and will have video of it later from elsewhere.

The first video we’ll have up on the YouTube channel is atop this article and clickable, about Wiseman getting advice from Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.

The next video after that is on the Warriors’ penchant for fouling and what is being done about it:

The third video is all about Wiseman, including from James himself:

[link to be pasted here later when uploaded]

KERR:

(Missed) - Wes: Steph Curry practiced today. Steve Kerr says it is trending in the direction of him playing and recovering. “He woke up feeling really good.” Slater: “Everything is trending in the right direction.” Sounds like the tailbone is improving. Expected to play tomorrow vs Bucks.

- Wiseman: “I don’t think there’s any surprise he’s up and down…moments he looks like a future superstar, there’s moments he looks like a rookie trying to figure things out.”

- mostly defensive? “I would say so…I thought the Toronto game was an outlier…just look game to game, you’ll see James…defensively…transition defense in particular…they’re just gonna have to come gradually…but he’s coming along.”

- Wiseman with protocols too: “This process has been so convoluted…what we’ve learned is we can’t rush it, we can’t force feed him…that’s really par for the course for players who have been in James’ shoes in the past…Kobe, Kevin Garnett…it was the same thing…Kobe…couple of airballed…don’t know that we could’ve said he’s going to be a Top Five player.”

- Bogut (on Oubre)? “I don’t have any comment on that. Bogues is a media mogul, I guess.”

DAMION:

- practice: “Energy was great, music was going…light day…get the blood flowing…COVID testing…guys are getting whatever they need.”

- discuss fouling today? “We talked about it, I’d say for 10-30 seconds. That’s a funny one though.”

- what will it take? “Just not doing it…smack the ball away…you get a little antsy…playing against a set defense, the beauty of how we plays…flow…looking to create.”

- trying new things with fouling, recurring? “I don’t know, it’s just a matter of not fouling…we know that it’s one thing that — umm, like I said, sometimes we get a little antsy…I don’t know if anyone yesterday gave any answers…echoing the same sentiments as those before me.”

- difficult to find that line between being aggressive and mental mistakes? “Great question, Kerith…you have to learn that through experience…the speed of the game has gotten so much faster…the gamesmanship…playing with your hands straight out…Andre Iguodala…time with the shot pocket…you have to sort of learn through experiences.”

- practice/Bucks: “settle into a nice routine, we’re home for eight days…get in there and get some shots up.”

- Damion help James? “I’ve said it on Twitter, I’ve said it beforehand, it’s just a matter of staying your course…find your way, everyone’s journey is different…know your why, know what your worth is…gonna be a tough battle for you night in and night out…keep working, what’s done in the dark will come into light…could be any rookie…new that’s coming into the league…staying that journey and never giving up.”

(Unsolicited): “Sometimes I have to remind myself that (with his career)…everybody got a story and as long as we can pay it forward…”

WISEMAN:

- bday in Miami: “I just had a great day. I had a lot of fun that day, most definitely.”

- happy won’t be referred to as teenager: “Yes, most definitely, finally.”

- advice? “Kyrie…in order to separate myself from my class I have to keep putting in the effort…more hours into my craft…I talk to KD every day…fit into the system here.”

- KD? “Been knowing KD since high school…We had an Overtime type video…We just sat down and watched film…how to get to the league.”

- role? “rebound, block shots and just run the floor…not trying to do too much…doing stuff that I know that I’m good at.”

- improve? “Being more aggressive, rolling to the basket faster…rebounding…running the floor…playing better defense.”

- specific on defense? “make sure I be there with the rotations…talk more but I’m being better on that…rim protector in terms of timing.”

- stretch run: “dealing with adversity…we have all the pieces to be great…we got a saying Just Us…keep working.”

- frustration? “We’re getting better as a team.”

- defense: “moving my feet…timing…meeting my person at the spot…just stay on my feet.”

- didn’t check back in vs ATL: “I was very surprised, I just knew I was kinda in the air…guess it was just coach’s game plan…I was confused, I can’t lie.”

- performance? “I did my job.”

- pressure? “I really don’t look at none of the negativity…big picture…keep working…mind you, I didn’t in college…I’m still behind the eight ball…getting better exponentially.”

- thick skin? “Right, I know that negativity sells…really don’t worry about that…I’ve been through a lot in my life…I know my weaknesses.”

- not do too much: “previous games…tendency to be too hard on myself…now I’m just really taking it possession by possession…next play mentality…having fun out there.”

- Kerr saying narrowing focus: “keeping it simple…it’s my first year so just working on stuff I know I can do better…not playing one on one too much…DHOs…be more vocal on both ends.”

- biggest challenge? “Going through bad games really made me stronger…stay middle ground…not be hard on myself.”

- trust of Kerr: “we watch a lot of film before and after the games…we just talk about life…chemistry as a team.”

- March Madness FOMO: “it’s crazy because I wanted to stay in Memphis…watched Anthony Davis…I’m most definitely watching that game tonight.”

- root for? “Gonzaga…Me and Jalen played for Team USA so that’s my guy for real.”

- improve? “Staying on the ground…just learning…going through my learning curve.”

- improve? “Poised…mature…sometimes I tend to rush still…way more vocal on the defensive end…was going so fast…making more calls on defense.”

- Specifics with Kerr film study: “When I get the ball in the post I don’t always have to do one on ones…guards split cuts.”

- Critiques vs compliments with Kerr: “continuity of going through my ups and down…true impact on the floor…more vocal…get way more dunks…great chemistry off the court with Steph.”

- Suggs? “USA U16…we had a squad it was stacked.”

- hardest? “Mental part…I’m super competitive…it’s going to happen to just stay strong…going against the best players in the world every night.”

- successful season? “Finish these last 22 games really strong…push for playoffs.”

- best game? “Blocking shots, rebounding, running the floor.”

- worst game? “I got a lot of them…Sacramento game and I say the Miami game…my third game vs Chicago…when I go back on the film…I’m way different.”

Ray says no shootaround tomorrow as this late practice was effectively that.

/end