NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. WARRIORS

June 1, 2022

Andre Iguodala

Golden State Warriors

Media Day

Q. I'm just curious your take, talk about the culture of the Warriors. How would you describe the culture of the Warriors and how do you think it helped get through -- I know you weren't here the last two years, but help get back to where you guys are now?

ANDRE IGUODALA: I think it starts with, you know, your core, what they embody in terms of their personality, the work ethic, their values. You got Steph Curry, you got Draymond Green, and you got Klay Thompson. I think Andrew Wiggins hasn't been included into the fold as much as he should have, but I think that says a lot about him because that's who he is. He's a more reserved, quiet guy, so it doesn't bother him. I think he understands his importance.

Just those personalities can really build a culture. You start with Steph being the first one here. Everything he embodies with his values, who he is as a person, his work ethic. He kind of sets the tone for everyone else. We talked about over the last eight, nine years, however long it's been.

We've been able to bring in guys from all walks of life, whether it's been superstars or other guys that are reserve roles, guys that have had to change their roles throughout their career. They entered into the culture seamlessly, were no bumps in the road, and they really enjoy being a part of this.

Very welcoming culture. Very carefree. But when you see the work that's put in behind closed doors, you get the best of both worlds.

It's just a special place that Steph has built the foundation on.

Q. Two years ago when we left the bubble, I think there were seven Black coaches in the league. It's 15 right now, the most ever at one time. I wanted to ask you how important that is to you, how important that is to players, and what does that say, that a league that said representation matters seems to actually be following up on those words?

ANDRE IGUODALA: Yeah, well, I think you seen some success, as well. We haven't had those narratives that put us in a bad light. I've been through part of my career, which early on, you know, a lot of the former players who got opportunities, who are African American, if it didn't quite go their way, that narrative was really drawn out and it was really hard for them to get more than one opportunity. Their only opportunity was make or break.

You had to overachieve or you never got the opportunity again and no one really talked about that. Just kind of how the headlines looked, when you portray Black coaches historically hasn't been in a fair light, where the other side, you know, you had that term "the good ol' boys' club," where you're just recycling the names over and over again. The NCAA is essentially that right now.

I think Tyronn Lue has done an incredible job of kind of silencing those critics in terms of, you know, he's a very welcoming type of coach, players’ coach, but he knows his stuff, his X's and O's. He's probably one of the most feared coaches in the league in terms of when an opposing team goes up against them, their antenna goes up in terms of the scout. You rarely see that type of energy towards the opposing coach, we know we're in for a tough game because no matter who's playing for his team, they're going to be able to rise to the occasion and expose your weaknesses.

I think it got rid of can an ex-player succeed without having an analytical background. That's a whole other story in terms of what analytics is.

Q. I was wondering, to what extent do you think this current group has been able to mirror the strength-in-numbers identity from previous teams? What's jumped out to you with the successes and growing pains through that process?

ANDRE IGUODALA: I think Steve has always been a big proponent of giving guys opportunities to go out there and show their skill set, his background as a player coming off the bench. Coming off the bench can be difficult, especially with your confidence. This is a league, confidence can make or break actually you having a job or how long your playing career can be. I think he's understood that. He's given guys opportunities, given them a chance to really show what they can do.

Sometimes it works well for you, sometimes it works against you. Historically it's worked really well for him.

We've used pretty much everybody on our roster throughout the year in terms of giving them some good minutes. Obviously, injuries played a role in that. Everyone has had the opportunity.

You have Kuminga, who is coming in as a highly touted rookie, Moses Moody played in the background of that, just trying to figure out his career. Then you get a complete 360 in the last series where Moses Moody gave us some incredible minutes, played great. His demeanor, he's very stoic in the way he carries himself, not getting too high or getting too low, his attention to detail. Only being 19 years old, just turned 20 yesterday, the way he's been able to handle himself at such a young age has been incredible.

You just go down the line, Otto being big for us, Belly having his spurts throughout the year, Damion Lee, he feels that energy that people put around him. I think he's been able to prove himself as an NBA player, being able to contribute. He's given us some very solid Playoff minutes.

You just go down the line. Everybody's had the opportunity. You can go to Quinndary Weatherspoon, the energy and excitement he's given us in practice. Juan has been amazing for us on the scout team. He'll get in for 20 seconds in the Dallas series and he did exactly what we told him to do.

Now Steve is like, Okay, I have another guy I can trust, he's ready for the series. Just been able to go big, go small.

People always forget about Looney. They’re always, Oh, he had a great game, but this is the Loon we've seen since his rookie year.

It's kind of been a stable for Steve, being able to use different guys and play them to their strengths.

Q. How are you feeling and how optimistic are you about playing in this series?

ANDRE IGUODALA: You know, just trying to finish the season walking on two feet. If I do that, it's a successful season. You go back to my goals coming back, it's similar to my sentiments when I first signed with the team in 2013 or '14 -- '13. It was the same thing: get us back to where we're supposed to be.

We've gotten back here. A huge accomplishment. It doesn't stop here for either team. Just doing everything I need to do around the clock. It's been interesting year with my body, but been using my brain a lot and understanding that's a big part of -- knitting that fabric. The fabric is who we are and what we put on the floor. I know I play a big role in that.

Just understanding that you can have an impact in a myriad of different ways, just being ready in any way that I've been asked. If it's on the court, and hopefully it is, I just got to be ready and keep open for it, being optimistic with everything that's going on with the body.

Q. You were the old guy with three youngsters when you guys started out on the dynasty run. How do you see the three of them now that they're grown men? From your perspective, how has the journey changed for them?

ANDRE IGUODALA: Yeah, well, I think they've done an incredible job of all maximizing their careers. When you look back historically, everyone who's done it this long was expected to in terms of their talent level. All three of those guys weren't the top two, top five, top 10 ranked high school players. They weren't the top five picks in the Draft. They had to go to school for three, four years, which is unheard of in these teams.

For them to be able to stay at that level, like the highest of the highest level for this long, it's hard for them to understand the magnitude of it because of all the constant just darts being thrown their way, constantly being knocked down.

But that's the capitalistic mindset of everything that's around the game that has nothing to do with the game. You've got to take it all in stride, and I think they've done an incredible job of not letting it break them.

Most guys that aren't accustomed to that type of pressure and those types of expectations, it could break those guys that never had to go through it before they got here.

They got here and just took the NBA. Like they really put NBA in a choke hold. Nobody's really talking about that. It's an incredible thing that those three guys have been able to do.

Q. Andrew Wiggins has obviously had a great season. What do you think about how he's been playing this postseason, what he's been able to do? Some would say he proved some people wrong because of his reputation.

ANDRE IGUODALA: Wiggs has been one of those guys that has been the chosen one early on in his life. He's had to go through a lot. He's one of those guys I'm happiest for because people have always tried to paint the picture that he didn't pan out how they thought he would.

That's the other side of the sports aspect where other people's expectations can paint this interesting picture of a person. You know what I mean? We were just talking about it with the Black coaches.

He's done everything he's supposed to do in terms of a basketball player. He's reached the pinnacle. So anyone that's trying to have a knock on him, he's proved them all wrong. He's playing at a really high level. He's understanding the opportunity and he's making the most of it.

Draymond has said it many times: We never hold certain organizations accountable. I'm not talking about Minnesota per se, but certain environments really are detrimental for really great young talent. They may never cultivate that talent because of the situation they're in. It's always the kid's fault. Come out as a 19-, 20-year-old. I think he got traded on Draft Night, or got traded just before -- going through the madness of the NBA world before his career even started, it can weigh on you.

For him be able to be who he is, great individual, to get the opportunity to really showcase the skill sets. He's always had the respect with the players. I think he's starting to get the respect from others.

The good part about him is the respect from others doesn't matter for him and he just goes about his day.

Q. As a veteran and mentor that you are, what do you think Kuminga and Moody get out of this? It's rare that two lottery picks have made the Finals in their first year.

ANDRE IGUODALA: Well, we expect kids to just take the world when we say they're supposed to. You know what I mean? They're 19-year-old kids. Historically they aren't supposed to take on everything that comes with being in the Finals. They're supposed to be on college campuses learning about themselves, learning who they are as people, learning what they like, learning what they don't like, instead of these guys making five-plus million dollars a year, got all the pressures, the madness of having money and being in the spotlight. You can become jaded. You can start taking these things for granted.

It's not their fault. I'm guilty of it, just being in the Finals so many times where I feel nothing. I just know it's my job to go out and win. Really no joy in it, it's just going to work.

Trying to get them to understand you really want to soak up everything that is here, like take pictures. In some Finals I have went to, I have no memorabilia, I don't even remember it. I look back, I wish I would have did this, I wish I would have did that. So just giving them the feedback there.

They both work hard, both put in the work. Just making sure they enjoy the moment, understand this isn't really a given, and it's really, really hard to get here.