NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: MAVERICKS VS. WARRIORS

May 26, 2022

Andrew Wiggins

Golden State Warriors

Game 5: Postgame

Warriors 120, Mavericks 110

Q. Andrew, what was hitting you when you realized you were going to the NBA Finals for the first time in your career?

ANDREW WIGGINS: I was just thankful to be in this position. This is an opportunity that players dream of, to be put in a position to win it all.

I'm thankful. We still got more work to do.

Q. You talked about when you came to the Warriors, you knew of them as being winners. After two hard seasons of not making it to the Playoffs, now going to the Finals, what do you make of that?

ANDREW WIGGINS: It's a beautiful story (smiling). A lot of ups and downs. We had some injuries, guys coming back. But we're jelling at the right time. Hopefully we can keep it going.

Q. What did you learn most from playing with Steph, Klay and Draymond?

ANDREW WIGGINS: Man, it's a lot from offensively to defensively. Just playing with them in this type of system, an amazing system that works. Everyone is in a great rhythm. Everyone is doing what they got to do. It's a winning system.

Q. When you first got here, I think it was a little unclear what your role would be. Personnel has changed. It seems like you're thriving now. How did that process work for you finding that role and thriving in it?

ANDREW WIGGINS: I'm just trying to win. That's the most important thing. If they need me to score, I'm going to score. Need me to defend, I'm going to defend. Rebound, rebound. Whatever it is to help this team win, that's what I'm going to do.

Q. For most of your time here, you were practicing, your team was practicing and for most of that time Klay was rehabbing or doing whatever. What were you able to feel for him as he's going through the process to get to this point?

ANDREW WIGGINS: Oh, man, it's wonderful to see him out here. He had a hard two years. But he stayed positive, stayed with it. Now he's shining on the brightest stage. So I'm happy for him.

Q. You obviously hadn't really come close to this stage in your career, then after several years you finally get here. Can you offer some perspective on what it seems like? This franchise has gone there six times in eight years. How much do you appreciate how hard that must be given how long it took you to get one?

ANDREW WIGGINS: That's why those guys are future Hall of Famers. They won at the biggest stages. They're consistent with it. They know what it takes and how to do it.

Being here, being around those guys, I've just learned a lot.

Q. You guys were really clear last series that you did not want to go back to Memphis for another game. Was that part of the theme going into this one? Was anybody saying anything like that?

ANDREW WIGGINS: I mean, you never want to hop on a long flight. Dallas is just a dangerous team. You don't want to play with them. Luka, he's special, the way he can control the game, find his teammates, score the ball. He puts a lot of pressure on you.

This is not a team you want to play around with. We just wanted to go in there and get the job done.