The Golden State Warriors may not be as dominant as they were during their four-year championship run, but they are still around.
Following their 137-116 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, the Warriors are now 36-32 and in 10th place in the Western Conference, the final slot for the play-in tournament. They are four games behind the sixth-seeded Sacramento Kings, therefore they will most likely need to win a play-in game to make the playoffs.
Having said that, they are always a threat since they still have the core of their championship-winning team — Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and head coach Steve Kerr. Their overall record isn’t fantastic, but they’ve gone 18-11 (62%) since Draymond Green returned after his 12-game ban. Over the course of the season, the Warriors would now rank fifth in the Western Conference.
While Kevon Looney is not well-known among mainstream fans, he has been around for the majority of that time.
The 28-year-old Looney — who has been a part of three of Golden State’s championships and arrived in 2015, shortly after the dynasty began — explained why the enigmatic Green is such a difference-maker for a Warriors team that has often been dominated in the headlines by the Splash Brothers’ high-profile three-point shooting.
“We definitely missed Draymond,” Looney says in a one-on-one interview. “He is a defensive expert. He’s an excellent passer. He is one of our leaders. He plays with a lot of enthusiastic energy, which propels our squad, and when he wasn’t there, it was difficult. And since he’s returned, I believe we’ve turned a corner, and he’s been fantastic in the locker room.”
Green was initially suspended indefinitely by the NBA after hitting Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the head in December. Green’s suspension did not last long, as he returned after 12 games in January. Prior to Green’s return, the Warriors were just 18-21 (.462) and had gone 10-11 in games he missed over December and January.Looney claims he and the Warriors did not agree on Green’s punishment.
“He’s been an even better leader,” Looney adds about Green. “We all disagreed on the suspension. He’s been excellent since his return. He was amazing before he departed and was suspended. So it wasn’t like he needed to make any big changes. When he returned, he was still our commander. He will play a vital role down the stretch. We must have him on our side.
Looney, who was speaking on behalf of his collaboration with Invisalign, a business known for its clear aligners for teeth and an NFL sponsor, explained why he chose to work with them. Looney began treatment in September and claims it has been a simple process.
“I always like to smile,” Looney says. “However, everyone has insecurities regarding their teeth and smile. I’m always on television, and I’m always out in public taking photographs. I just wanted to be sure my grin was great. I still wanted to preserve my signature gap, and Invisalign enabled me to do it.”
Looney also mentioned that it has increased his confidence in showing off his smile.
“I’ve been feeling great about it,” Looney says.”Smile is getting better and I’m probably smiling more and I’m feeling more confident.”
While the Warriors are not used to winning play-in tournament games to advance to the playoffs (they did so once before, in 2021, when they fell to the Lakers), they have shown new energy on defense. The Warriors have a defensive rating of 113.9 in games with Green, which would rank 13th in the NBA, compared to a terrible 122.0 without him, which would rank dead last in the league.
“These last 15 games, we want to just keep establishing identity, being a great defensive team, getting out in transition, playing fast and free,” Looney said. “When we do that, we are difficult to beat. We need to achieve the highest possible seed and make the playoffs.”
Looney concedes that the Warriors have been vulnerable this season, but he believes that once they achieve their potential, they can beat any team in the league. It’s worth noting that they won their last championship just two years ago.
“We know we’re not the best team right now,” admits Looney. “We’ve been quite beatable. But we know that if we fulfill our potential, we can beat anyone in this league.
They’ve found fresh life not only with Green’s return to the court, but also with their new starting lineup, which includes Jonathan Kuminga and Brandon Podziemski. Thompson has been moved off the bench, while Looney has been reduced to a reserve duty.
Looney, who had been the team’s starting big man since the end of the 2020-21 season and had retained the position until the end of January, spoke openly about accepting his drop in playing time.
“It’s all about winning here,” Looney states. “Whatever helps us win.” Whatever coach Kerr believes will benefit our team, I am willing to go for it. I’m willing to embrace it and strive to be the greatest in my position. And if I am rotated again and he requires me to play a lot of minutes, I will be ready. It is not easy, but I continue to strive to excel in my profession.”
That selflessness is what has allowed Looney to carve out a long career with one team while averaging only 5.0 points per game and 10 three-pointers. The final year of Looney’s three-year, $22.5 million contract, which he signed in 2022, is only partially guaranteed at $3 million next season — it becomes fully guaranteed if the Warriors win the title or right before the start of the new league year in late June — which could imply he’s in his final season with the Warriors.
While he may not have complete control over his future, Looney — who has appeared in 512 games with the team, the 19th most in franchise history — would like to continue his career in Golden State. Udonis Haslem, a defensive-minded role player like Looney, spent 20 seasons with the Miami Heat before retiring last year.
“Definitely, that would be dope,” adds Looney. “You never know how long you’ll be on one squad; I’ve been here for nine years. But it’s beyond my control, and you should ready for whatever happens.”
