GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 30, 2024

Kevon Looney

Media Conference

Q. I know you talked about maybe altering your game some, particularly on the offensive end. What do you think that actually looks like in a game potentially this year?

KEVON LOONEY: For me, being more aggressive, taking open shots. I'll probably in years past, I would turn down five before I took one. So being more aggressive, shooting more threes. More threes for me is actually shooting one a game, one or two. I'm going to start there and see how things go.

Q. I think you're almost never like actually out standing at the three-point line. That's almost a strategic thing. Do you think you'll be playing it out there at times?

KEVON LOONEY: I'm actually out there a lot. I'll be there at the top of the key and instead of looking at the rim, I would just go do a hand-off or something like that. Just looking at the rim more, being more aggressive.

Offense probably be a little different. We got some new coaches and they will probably implement some new things. Just seeing what we add to our offense and seeing where I can incorporate the stuff I worked on in the summer.

Q. Switching up your game, adding to your game, I should say, did that come directly from the coaching staff? Was it a collaborative thing? What made you really want to pivot in that direction?

KEVON LOONEY: Just seeing how the game is going, what our team needs. I know for the reasons -- we talked about a little bit, I know what kept me off the floor in big situations, and I want to make it -- take it to the point where my offense is the reason I can't be in the game.

So I want to try my best to try to be on the floor as much as possible. And be able to shoot the ball and be able to score is a big thing in the NBA. And if you can't play if you can't do that. I'm just trying to improve and extend my career as long as possible.

Q. Steve was saying the other day, doesn't know what the starting lineup is going to look like yet. You mentioned not being on the floor all the time. What conversations, if any, have you had with the coaching staff about what they want to see from you and what your role will be as you head into camp and the season?

KEVON LOONEY: Nothing, really. We haven't really talked about roles. We just compete in camp and I kind of know what they expect from me.

Things I worked on this summer I want to add but they expect for me to do the things I always been good at which is rebounding, defending at a high level and being vocal and different things like that. I'm going to continue to do that and try to incorporate the new things I added. But we haven't gone over roles and everything yet.

Q. What do you think is reasonable to expect from the young guys? Obviously Jonathan made a lot of progress last year and Brandin and TJD both had good rookie years. Moses is there. How much of a step can they take and how much do you guys need those four to leap forward?

KEVON LOONEY: The guy is the limit for those guys. They are young and talented and have proven they can play in this league and play winning basketball.

We are going to need them to reach our ultimate goal and take the next step and be really good and compete and contend. We need those guys to play a lot of minutes and play at a high level.

They put in the work this summer. They have been looking great. We have to put it together as a unit, and everybody has to play at their best for us to be a good team.

Q. Everybody knows about Steph playing Draymond over the years, but you became one of the leaders on this team, as well, with your tenure here. Curious how you think you guys can fill the leadership void that's left with Klay leaving the team?

KEVON LOONEY: It's not going to be easy. A guy like that, he's been here for long -- he was here for a long time. He helped build a special team and dynasty and his spirit is always going to be missed. But you know, he's going been a great mentor a lot of young guys. And he kind of showed us the Warrior way and how to play and how to carry yourself.

For me, Moses -- B.P., got to play with him, JK -- we all learn from him. So we all know it's not a one-person thing. Just got to carry -- and Steph and Draymond are already terrific leaders. Something you can't replace but I think we have the people and the character in the locker room to keep it moving forward.

Q. You said you had been playing with those guys, the young guys. Anything from one or two of them that you've seen that's different that they have added to their games that would allow them to take that step forward you talked about earlier?

KEVON LOONEY: From playing, I got to see Moses, play with him, just him scoring the ball, him being more confident about getting to his spots was really exciting to see and his level on the defensive end.

JK, just his poise, his patience, something I've been seeing in his development, and watching BP and Trayce during Summer League and seeing how they was able to control the game, win a lot, have a huge impact on both sides of the floor is going to be big for us.

Just watching them guys develop and grow and becoming more mature and have a better IQ on the court is very exciting to see.

Q. What exactly did you do the summer to work on that three? How many shots were you taking? Can we get the details?

KEVON LOONEY: I was down in UCLA working out with my guy, Jerred Cooke (phonetic). Shot a lot more threes, probably 400, 500 every day. In the past I would shoot some but that wasn't my focus. I would just do light spotting.

But after watching a lot of film and seeing where I potentially might get shots from, watching where Draymond might get a three from or last year watching where Dario might get a three, just watching all different spots and seeing how I would get there and really focusing in on those type of shots.

I'm still not going to be out there hunting threes. Like I'm not going to be out there like Klay or somebody. But when the time comes to stretch the floor to be able to make an open shot -- practicing getting threes out of rhythm. You know, I'm not just getting catch-and-shoot all the time. Learning how to do it off pick-and-pop, doing it off ball reversal, doing it when a guy is not holding you, you (indiscernible) their shots, just learning how to get in the flow. And I played a lot of five-on-five, so just doing it out there as well.

Q. Is it technique or --

KEVON LOONEY: I wouldn't say so much technique. I always just had a good foundation for the three. Just more a mental thing of actually shooting it.

You always can improve on your technique and on my base and my form and small things like that. But for me it's just about shooting it and shooting with confidence.

Q. Shot the three a little bit at UCLA when you were playing?

KEVON LOONEY: I shot 40 percent. I shot everything good at UCLA. But that was a long time ago.

Q. What was it like watching Steph in the Olympics do what he did? You've seen it obviously up close but to see him do it on that stage. And also to see him sign the one-year extension to the team for another year?

KEVON LOONEY: It was exciting, especially with no basketball on but that, that's the best time to watch. And for him to put on a show on the biggest stage when the pressure is on is what I expect from him.

It's always fun to see. It's always fun to see how he could top himself and how he can outdo what he done before, and he always finds a way to put on a new show. That was fun to see.

And for him to sign an extension, that's great for our team, great for the Bay Area and great for this organization. He's been a pillar of the community and a pillar of the NBA for a long time. And we want him to play here and in the NBA as long as possible.

Q. Steve is really pumping up the idea that it's a camp competition with starting spots open everywhere. You've always been in a competition in a sense. But do you feel this camp there is more team-wide minutes available, starting spots?

KEVON LOONEY: Definitely. It's a lot more uncertainty. When you lose a piece like Klay, and then you add a bunch of new faces, the team is in a different direction.

We've got a lot of young talent. We have a mix of veterans and young. So it's going to be fun. It's just basketball, and we all love to compete.

Training camp is always a competition, so it's going to be fun. For me, like it's always kind of the same. Always got to compete.

We always have a competition for the center position. It's nothing new for me. But it's going to be fun, and we've got a chance to be really good, and we're deep. That's a good problem to have.

Q. A little different camp, starting in Hawai'i this year. What are you hoping to get out of that experience, being with the guys away from here for a week or so?

KEVON LOONEY: Should be fun. My first time doing it, like to actually start training camp somewhere else. We've traveled after a week being in training camp. But to actually start somewhere else is going to be a lot of fun.

My first couple years, my agent kept saying, "I heard y'all going to Hawai'i." Like, five years in a row, we never went. For it to actually happen in year 10, it's going to be fun. And especially with new faces, we get a chance to bond and get to know each other better and spend a lot of quality time.

When you are at home you get stuck in your routine that you do at home. But when you're on the road, you get to really lock in and go out to dinner more and really hang out. And we are going to need that with all the new guys to build that new chemistry.

Q. 10-seed and 46 wins last year. What do you think is a realistic expectation for this group?

KEVON LOONEY: When you have Steph and Draymond winning, winning is what you want to happen. We've got the talent but we still have a lot to figure out, a lot to do. But to win a championship, we need to make the playoffs. We didn't make the playoffs last year. For me, start there. Making sure we make the playoffs and hopefully getting a home-court advantage and see what happens.

Q. Did you say tenth season?

KEVON LOONEY: This is my tenth year, yeah.

Q. Is that shocking to you?

KEVON LOONEY: Yeah, it's not shocking. I always have faith but might be shocking to go some people. But I feel like I put in the work to have a long year. I'm still only 28, so I feel like I got some time left. And hopefully I can play a long time, maybe not as long as like Steph or somebody but maybe like get to 14, 15, that would be awesome.