GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 30, 2024

Kyle Anderson

Media Conference

Q. Brandin mentioned in scrimmages your jump shot looks a little bit different. Could you explain some of the work you put in this off-season to maybe change your mechanics?

KYLE ANDERSON: Just like I actually had the time this summer to put the work in on it. As a professional athlete, whenever you're healthy in the summer, it's the best -- one of the best feelings in sports.

I just worked a lot around the rim, getting consistent with that, getting fluidity in that one motion, feeling comfortable with that a lot around the rim. It was super tedious, but like it started to pay off.

Then I got to 15 feet, working on that with the same mechanics, not losing my mechanics, and eventually we were able to work our way out to the 3-point line. Then it was just reps and reps and reps and just getting comfortable in my shot really. Then just putting the work in really, workouts, shooting while I'm tired, things like that.

I think I'm at a pretty good place with it ready to go into the season.

Q. What inspired you to retool it, to retool it now?

KYLE ANDERSON: I just -- like last season obviously, I shot the ball horrible, but the season before that, I shot 40 percent. I put a ton of work in to shoot the ball well that season. Not a lot of attempts, but I put the work in.

Last summer I just didn't have -- I wasn't healthy enough to work on my jump shot all season, so my mechanics were all messed up. There was a lot of stuff going on in my head. Like I said, being healthy enough to work on it this past summer is just that's going to help out my game a lot.

Yeah, I just had to get back to putting the work in really.

Q. What role do you see yourself as having? How do you see yourself fitting into this team and the way they play?

KYLE ANDERSON: I think just bringing to the table what I've done my whole career, being an unselfish player, being able to -- I think one of my best traits is being able to play with a lot of other good players. I'm going to be out there on the floor with a lot of guys who can score the ball. I'm going to facilitate, get them the ball. Then focus on playing hard, defending, rebounding, things like that.

That's some of the things, from the outside looking in, you see the Warriors do at a really high level, and I think I can help out with that.

Q. Last year you were on a team that was like double big, your frontcourt is huge. This frontcourt you're joining is kind of small or different. How do you view -- I guess what did you learn from playing with two bigs, and what do you think this experience will be like?

KYLE ANDERSON: Like you said, it's just two different things really. So like around the facility here, like Dray telling me, oh, no, you're a 5 now. You're not a guard no more. You're a center in this offense. It's going to be something I've got to get adjusted to, like not having Rudy out there, big cat out there with me, and just playing more small ball, I guess as you could say.

I think I'll be more comfortable more in that setting being a 4 or sometimes even playing at the 5 really.

Q. Your reputation is on the defense. What's your expectation of the team's defense?

KYLE ANDERSON: I think Golden State has always been a really good defensive team. So I think I'm going to fit right in with that really. I think something they do really well that I could do is switch 1 through 5. I kind of pride myself on being able to guard 1 through 5. So I think I'm going to be able to fit in with that. Not easy obviously, but it shouldn't take too long.

Q. I wonder what excites you the most about playing with Steph and Draymond specifically.

KYLE ANDERSON: What excites me the most is just the competitive spirit that they've always had. I've lost to them a bunch in the playoffs, and they're killers out there. They want to rip your heart out really. I really enjoy playing with guys like that.

You know, they've won a lot of championships. They've had a lot of success. They do things the right way, or at least that's what you see from the outside looking in. I'm interested to see how they go about things, how they prepare for games, how they handle losses, things like that.

It's very similar to like when I first came in the league and played with Timmy, Manu, and Tony really.

Q. Draymond said that you're very consistent, and GP2 said that you have a very high IQ. When you hear things like that, how does that make you feel? What do you feel is special about your game?

KYLE ANDERSON: Yeah, that's always good to hear compliments from your colleagues or guys who you respect their basketball approach and their basketball IQ, like Gary was a point guard in college, Draymond a point forward in college. Like I watched those guys from when they were damn near in high school. I like to think they know what they're talking about.

But as far as me, like I said before, I think my best trait is just being able -- in the NBA game, being able to play with other good players. I'm not a guy that's going I got to get my ten shots. I got to get this and that. If a guy's hot, I'm going to get him the ball. I'm willing to make the extra pass. Then if the game requires me to go score a few, I can do that as well.

I think that's really my best trait, just you see so many guys come into the league and they don't know how to play with other good players. I think that's what I'm really good at.

Q. Sounds like you've been part of these scrimmages the last few weeks. What's been kind of your early impressions? Is there anybody or anything that has stuck out to you?

KYLE ANDERSON: It's like two different things, being on the court with Steph, being on the court without Steph. This guy don't stop moving. When you're on the team with him, you know he might come out your side, you might have to be ready to screen your own man, or set a screen for him as opposed to when when he's not on the court, it's more like, okay, guys look to go score on their own. You know, regular NBA basketball.

Q. People kind of praise your basketball IQ and ability to play within a system like that, but even for you, how much of an adjustment do you think that will be learning? Like you said, it's almost a different type of sport.

KYLE ANDERSON: I think I'm going to be able to figure it out. I think I'm smart enough to play in any system really. I think I'm going to be able to figure it out.

I've got a really good feel for the game, so it shouldn't be too hard for me to figure it out on the offensive end.

Q. You talk about Steph and how he just doesn't stop moving. Is there anybody else like that in the league? If not, why don't more guys do that if it's so successful?

KYLE ANDERSON: I don't really think -- Buddy Hield is another one who's of that pedigree. I can't really think of anyone else though, really. It's tiring playing like that. Like you have to be in really good shape to be able to move that much, go on the defensive end, guard, and come back and be ready to move as much as he does on the offensive end again. So it's not easy to do.

Q. What's it like guarding that?

KYLE ANDERSON: Not fun. I've been on the other side a lot, and when he gets going, it's tough to stop. There's not much you can do.

Q. As someone who's been in the playoffs before, do you think this team not making the playoffs last year, that long off-season can be good for a team, you think?

KYLE ANDERSON: Yeah, in 2021, I think we came here and got the win in the Play-In game, and 2022 they come back and won a championship. So I think that long off-season, while teams are in the playoffs, guys get to workout and prepare for the next season, I think that definitely makes a difference for sure.

Q. You've played on some great defensive teams. Steve and Mike said they want to be a top 5, top 6 defensive team this year. What are some hallmarks of the great defensive teams you've played on?

KYLE ANDERSON: It requires everybody really. 1 through 15 has to be ready to guard every night. It's really a commitment you make in the beginning of the season, and you stand by it every game. It's something you've got to hang your hat on. You can't control shots not going in or maybe someone not making an extra pass. It is what it is.

But defense is something you can control every night, knowing personnel, knowing your assignments, knowing where you're supposed to be, things like that.

Q. That last topic, how helpful is Draymond in that respect, in terms of letting people know -- obviously you've not played with him yet, but you've seen him, what he does. What's special about him?

KYLE ANDERSON: You definitely see him in like a Kevin Garnett, Bill Russell role where he's always talking on defense, he's always pointing guys in the right direction. Tim Duncan was like that, and that was extremely helpful for everyone else. It's like a trickle down effect. It's contagious.

You get other guys talking, the other guys helping guys out. That's big time. That's a key to -- Rudy Gobert in the Minnesota situation last year, he's very similar in that way too. When you have someone like that, more than likely you're going to have a good defense.