NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. WARRIORS

June 1, 2022

Damion Lee

Golden State Warriors

Media Day

Q. You have one more sleep until the NBA Finals. What does that feel like?

DAMION LEE: I mean, it's amazing. I was fortunate enough to be on the team last time it went to the Finals, in 2019, but I was on a two-way. I wasn't able to play then.

The emotion, physical, mental, spiritual emotion is a lot different now knowing that tomorrow I'll wake up, put on the jersey. I'll be ready to come out and compete.

Q. Can you visualize maybe lying awake at night just coming off screens, sticking shots, setting screens, just running through the plays that you run through all the practices?

DAMION LEE: Yeah, definitely. I mean, this is what you dream for when you're a little kid, the chance to play on the biggest stage, play in the best league in the world, play for a championship. Knowing that comes with a lot of hard work, a lot of trials and tribulations. Everyone has their own story that builds them up to this moment.

Just going out there and taking it day-by-day or game-by-game, just enjoying the moment, trying to stay present.

Q. Your journey here, the winding road you took, does it make you more ready for it or even more nerve-wracking because you made it?

DAMION LEE: I think it definitely makes me ready for it just mentally, knowing all this stuff. At the end of the day it's basketball, but it's basketball at the highest level, something I've been doing since I was a little kid.

Obviously there's greater stakes involved now, but I definitely feel ready. I know once the game starts, it will be like any other game. I'm going to get those butterflies. For me, whenever I get those butterflies, it means it's something that I care a lot about. Doesn't matter whether it's basketball, if it's family, anything involved. Whenever I get those butterflies, I know what that feeling is. That means I really care about it.

Q. Can you talk about the significance of getting Gary Payton and Otto Porter back at some point in this series?

DAMION LEE: It will be huge. I feel like out of the 82 games plus Playoffs, only had our full team maybe three teams max, maybe five.

It will be good. Whenever those guys are ready, there's no rush. Whenever those guys are ready, we know what they're going to bring night in and night out.

It will be great to have everyone back and everyone ready to go.