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GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCESeptember 26, 2016Draymond GreenOakland, California Q. How did you process all that happened this summer? What kind of changes did you make to get ready for the season? DRAYMOND GREEN: I mean overall, definitely a lot of things happened this summer. I take the good with the bad. You move on. From things that happened, whether it's good or bad, and I think I definitely have grown up a lot coming into the season. But obviously I need to work on my game and try to better the things I want to get better at. But overall I come into the season as a better man. And I think that's more important than anything. Q. Last season you came within an eyelash of being defensive player of the year, same the year before. Is that still a goal of yours? After that, you look at this team now adding Kevin, what do you expect, not for the team, but just for the way -- the chemistry on the court and off the court? DRAYMOND GREEN: I mean our chemistry off the court already has been great. A lot of guys have been back for a few weeks now. Obviously I spent a lot of time this summer with KD and Klay. One thing you can't do is you can't substitute and make up for time. It's just got to happen. So things will happen as we're together more, and I look forward to them happening. And as far as defensive player, it's always a goal, something I want to do. But it's definitely got to start with one. So you continue to push. Q. How was your experience down to Brazil? Beautiful area, and what was that like to experience that and know someone else is going through some more drama with the controversy? DRAYMOND GREEN: It was a great experience. I think it's a great country. Everybody has their shoulders, if you will. I enjoyed the time there. I got a chance to spend a little bit of time just with LB and a little bit of time with Andy. And those guys were so excited about things being in their home down, or their -- I think they did a great job with the Olympics, there was a lot of stuff that was portrayed negatively. But overall my experience was fantastic. My experience with the rest of the guys on the team with me was great. I think we had a very good team. We had a great attitude, we had chemistry and we did what we set out to do, which was win a gold medal. I got a chance to experience other events, which was fantastic. And that whole entire Olympic experience was great for me. Q. A year ago at this time you guys knew exactly who you were. What is it like to come to camp with obviously a lot of new faces and what is that like to have to start anew with so many different things? DRAYMOND GREEN: It will definitely be different. Obviously Kevin Durant was added and a lot of guys. This team with the exception of five or six guys this team is completely different than it was the last two years. I'm not so sure how good we would be coming into this season with the same exact teams. Because usually stuff starts gets to get old, starts to get boring. I'm looking forward to the challenge of growing with the guys, that are new here and continuing to grow with the guys that are still here. And it's going to take some time. Everybody is going to grow. And are you going to with 74 games? To be quite frank with you, I don't want to win 74 games or 75 games. It's brutal. Obviously our goal every year is to come out and get the No. 1 seed. And the most important goal is to win a Championship. I think there definitely may be bumps in the road, it's not going to be all great like a lot of people think it is. And some people think it isn't. I know it's going to take some time for us to adjust. I'm looking forward to that. A lot of people think if we even start 19-6, the world is coming to an end. And how we started last year, they think there was a problem because they lost more games than they did the first 25 games, and I've prepared myself for all that mentally, because I know it's coming. And I look forward to the challenge ahead of us and I look forward to trying to win a Championship. Q. You kind of mentioned this already, but how much of a challenge is there the fact that you got this close to the Championship, and you got Kevin Durant. How much did that change dynamic or change anything at all for you off season processing what happened? DRAYMOND GREEN: No, missed it by a hair. So by missing the playoffs you missed it. Obviously it's motivation to get back and try to close the deal this time. But that's the goal every year is to win the Championship. So regardless we did make the playoffs, and lost in Game 7 at the finals, you still -- it's still the goal to come in and win the Championship. And we're looking forward to that. Obviously Kevin Durant was great. He lends a lot of excitement to this team, and a lot of experience, a great, great résumé. We look forward to helping him continue it. I think it will be a fun year, as I said before, there are going to be some challenges and I look forward to those challenges. Q. Is the last season in the past, or do you want to hold on to it? Is what happened in the finals possible motivation, something you guys want to remember that pain going into this season? DRAYMOND GREEN: I mean I don't think that's a pain that we have to forget. We want to put it behind us, or you want to hold on to it to use it for motivation. That's a game you'll never forget for the rest of your life. Whether we use it for motivation or not, I mean in this organization we want to win, anyway. So we don't need any extra motivation, because we lost. I think -- if we would have won, the goal is the same coming into this year, try to win another Championship. So there wasn't any extra motivation needed or anything, I think it's all cliché, to be honest with you. Q. Why were you so focused on getting KD considering how good this team already was? DRAYMOND GREEN: I said before, we didn't get any better, we didn't get any worse. Our team did some great things, and possibly could have done more. I think when you add a player like Kevin Durant to the mix of something that was already pretty good, I think it's going to make us better. And now I say that knowing that everything isn't going to be great from day one. I don't expect it to be great. And I'd be very shocked if it was. But at the same time that's why we have a regular season. That's why we have a preseason. We continue to get better and to the playoffs. I'm looking forward to that. I think we had a great run. But this is the start of a new thing. But at the same time the goal remains the same. Q. There's been a lot of guys who have been asked about anthem protests, LeBron just gave a long talk on it. You guys are some of the most visible empowered young black men in the country as NBA players. Why do you think it is important for you guys to speak out on what you feel about what's going on nationally? A. I think it's important to speak out because you're human. A lot of times they should talk about this or shouldn't talk about this. Me personally I don't care what someone thinks I should or shouldn't do. I have the right to speak out or do whatever I choose, as well as other guys. The platform that we have, I think a lot of people say, oh, they shouldn't speak out because people are watching. And I think that's all personal preference. I think that a lot of changes need to be made. And it's not just the killing of black people. That's obviously rough and crazy to me. But it doesn't matter, I think everybody has been talking about the stuff that Colin started. I respect Colin for that because he took a stand, that he knew would probably create some controversy. And he didn't care. And I respect that because sometimes controversy is needed in order to get the point across. And I think he's gotten his point across. But my question is like what's next? Where people taking action, like now the conversation is started, he's done a great job, and everybody wants to criticize him or say he's disrespecting the flag or disrespecting the military. It's not about disrespect go none of that, he's trying to show the need for something that needs to be done. And of course if everyone wants to talk about Colin, and he's disrespecting America. No, we're going to talk about what he's doing and try to sweep what he's really talking about under the rug. I think it's quite ridiculous, to be quite frank. Am I going to kneel down and put my fist up, no I'm not. That's no disrespect to Colin or anybody else that's doing it. But they've gotten the point across. I don't think I need to come out and do a National Anthem protest. Because it's already started. There's already a conversation. But like I said, is there going to be something done about it? You can continue to do these things, but if nobody is trying to make the change, I think the No. 1 problem is because that means you're trying to focus on what he's doing, and not trying to focus on what he's doing about it. That's the problem we have as a whole, anyway. It's a very touchy subject, it's something that definitely needs to be done, and I think people are trying to take the right steps in doing that. I'm actually involved in a group which was created about a year and a half ago, pretty much to face these issues. And as far as the Miami Dolphins, I'm happy to support part of that. And we have some things that we're working on and I look forward being a part of it all. But I'm not going to come out and take a knee and say I'm protesting. I don't need to come out and say I'm protest go what I think is wrong. And that's what the protest is saying, I'm just saying it's messed up. And there needs to be some changes made. And until then we'll keep on that same point. Why this guy got killed, why that guy got killed. And somebody wants to criticize what Colin is doing, but they won't criticize what's going on. I think it's pretty ridiculous that someone can't come up with a solution or people can't be penalized for their actions. I've been penalized for my actions. And I'm okay with that. Other people are not being penalized for their actions. It's pretty ridiculous for me. Q. You talked a little about your experiences in Brazil. What about playing with Kevin down there, did you learn anything about him as a teammate? A. I obviously the more time you are around somebody the more time you grow and continue to grow. As far as having a leg up playing with him, it's a completely different dynamic, playing on team USA or playing with the Warriors, it's a completely different thing. It was great to spend time together. Not only with Kevin Durant, with Klay, it was great to spend time with everybody. As I said before, we were super tight. We talked in our group that it was a great group of guys. But coach did a great job of putting it together. And I'm still thankful to be a part of that. But as far as having a leg up I don't think that really does anything for us. Q. Obviously with Kevin Durant coming over here, kind of shifts the balance. When people talk about the two best teams, I know you want to respect your opponent. My question is, is this a full blown -- would you consider it a full blown rivalry right now that you guys have with the Cavaliers? DRAYMOND GREEN: I think when you're talking about I seven series and us winning a seven game series, and then winning, I think eventually it starts to become a rivalry. And the most important thing that makes a rivalry, is you have to have talent. And I think both teams have a lot of talent. Some times there's a little older, some times are a little younger, and some are right in their prime. And I think that's the true making of a rivalry. And obviously you have to win. Both sides got to win. Both sides have won. So, I think it's something that has definitely grown. But if you don't get to the Finals you can't have that rivalry, anyway. We have a lot of work to do to get back to that point. And I think that's the toughest thing about the next season, especially after winning the finals, is you go from this incredible high, to all of a sudden you're back at day 1 trying to get all the way back there again. It's tough. But at the same time I'm almost certain that it's a goal of theirs to get back to try to win a Championship. With that being said, there's a lot of great teams in this league. And they're not saying we're going to watch the Cavs and the Warriors in June. So every night it's a different challenge. And every night you're trying to get back there, and it won't be easy. There are a lot of good teams in the western conference. And in order to get back a lot of things have to go right. But it starts with tomorrow, starting to build from day 1. And we look forward to that process. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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