Splash Brothers

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Changing the Game: Splash Brothers

Splash Brothers Family Basketball Clinic, presented by Kaiser Permanente

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Andy Fahey

Q: How did your game evolve from the Team USA experience?
A: Playing against the competition we had at training camp and just practicing against each other, I just felt like I got better and more confidence knowing if I can compete against the guys on Team USA, I can do it against anybody in the league. It was a fun experience every day; when we played five-on-five you couldn’t rest out there because there were nine other guys who were world class players on the court.

Q: We keep hearing that there’s more pressure on you this year, but it seems that you don’t care about any of that stuff.
A: Yeah, you’re right. If you’re in the NBA, there’s pressure on you wherever you go. And I mean, if there’s pressure on me I’ll embrace it and that’s what makes playing this game fun is the heightened stakes and intensity. I think there’s pressure on all of us, not only me, just because we’ve had success in the last two years as far as a taste of the playoffs and whatnot. We want to give this fan base more and give Oakland something to watch here in June. And like I said before, there’s pressure every time you step on this court and it’s just how you handle it. If you embrace it and you play as hard as you can, everything will take care of itself, that’s what I believe at least.

Q: Do you ever read any [media] about yourself?
A: I look at Twitter at night, and we’ve got good fans at Golden State. You know, in whatever you’re doing life is going to have harsh critics, but I try to look at the positive and try and look at our fans who give us support and watch every single game. We’ve got some of the best in the world, not just the NBA, in the world and you want to play for them. I really try to not read a lot though about myself just because the way I look at it, nothing really great can come from it. You either get too big-headed or too low on yourself, and it’s hard to stay level headed when you read a lot about yourself.

Q: Did playing for Team USA change the way you want to develop as a player? Is there anything you learned, saying “I want to be able to do that a couple years from now or be able to do that this season”?
A: Definitely, just the way I prepared for every game. With Team USA, it was such a great experience and it was different because we only played 10 games, but I played as hard as I could and I would never get tired because we only played 20-25 minutes max. What I’m taking away from Team USA is not even really much about basketball, it’s just what I learned from Coach K and the rest of the coaching staff on how to be a better team.  And, you know, how to develop chemistry amongst each other and be a man who will look you in the eye and tell the truth, and I really learned about that the most from being on Team USA.

Q: What did it do for your confidence level?
A: I feel great, I feel like I’m in great shape. It was so nice playing games and not having to work out on your own, playing against some of the best competition in the world every day. And it was fun to see another part of the world. I have all-time high confidence right now just because if I can do it with Team USA and be a key factor on a team with some of the best players in the world, I know I can be one of the go-to guys on this team if I just keep working.

Q: How about the changes to the back court, Barbosa and Livingston, what will they bring to the team? How does the team change?
A: I played against Leandro about a month ago now, and he looked as explosive as ever. He was tough to guard, running around, coming off screens, and he had some buckets on me. I endorsed him after playing against him, I was like “man, we should get this guy.” He’s going to be very explosive for us off the bench”. Same with Shaun, I can’t wait to play with him. He’s a two-way player, he’s a great post player and he’s a great facilitator. Any time you have a 6’7” long point guard who can do what he does, it’s a great asset. And to have B-Rush back, you know, he was so good for us my rookie year. He shot 46% from three, and we have another burner in the back court so that’s great. All of those guys will help us so much.

Q: This being your biggest offseason to date as a pro, is fatigue going to be a factor? Maybe not during the beginning of the season, but past the All-Star break and as the season goes on through the playoffs?
A: I don’t think so because over these last few years I’ve really learned not only how to pace yourself but how to take care of yourself. It’s more about preparing for the mental drive than the physical, and I’m only 24 years old so I’ll be good. During the season, we’re practicing six days a week and travelling a lot. It gets kind of routine and mundane, but you have to keep your mind fresh and of course keep your body healthy. You’ve got to prepare like you’re going to play at the gym, and that’s what I’m doing.

Q: It seems like you’re doing a good job with that pin-down pass off the screen, has that been a focus?
A: Yeah, I’m not worried about that because that’s my best pass. That pin-down, pocket-pass is one I’ve had since my rookie year. The pass that I’m going to have to make is like the one Steph’s so good at, drawing his defender away from the pick so well. That’ll come with my ballhandling and my passing off the pick-and-roll, but my pocket-pass has been there for me. My pick-and-roll game is what’s next.

Q: How do you set your individual goals?
A: I try to keep it simple, and that’s just play hard and be efficient. I feel like my efficiency was better last year, but I could have so much more room to grow. So, individually for me, it’s just to play both ends of the floor and play as hard as I can. If I can do that and have that mindset, I can be successful and I know I will be.

media-day-qa-klay-thompson

Media Day Q&A: Klay Thompson

Q: Given how long your summer was, do you plan to do anything different in training camp and throughout the preseason?
A: I have a pretty consistent approach about how I use training camp to get a rhythm, get your timing and get in shape. Obviously now this is my third time with a new coach and adjusting to a new style. Coach has been very open about us being open about how our bodies feel , if we need to tweak some things in training camp to make sure we’re fresh and ready for our first game. But for me, you never want to sit out drills or miss reps because you feel like you continue to get better and I’ll just have to play it by year. I expect to be a full participant in everything as I usually am.

Q: Head Coach Steve Kerr said that you’re a much better defensive player than you’re given credit for, and talked about giving you more responsibilities against tough opposing point guards. What do you think about that?
A: It’s nothing I shy away from. It’s nothing that I don’t want to do. I feel very confident in my ability to play defense and I’m kind of tired of hearing that question mark over my game. It’s something I do focus on and there might be situations where that’s more important in order for us to be successful than what I can do on the offensive end. Just got to be able to try to impact the game as best you can on both ends of the floor, and every player has to do that while they’re out there, myself included. I’m up for those challenges, those tasks of faster, quicker, explosive guards to be able to keep them in check and that’s something I’ve got to be ready for.

Q: What was Coach (Tom) Thibodeau’s assessment of your defense this summer with Team USA?
A: We didn’t talk much specifically, but as long as I stuck to the game plan of what we were trying to do as a team. I had to guard some pretty talented high-scoring two-guards overseas, and really for me that was more my focus than shooting the ball. Playing off the ball, you’re obviously in a different situation, so I focused a lot on defensive intensity and pressure, and I had fun doing it. I don’t know what his grade for me was, but I hope it was pretty high.

Q: Coach Kerr talked about the importance of building relationships with you guys this offseason. You guys played some golf together. What were those interactions like?
A: Casual, down-to-earth conversations about what he expects for our team this year, myself included. That’s one thing he really did well this summer, preparing for training camp, was trying to get as much face time as he could with each player – one getting to know him, and two setting the tone of what he expects of each of us going into training camp. I think he’s done a great job filling that gap as we’ve had a lot of time since he was hired till now, and it’s go-time to see what he’s like as a coach on the floor and get that experience.

Q: Did you see Klay’s game and confidence grow playing with him in Spain?
A: For sure. He just took another step in his progression as a player. When you’re put in a different situation like Team USA where he came off the bench and had to be instant offense and impact the game on the defensive end, it tells a lot about you how you handle that, and he handled it extremely well. Played his butt off the whole time, and I think he impressed a lot of people with just how composed he was and the way he was able to make plays and provide that impact we needed. I know that should translate to a lot of success this year as a Warrior.

Q: Klay said Leandro Barbosa looks as explosive as he’s ever been. Did you feel that way also?
A: Yeah, he was my matchup in the starting lineup (when USA played Brazil in a World Cup tune-up this summer). I had to guard him, and he’s going to be great for us, let’s put it that way.

Q: For an NBA player, is it more difficult to deal with a coaching transition, or a big personnel change?
A: That’s a great question. I don’t know if it’s clear cut, one way or another. For me, personnel changes are probably tougher to deal with because you have to really know each player. As a point guard, I have to know where they want the ball, I have to know where they’re comfortable…your chemistry has to be at a high level for you to be successful as a team. Coaching staff, everybody’s starting fresh, so we all can kind of learn together, but if you have a huge personnel change with the same system, everybody’s kind of playing catch up. It’s a little different.

Q: You were pretty vocal in keeping the team as-is. You haven’t had much continuity year-to-year since you’ve been here. Is that going to help more than people think?
A: For sure. When you have the same guys that have gone through the same experiences as you have, and as a group you can rely on those lessons you’ve learned and know, without really having to say it, what it takes to win 51 games and then have another gear to get through a playoff series, and obviously multiply that out every single round, that goes a long way for sure. We can kind of start ahead of the game going into training camp relying on our experiences from last year, so I’m excited that’s the situation.

Q: The addition of Shaun Livingston. Your thoughts?
A: Versatile guy that can play two positions. I can play with him. Me, him and Klay can play together…pick any combination. Obviously you want him healthy and hopefully he’s 100 percent before he comes back so that we have him for the full season. I know they signed him for a reason, that he can provide a lot, and a veteran guy that’s been around and been tested obviously in his career and has battled back, so obviously this is a guy with a lot of character to him, and I’m excited to play with him. I’ve heard a lot of great things about him from his former teammates and they all say great things about him, and that goes a long way.

Q: I heard you were the biggest prankster on the team. Is that true?
A: I might be top-three. I’m probably not the biggest though. David Lee is up there for sure. Bogut is probably the sneaky one though. He won’t draw any attention to it when he executes something, especially with the rookies. He’s always kind of the mastermind but then he’ll have his minions run out and do the job for him, knowing he can separate himself.

Splash Brothers

Changing the Game: Splash Brothers

Splash Brothers Family Basketball Clinic, presented by Kaiser Permanente

Media Day Q&A: Klay Thompson

Media Day Q&A: Stephen Curry