After a six-day trip to Japan as part of the NBA Japan Games 2022, which included two wins over the Washington Wizards, the Golden State Warriors took the court for the first day of Training Camp on Tuesday in San Francisco, fueled by Gatorade.
"We went super light today," Head Coach Steve Kerr said after practice. "It was mostly shooting and a little station work, just adding a little offensive stuff and a couple of defensive concepts that we wanted to review."
With the addition of rookies Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins and Lester Quiñones, along with younger players like Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman and Moses Moody, there has been more emphasis on players getting to learn the Warriors system.
"We have a lot more young guys in the building," Kevon Looney said. "You can just tell by the practices, it’s a lot more teaching, going over our offense a little bit more, a lot more details. Last year, we didn’t have to do that as much, we had a lot more veteran guys. Guys already knew the terminology and kind of already knew the concepts since they’ve been in the league so long.
"It’s a lot more teaching and different things like that. Just the energy in the gym is different. Guys are in there early, excited to be at practice. You got veterans and guys kind of just stroll in, but young guys are in there bright and early and bring that young energy into the gym. I think that’s something that we need."
The teaching has been not just beneficial to the younger guys, but also for the veterans to be able to teach it to them.
"It gives us a chance to learn our offense even more detailed because we get to teach it," Looney said. "It’s different when you just know and are out there doing it, it’s different when you have to sit down and teach somebody and tell them all the small details and tell them all the reads. You really get a grasp of it even better. So, I think that’s good for the veterans to keep them engaged. They have to do a lot more teaching, a lot more coaching the young guys."
Warriors Talk: Kevon Looney Recaps First Day of 2022 Training Camp - 10/4/22
The trip to Japan was an opportunity for the newer members of the team to get to know their teammates better and learning what traveling on an NBA schedule is like.
"On the road, you’re kind of forced to hangout and going to team dinners, getting to know guys, where they’re from, their backstories," Looney said. "Knowing what makes guys go, what ticks guys off, different things like that.
"On a long trip like that, we have a lot of hours on the plane, guys playing dominoes, playing cards, you get to know each other and build that bond. I think that’s important for when we have young guys who have never experienced the NBA to get a taste of what the NBA is like. And then, for Donte [DiVincenzo] and JaMychal [Green] coming in getting to know our system, know our culture and know how we operate."
DiVincenzo, who is about to start his fifth NBA season, recorded nine points and seven rebounds in his Warriors debut, playing 17 minutes in the Warriors' 96-87 win over the Wizards.
"I consider Donte to be, even though he is a pretty young guy, he is a vet," Kerr said on Tuesday. "He’s been on a championship team. He knows what he’s doing."
Warriors Talk: Steve Kerr Recaps First Day of 2022 Training Camp - 10/4/22
One player who was not with the team in Japan, but was with the team for Day 1 of Training Camp was guard Ty Jerome.
Jerome signed with the Dubs on Tuesday morning after playing the last two seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was traded from the Thunder to the Houston Rockets on Sept. 30 and was waived the following day.
Jerome, a first round pick in 2019, averaged 7.1 points per game in 48 appearances for the Thunder last season, also adding 2.3 assists and 1.6 rebounds per game.
"Any time you have an opportunity to be a part of something like this, you don’t really turn it down," Jerome said on signing with the Warriors. "It’s a great opportunity to learn, grow, get better. I was in a unique situation the past years in OKC where I was kinda like a vet in years two and three, which is still so young in my career, where I still want to learn so much more. To learn from these guys is an opportunity you don’t really say no to."
Warriors Talk: Ty Jerome Recaps First Day of 2022 Training Camp - 10/4/22
"It was a unique opportunity," Kerr said on the signing of Jerome. "He’s a big point guard. Legit 6’6. Really good passer. I think we were interested in a more pass-first point guard.
"Ty is a very intriguing player because of his size and his ability to see over the top of the defense, his pick-and-roll play. It’s a great opportunity for us to get a look at him and for him to play with our guys."
The Warriors will return to practice on Wednesday before scrimmaging on Thursday.
The team will then host three preseason games, beginning with the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 9, before facing the Portland Trail Blazers (Oct. 11, first 10,000 fans receive a Stephen Curry Mystery Bobblehead from the 2021-22 Championship season) and Denver Nuggets (Oct. 14) before the regular season opener at Chase Center on Oct. 18 against the Lakers, which will also mark Champions Ring Night, presented by Chase Freedom Unlimited. Tickets are available now for all 2022-23 Warriors home games.