GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 27, 2021

Andrew Wiggins

Media Conference

Q. Andrew, do you anticipate being able to fully participate with practices on October 15 with your vaccination status?

ANDREW WIGGINS: I'm going to keep all that private right now.

Q. Is the prospect of not being able to play home games something that weighs heavy on you right now?

ANDREW WIGGINS: Anything that has to do with my status, vaccination, it's a private matter. So I'm going to keep it personal and private.

Q. What's the support like from your teammates like right now, whatever you're dealing with off the court? What kind of response have you gotten from them?

ANDREW WIGGINS: It's all love. It's all love and support. No negative energy.

Q. Are those kind of conversations a comfortable thing to talk about in the locker room after a workout, that kind of thing?

ANDREW WIGGINS: Yeah, yeah, my team, I love them. I would talk to them about anything. Don't really -- it don't matter. I know whatever I say to them is going to stay private. If they want to chat about it or anything, it wouldn't matter.

Q. Did you expect to be able to practice tomorrow, no issues in this first week or two?

ANDREW WIGGINS: I'm taking it day by day. I'm dealing with today, you know what I'm saying. Tomorrow will handle itself.

Q. Out of fairness, people believe you are not vaccinated but if you would like to set the record straight and tell us one way or another, I'm just giving you that opportunity.

ANDREW WIGGINS: It's all good. I'm just going to keep it private for now.

Q. You're a pretty low-key guy, and obviously this is becoming a bigger story around here. Is this unfortunately for you, just kind of what this has become?

ANDREW WIGGINS: It's not uncomfortable. I'm confident in my beliefs and what I think is right, what I think is wrong. I'm just going to keep doing what I believe. Whether it's one thing or another, just going to keep doing it.

Q. Is there a dialogue in the locker room with your teammates, are you explaining your decision or your choice with the vaccine or are they trying to convince you otherwise?

ANDREW WIGGINS: I'm going to keep that private. I'm not going to put, if they did or they didn't, I'm not going to put it out there like that. It's my team, so I'm going to keep it private.

Q. What are your thoughts on the young guys coming in, Moses and JK and those guys, what are you seeing from them so far?

ANDREW WIGGINS: They can play. They are good, young guys. I came in maybe about two weeks ago and I was practicing, but they are good players. They are ready for this league, and they work hard. They are great people, great kids.

Q. Certainly seen and heard a lot about how hard Klay has worked and I'm sure you've been around him some recently. How eager are you to see his comeback after so much and just to get your full squad back?

ANDREW WIGGINS: I'm excited. I'm excited. I know how hard he's worked to get back to the point that he's at now, and you know, the comeback story will be even better. It will be great. He knows I'm excited about that and I'm excited to have the full team back together.

Q. How have you tuned out the chatter and noise the past few days while preparing for the season?

ANDREW WIGGINS: I just focus on myself, man. Focus on myself and the team and basketball. I've always been good at blocking out the outside noise. I've got good family and good friends that keep my level-headed and focused, so that's what I do.

Q. Do you know what you want to do at this point? And you made a decision or are you figuring it out?

ANDREW WIGGINS: I'm keeping it all private right now. Taking it day by day.

Q. Have you been told you have to wear a mask around your teammates? We have all been told we have to wear masks while we're here.

ANDREW WIGGINS: I've been told of some, you know, rules, and stuff like that, so...

Q. Once Klay is back, what potential does this team have?

ANDREW WIGGINS: Great potential. Great. I feel like with everyone healthy, we're one of the best teams in the league.

Q. What was the biggest thing you worked on with your game? What were you focussing on this summer?

ANDREW WIGGINS: Just shooting. Ball handling. Making different reads and trying to play within this offense.

Q. You've been told of some rules; are you indeed wearing a mask around your teammates or when you're inside this building?

ANDREW WIGGINS: I'm just going to keep what I do private. You know, I'm sure whatever I do in this building is going to get out to you guys, anyway, so I'm sure you guys will figure it out or know about it within the next couple hours or tomorrow or something. So I'm just going to keep whatever I do private, even though it's probably going to come to light eventually.

Q. Karl-Anthony Towns has been outspoken about the way COVID has impacted his family. Is KAT a guy that you keep in touch with?

ANDREW WIGGINS: I talk to KAT every now and then. We're still cool.

Q. With all the talk, you've talked about how hard you've prepared for the season. How disappointing would it be to you if you're not allowed to play at least home games here?

ANDREW WIGGINS: Like I said, man, I'm not thinking that far ahead. I'm thinking day by day. Try to figure out what's best for me.

Q. It's a private issue, like you said. Last year when we asked you about it, you were a little more open and you said, if I get to a point to where I have to take the vaccine, I'll do it. Do you feel like you're in a position where you're going to have to make a choice and is that frustrating because I know you have your personal beliefs and I want to keep them personal but do you feel like your back is against the wall and you have to make a choice either way and that's frustrating?

ANDREW WIGGINS: Back is definitely against the wall. But just going to keep fighting for what I believe, whether it's one thing or another, get the vaccination or not get the vaccination, who knows, like I'm just going to keep fighting for what I believe and what I believe is right. What's right to one person isn't right to the other, you know, vice versa.

Q. You seem pretty convinced. What's the reason for not just explaining what you believe?

ANDREW WIGGINS: Because it's none of your business. That's what it comes down to, you know. I don't ask you about your beliefs. I don't ask you about what you guys think is right or wrong. We're different people.

It would be like parenting. You don't -- some people shed their beliefs onto their children; some people let their children grow up and believe what they want to believe. Who are you guys why I have explain what I believe, or you know, what's right or what's wrong in my mind? We are two totally different people. What you think is not what I think; what I think is not what you think.

Q. Andrew, we're trying to help you tell mass audiences why you apparently haven't done that, taken the vaccine. Does that make sense? We're trying to give you a voice here.

ANDREW WIGGINS: I'll say something when I'm ready. You know, the only thing the media has done is kind of make it bigger than it has to be. So like I said, I will say my side of everything when I'm ready. I don't work on y'all's time. I work on my time.

Q. In terms of bigger than it has to be, you stand to lose a lot of money.

ANDREW WIGGINS: And it's my problem, not yours.

Q. Okay. As you make decisions about your body, has some of the information that you've collected, has that come from Warriors' doctors?

ANDREW WIGGINS: It came from everybody. Everybody got something to say.

Q. Have you been in regular communication with the Players Association? Has there been any comment or guidance and can you characterize those conversations?

ANDREW WIGGINS: I have, but I'm going to keep all that other stuff private.