GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 25, 2022

James Wiseman

Media Conference

Q. James, you get to have a training camp. How does it feel to be able to do that?

JAMES WISEMAN: Man, I'm just blessed to be out there just playing, like, just playing, like, man. Like it's been such a hard process for me, like, coming into the league, but just me just having that resilience of just keeping God first, I was able to keep pushing and keep getting better.

Now that I'm here I'm just grateful to be back on the court again. Just getting better.

Q. We've heard you've been in basically daily over the last few weeks or month scrimmaging. How are you feeling as a player right now?

JAMES WISEMAN: I feel like the NBA is all about reading the game, but I feel like it's all about reps, too. Like anything you play, in any professional field, whether you're a journalist or just anything, just like having that repetition and that consistency every day is what creates that confidence to keep going.

So really just putting in the reps and just getting better each day is really improving my game.

This summer, I have not missed one pickup or nothing. I played every game. Like that just shows I'm in a great state of like in terms of, like, my health.

Q. How does the dynamic change between you and Kevon, doing drills yesterday in practice, and being able to learn hands on?

JAMES WISEMAN: The dynamic with both of us, it's great. He's able to teach me a lot of stuff, and I'll be able to learn. He's been in the system for like six, seven years. I'm just trying to learn and get as much questions in as possible so I can become better and become a better player.

Q. Your rookie year, you were thrown into the fire, and circumstances with the team were different. But then you look at last season, the way they managed Jonathan and Moses, probably going to be more of how you are managed. Do you like that, maybe not necessarily being thrown out there and having some trial, some error, someone to learn from, like Kevon, instead of just go for it and do whatever?

JAMES WISEMAN: To be honest, I feel like this summer was really great for me because I was able to get the reps in and get adjusted to everything. Me coming to training camp, the NBA speed is different, but it's hard because I've been playing this whole time. It's been fun and I've been having fun just being back out on the court and stuff, yeah.

Q. Can you take us through your summer?

JAMES WISEMAN: I was in San Fran this whole time. They gave us two weeks off or probably like one week off. I did go to Hermosa (Beach) and I was down there chilling, riding my bike and chilling with my friends and stuff, which was a great time for me. I've just been in the lab just been working every day. Just been trying to get better and trying to get back on the team and get adjusted to everything.

Q. You mentioned how difficult the first few years of your NBA have been, the last few years have been difficult for everybody. How have you taken care of your mental health during that time, and who have you leaned on to get you through that process?

JAMES WISEMAN: Really, just to be vulnerable for a second, I did go to rehab a lot, especially -- well, not rehab but therapy. I did go to therapy a lot to express my thoughts and feelings and how I felt because it was a hard time for me, especially going through that injury because I love basketball so much. I just want to be out there with my team.

When I wasn't out there, it was very hard for me, but I just pushed through. I got that resilience just to keep going. It's in my DNA, and I'm not going to ever gave up no matter how hard the situation is.

I mean, as long as I'm out there playing with my teammates and playing the game, like I'm just being grateful and having that gratitude type of mentality and having really that growth mentality just to keep going.

Q. Can you talk about the pickup games? Is it going with the flow, or do you go into each one with a specific goal?

JAMES WISEMAN: Great question. Really just a different goal. Just to really set hard screens. Probably work through the system, in terms of working on my DHOs and different stuff like that, like executing plays.

I'm really working on small stuff that's going to translate to the NBA that's going to translate to playing with the real guys.

Yeah, I feel like I'm ready, and I feel like everything that I have been doing so far is preparing me for what's to come. So, yes, sir.

Q. I know it's really early, but how is the mix of that second unit coming together, and what do you like about what that group could be?

JAMES WISEMAN: It's a young group and we are still learning together. We are still learning and still trying to get adjusted to the system. It's going to take a while, of course, because the young players are coming in trying to figure it out. It's going to get better throughout the year. Just got to have patience and time with it. That's really it.