	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 22, 2017

Patrick McCaw

Oakland, California

Q. As a young player on a team of All-Stars and veterans, what do you feel you've learned last season to help you become a successful professional? And what do you want to build on this season in your game and also the way that you conduct yourself off the court?
PATRICK MCCAW: In the last season, I've been around such great players, the only thing I could do was learn. And I took in all the knowledge I could from all these great players the entire season, and just put little habits into my game and my lifestyle.

These guys have instilled a lot of knowledge in me in becoming a better basketball player and a better young man. And being 21, this is when you start to learn how to handle a lot of things off the court as well as on the court. So it was a great year last year just learning and getting better as a basketball player.

Q. For this season as well, what do you want to add?
PATRICK MCCAW: I feel like it will be, you know, similar. Year two, have a better understanding of the game and better feel of how to live on my own and handle business and do things like that. So coming in with the same mindset and just I'm a lot more comfortable now.

Q. You had a little bit of a star turn in the Finals there and a lot of talk about you in basketball, (indiscernible) circles in the offseason. What kind of advice have your teammates given you about handling a little bit of stardom and trying to grow that going forward?
PATRICK MCCAW: To be honest, I didn't know I had any stardom. So I kind of feel like I'm still the underdog. I feel like a rookie still. I feel like I still have a lot of things to prove. I really could care less who is talking about me or my projections and things like that. I just want to continue to keep getting better and learn from these guys and take advantage of the opportunity I've been given.

Q. How happy are you to have Andre back this year? And then also what advice, if any, have you given to Jordan Bell about approaching his rookie season?
PATRICK MCCAW: It's great to have Andre back. Not only as a teammate but as a big brother. He helps me out a lot, way beyond basketball, and it's great to have him in my corner just supporting me and believing in my talents and things I can do.

And it's always great, man, to have someone like that that's guiding me in the right direction, just for my career and for my future. So it's huge.

Q. How has life changed for you after winning an NBA championship in your rookie season? It's not a long list of players that have done that. So what's changed in your life since then?
PATRICK MCCAW: Since getting drafted and making it to the NBA, my whole life has changed drastically. People know who I am.

I'm handling money that, a lot of money I've never ever had in my life. So now I'm taking care of myself and learning how to manage time and things like that. But winning the NBA championship is unbelievable. To even believe that I was part of such a great team and a great championship run is kind of hard. I'm still living in the moment and relishing all the memories from last season, because I still can't believe I've made it this far. But it's crazy. A lot of people want autographs and pictures and things like that. My whole life has really changed.

Q. The Warriors have such a deep coaching staff, obviously Coach Kerr but then the assistants are such great coaches in their own right. Was there a particular assistant or assistants that you worked particularly closely with last season?
PATRICK MCCAW: Coach Willie Green. He worked me out each and every day. And he instilled a lot of knowledge in me as well. He helped me out throughout the entire season, just staying level headed, knowing my time will come, just continue to work hard and that hard work will pay off. That's probably the coach I have the closest relationship with.

Q. You made some real strides last year by the time the playoffs came around. You were really integrated into the team. Now there's new parts to the puzzle, new people being incorporated. Do you have any concerns that those gains you made you have to fight for again?
PATRICK MCCAW: No, it was great to add new players to the team. Those guys do what we as a Warriors organization love in players. And for me I've always had to show and prove that I deserve to play and that's never been a problem with me.

I'm just going to continue to do what I've been doing and that's working hard, continue to work on my game and getting better as a basketball player. I'm still young. I'm still learning. As long as I'm getting better, I think that's all that matters.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297