SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 27: Golden State Warriors’ Kevon Looney (5) fights for a rebound towards Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Cities (32) within the first quarter on the Chase Middle in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
SAN FRANCISCO — Think about getting drafted to a group that’s contemporary off of an NBA title and as a substitute of going by means of the method of development, you’re thrown into the most popular of fires within the league.
This was Kevon Looney’s course in NBA 101. Contemporary out of UCLA and into high-pressure moments with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Inexperienced and Andre Iguodala with championship gold on the road.
“It was nerve-wracking,” Looney stated of his experiences as a rookie. “Coming in from faculty and getting drafted to a group that simply received a championship, and me coming off of accidents and looking for my manner within the NBA, it was a distinct expertise for me in studying the way to not solely play NBA basketball however championship basketball.”
Six years later, Looney finds himself holding down the NBA’s no.1 ranked protection within the absence of Inexperienced. Given his introduction to this league on the highest degree, and selecting up classes realized alongside the way in which, Looney is constructed for this second.
No Inexperienced. No drawback.
In Inexperienced’s absence, Looney has been on a rebounding tear the place he’s been having a number of video games within the month the place he’s recording double digits in rebounds. He’s averaged 10.7 boards over a 10-game span.
On Jan. 9, Looney snagged a season-high of 18 boards within the Warriors’ 96-82 win over Cleveland. He had a 13 level and 15 rebound double-double within the Warriors’ extra time loss towards the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 20.
Looney has been extra expressive and communicative than he’s ever been on the ground, and enjoying with extra confidence than he’s ever had. That confidence stems from expertise and the preparation of his recreation and his physique.
“Simply all these battles I’ve been by means of. All these completely different video games and high-pressure moments that’s ready me for this second,” he stated. “This summer time, I used to be in a position to get wholesome and get my physique proper. These experiences have actually ready me for this season.”
For Looney, his well being has been his wealth. In his first two years, he had surgical procedure on each of his hips- his proper in 2015 and left in 2016.
Along with his hip surgical procedure, he’s handled continual neuropathy, or nerve harm, that not solely affected his muscle tissues, but in addition his abdomen. Two years in the past, Looney gave up meat and gluten to enhance the neuropathy in his hip. As soon as he adopted the food plan, Looney turned to enhance his work on the courtroom.
“For me, it was primarily based on motion,” he stated. “I had two hip surgical procedures and a decrease ab harm and that’s huge elements of your physique that you have to play. We didn’t make the playoffs final yr and with COVID, I used to be in a position to give attention to my well being. Deal with my motion and give attention to feeling like a basketball participant once more. I used to be enjoying in the summertime as a substitute of rehabbing. I used to be in a position to give attention to my recreation greater than my physique.”
Whereas Looney’s rebounding as of late garnered essentially the most consideration, there have been moments the place he’s supplied extra for the group.
Looney’s vital and-one towards the Jazz helped seal the Warriors’ 94-92 win. Within the first recreation towards the Pacers on the street, Looney had the game-winning put-back.
He has been a chameleon when it comes to mixing and meshing with and adapting to regardless of the group wants at completely different occasions.
“I all the time took satisfaction in being a wise participant and a excessive IQ man, and been in a position to do no matter my group wants me to do. Rising up in faculty or highschool, if my group wanted me to attain, I’d try this. If my group want me to defend, I’d try this. If I must go rebound, I’ll go do that. It’s form of second nature to me to do these kind of issues. Some video games, coach challenges me to modify off of pick-and-rolls and guard guards and make stops that manner. Some video games, I've to play the largest bigs within the league and make defensive stops. No matter my coach asks me to do, I’m prepared to do it, and prepared to point out elements of my recreation I take satisfaction in.”
A type of issues that Looney and the Warriors can take satisfaction in is the truth that regardless of being undersized compared to different groups and Looney, at 6-foot-9, being undersized for a middle, they're holding their very own within the paint.
They’ve been maintaining tempo with some groups and even out-rebounding others. In Thursday evening’s recreation towards Minnesota, the Warriors outrebounded the Timberwolves 47-41 regardless of their measurement drawback.
They had been in a position to make key stops down the stretch and Looney and his physicality was the catalyst.
“For me, I’ve all the time took satisfaction in being a bodily participant and being a great rebounder. Coming into the NBA, and even my entire life, I used to be often called a thin man and other people all the time needed to be bodily with me and I took satisfaction in being bodily again. As I grew, I’d take satisfaction in pushing individuals for the rebound and setting screens. We've got that form of mindset of being bodily as a group this yr.”
Looney, at this second, has embodied the precept of energy in numbers and staying ready versus getting ready.
He’s ready for this since his draft day. Now, that preparation, these classes realized in these early seasons. The adversity-all of it's paying off.
What a growth it’s been.