Green stayed home for the last week to help cool down and mitigate the wounds caused by his controversial squabble with Poole. Since then, Coach Steve Kerr announced that the Warriors fined Green and decided not to suspend the four-time champion. Kerr put an exclamation point on the incident by calling it “the biggest crisis that we’ve ever had.”

“We had the conversations about what we need to do moving forward, and we’re going to do that,” Green said per ESPN. “We are not going to continue to hold on to the past.”

Swoosh@Oracle || Game Ready pic.twitter.com/wzOQcZBAqu

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 13, 2022

Before Green came back, the Dubs had meetings with the front office, coaching staff, and prominent players like Poole, Looney, Stephen Curry, and Andre Iguodala. Once players, specifically Poole, gave the thumbs up, the Warriors decided it was time to bring Green back.

Green is set to play in Golden States’ final preseason game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday. He will also be available when the Warriors have presented their rings ahead of their opening night contest against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

GAME DAY pic.twitter.com/Mi74ILE99s

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 14, 2022

Green didn’t tell reporters what he was up to during his self-imposed break from the team, but he did say he was in a better mental state on Thursday than when he left. According to Green, Kerr, and Kevon Looney, Thursday’s practice was business as usual, and there was no on-court awkwardness between anyone.

Despite the public backing from Kerr and his teammates, Green admitted there would be lingering feelings about his quarrel with Poole. Kerr touched on the moment on Wednesday when he said that the Warriors’ “culture had been damaged by the incident. You have to work to repair that.” Kerr added that Green broke the team’s trust but also said that Green deserves the benefit of the doubt due to the relationship they’ve built since 2015.

“It’s about making sure our team camaraderie is right,” Green said. “You can tell when you’re playing against a team, and they have good camaraderie — if not, they can be broken easy — if you have that, you can build through anything. [Our camaraderie doesn’t] get very shaken.”

Although Green acknowledged that he had some work to do when he stepped away from the team, Green seemingly had some contention with the notion that he had to rebuild trust with his teammates. The Warriors have been victorious because of the trust the Warriors’ “foundational six” has built over the last eight seasons. Not to mention their desire to win and knowing what it takes to win.

Green will use that mindset to navigate his relationship with Poole for the foreseeable future.

“Jordan is a professional, and I am a professional. We have a job to do — we’re going to do just that,” Green said. “[As far as a personal relationship], I’m not sure. That’s not up to me, nor do I think there is much relevance. We’re paid to do a job, and we are going to do that job to the best of our abilities.”

The post Draymond Green: Warriors Won’t ‘Continue to Hold On to the Past’ appeared first on SLAM.

The eighth-year head coach identified Kevon Looney, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green as the Warriors’ “foundational six,” with the latter three serving as the team’s established core.

Kerr believes Golden State’s core is among the best in the League, especially after adding the younger trio of Looney, Wiggins, and Poole to the mix.

“We have probably more continuity than anybody in the League with our core group,” Kerr said. “Add Wiggs and Jordan and the institutional knowledge they’ve gained, and we have a really strong foundation. That’s the most important thing you can have in this League.

“We had it going into last year. But the difference was, a year ago, we didn’t know if we were really contenders. That’s why the 18-2 start was so big. It reinforced it. This year, being defending champs, it doesn’t guarantee anything, but you have a confident sense in who you are. We have our main six guys back, the foundational six that we know are going to be on the court for big minutes every night. That allows us to bring our young guys along.”

The Dubs’ roster also features future stars such as Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and James Wiseman, all of whom Kerr claims “have shown really good signs.” Moody and Kuminga saw action in the playoffs during the Warriors’ Finals run last season (and also impressed in the most recent NBA Summer League), while Wiseman was sidelined due to injury.

The Warriors will have a lot to prove as they focus on their win-and-develop mindset. Their future success will be predicated on their young core of Moody, Kuminga, Wiseman, Poole, and Wiggins being able to successfully takeover once Golden State’s “foundational six” leave the Warriors.

Next season will be a different journey after the Warriors’ lottery-bound seasons but coming off a championship brings a different level of confidence. Furthermore, being able to get substantial contributions from Moody, Kuminga, and Wiseman on top of his “foundational six” next season, the future could hold another championship for Golden State.

“I don’t know that it’s a bigger challenge because last year felt like a huge challenge going in,” Kerr said. “Last year felt more daunting because we’d had two lousy seasons in a row. This year feels different because we’re the defending champs. It feels like we’ve got our groove back. We’ll have Klay back for a full season. Our foundation in place. While we’re absolutely going to play a lot of young guys, we kind of have a core six, a foundational six players who are really the ones that make everything happen and will allow us to bring the young guys along.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Steve Kerr on the ‘Strong Foundation’ the Warriors Have Built appeared first on SLAM.

At this point in the season, with everything on the line, that’s what basketball and team sports are really all about. Who has the mental toughness, health, and confidence to drag their teammates across the finish line to win a championship?

The Warriors’ Kevon Looney says these Finals against Celtics nearing rivarly mode of old Cavs series. Whoa whoa whoa…could that be true? ⁦@TheAthleticNBA⁩ https://t.co/yO6GP7nGYd

— Joe Vardon (@joevardon) June 10, 2022

In Kevon Looney’s opinion, the intensity of this Finals series between Boston and Golden State is what births excellent rivalries.

“That’s what makes it fun, makes it special,” Looney said Thursday per The Athletic. “That is what builds rivalries.”

To hear Looney, who has played all seven of his season with the Warriors, compare the Warriors-Celtics series to some of Golden State’s previous battles, like their battles with Cleveland, is fascinating.

The Cavs and Warriors played against each other in four consecutive Finals series and three straight times on Christmas days. Playing that often on the big stage is sure to garner some bitterness and helps build tension that could match the legendary Lakers-Celtics matchup or the mutual hatred Chicago and the Bad Boy Pistons have for each other.

“It’s right up there,” Looney said. “I’ve been here for a long time with the Warriors. We’ve played Houston a lot of times that got chippy. Playing Cleveland every year in the finals, it was real intense.”

The intensity and physicality of the Finals thus far seem to stem from the antics of Draymond Green. The 2016 Defensive Player of the Year has already drawn a tech after mixing it up with Grant Williams in Game 2. In some eyes, he was dangerously close to getting another after a dust-up later with Jaylen Brown in the first half of the same game.

Green embraced being the bully that game and his reputation as the hard-charging do-everything enforcer of the Warriors precedes him. However, Boston responded in Game 3 and bullied the bully. Boston punched Golden State often and early, dominating the inside as they put Green and Stephen Curry in foul trouble, preventing them from keeping or even establishing their rhythm early.

To top it all off, when Green fouled out after pushing Marcus Smart off Curry, who looked to have tweaked his regular-season ending sprained foot during a late scramble for a loose ball, the Celtics faithful rained down thunderous “F— you, Draymond” chants on the emotional leader of the Warriors.

Boston fan or not, though, Green is doing everything NBA fans are used to seeing him do in the Finals. The reactions from both sides are interesting to see; Green’s wife taking issue isn’t surprising, especially when you have your kids with you. But Klay Thompson calling out Boston for being “classy” is even more interesting.

After playing at least a decade in the NBA, Green and Thompson came up together in the League and have surely heard worse. At this point, Finals vets like Green and Thompson know that playing at the championship stage draws a little something more out of not just your opponent but their fans too.

“Not the worst things I’ve heard,” Williams said.

“Some of those chants, you just accept,” Williams said. “Some people respond to them well; some embrace them. Others, they shy away from them — Especially if you’re on the road, like, you’re going to get that no matter where you go. You walk down the street; you’re going to get something like that.

“For me, it’s like, you got to accept it.”

This year’s Finals do indeed have an edge to them. When it comes to team x and team y having a grudge with one another, it’s more likely you see the upstart Grizzlies and veteran Warriors developing a rivalry than Golden State and Boston. Memphis and Golden State have faced off in the playoffs in consecutive years, with both sides playing increasingly physical with each other.

Warriors fans and players have a grudge against Dillon Brooks; Memphis will remember Curry’s “Whoop that Trick” retort and Green’s hard fouls too.

The closest thing that the Warriors-Celtics series has to that is whatever is brewing between Green and Williams. The two have had to be separated a few times this series for getting tangled up and talking at each other. The intensity between the two seems to be fueled by Williams’ comments saying he used to admire Green while playing college ball at Tennessee.

During Game 2, Green could be heard telling Williams, “You’re not me; you want to be me.”

“When a guy comes and starts … when you say that and then you start talking junk to me, then yes, I’m going to say something about that,” Green said. “I didn’t say anything about that in Game 1 because he wasn’t talking to me. I’m not going to go watch his press conference where he gives me props, where he appreciates my game, and then go throw it in his face.

“Once he starts going at me, and it got chippy, and he’s yap, yap, yap — all right, bro, you can’t say that and then come and say this.”

With Friday’s Game 4 approaching, according to Looney, Draymond Green hasn’t allowed his teammates to be friendly with the Celtics.

“He makes sure that there ain’t no friends on the court,” Looney said. “Ain’t no helping nobody up, none of that extra stuff. We follow his lead in that regard. It’s been like that since I’ve been here.”

Down 2-1, they can’t afford to be friendly with their opponents, it’s do-or-die time, and the Warriors can’t afford to lose with the series shifting back to San Francisco for Game 5. Green will have to respond and play with an intensity similar to Game 2 and set the tone early in Game 4. Warriors fans have to hope that Curry stays off his left foot and treats it around the clock and that Thompson can record a second consecutive notable performance as the Robin to Curry’s Batman.

The post Kevon Looney On Scrappy NBA Finals: ‘That Is What Builds Rivalries’ appeared first on SLAM.

Looney has missed a total of 16 games so far with a lingering right hamstring issue caused by a neuropathic condition. According to Ryan Gorcey of the San Francisco Examiner, it has presented in the form of aches and soreness over the course of the past two seasons.

The narrative leading up to the season opener was that Looney was struggling with a tweaked hamstring and now it seems evident that this underlying neuropathic condition was at the root of the pain.

Looney did play in 80 regular season games for the Warriors in 2018-19 but struggled with injuries during the team’s run to the 2019 NBA Finals.

The return of Looney will be a welcome one for the beleaguered franchise as he represents one of few familiar faces from last year’s squad. Dubs fans have watched Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and even D’Angelo Russell all miss time with their own setbacks.

Looney averaged 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season and could be in line for a larger role as the 3-14 Warriors look to navigate what’s already become a difficult campaign.

The post Kevon Looney Nears Return From Neuropathic Setback appeared first on SLAM.

The team met with Looney over the weekend in Los Angeles to pitch him on a return to the defending Western Conference champions. The Rockets were among the teams looking to pry the big man from Northern California.

Outside of losing Kevin Durant, Golden State is having an impressive offseason. The franchise was able to able to turn Durant’s departure (along with a protected first-round pick) into D’Angelo Russell via a sign-and-trade with the Nets. The Warriors were also able to secure a five-year deal with Klay Thompson.

The post Kevon Looney To Re-Sign With The Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

Here’s a quick rundown of which notable Warriors players could potentially be free agents when the calendar flips to July in a few weeks and what that might entail for the team and the players.

Related: Previewing the Toronto Raptors potential free agents

Jordan Bell, C
Bell hasn’t established himself as the go-to Warriors big man of the future as many may have hoped after a promising rookie campaign but he’s still an intriguing young player with a high ceiling.

Bell will be a restricted free agent this summer, so Golden State will have the opportunity to match any offer he receives on the open market, but that may not be easy given the rest of the free agents that the team will have to make decisions on.

Andrew Bogut, C
The Warriors brought back a familiar face this season when they inked 34-year-old Bogut to fill out their rotation late in the season. Bogut didn’t see much time during the campaign but has been turned to on occasion throughout the playoffs. Any decision regarding Bogut’s future will presumably come once other pieces have fallen into place.

Quinn Cook, PG
The Warriors added Cook in the middle of the 2017-18 campaign and used him as backcourt depth capable of dealing damage on the perimeter not unlike the Splash Brothers ahead of him on the depth chart. Cook has also filled in admirably for Steph Curry over the course of the past two seasons.

The Warriors will be able to extend a relatively cheap qualifying offer to Cook this summer thus putting pressure on other teams to try and poach their restricted free agent with a big offer.

It’s hard to know whether the 26-year-old’s body of work thus far is enough to convince other teams to jump in with a big offer but he’s certainly proved his value to the Warriors and they’d be wise to have him back at a price they can afford.

DeMarcus Cousins, C
Cousins shook the NBA last summer when he announced that he reached out to the Warriors about the possibility of signing with them. Ultimately, due to the Achilles injury that held Cousins out of action until the new year, the Dubs were able to procure the superstar big man’s talents with their taxpayer mid-level exception just north of $5 million.

The mid-level exception allows teams additional space with which to sign free agents, and varies depending on whether a team is below the cap, above the cap or, in Golden State’s case, above the cap and the luxury tax.

Given that the Warriors will not hold Cousins’ Bird rights because he’s only been on their roster for one season, they won’t be able to bring the big man back unless they’re able to sign him using cap space or another exception. Considering that the former won’t be available unless something goes horribly wrong this summer, that leaves the latter.

There’s no guarantee Cousins would return to the Bay Area for another short-term deal considering that he was a max contract candidate in New Orleans prior to his Achilles injury in January 2018 but the quad injury that he suffered in the postseason may have made that more of a reality.

Cousins will have the opportunity to gauge the market this summer and would presumably entertain long-term offers if other teams are willing to extend them. If they don’t, the 28-year-old could return to the Warriors, try his luck at a full, healthy regular season and then cash in next summer.

Kevin Durant, SF
We won’t sit here and try to guess where Durant will end up next season. If you know the answer, hit us up. What we will do is tell you what the superstar will be eligible to earn wherever he chooses to sign a contract this summer.

When Durant turns down his $31.5 million player option for 2019-20, he’ll be eligible to earn a 35% max contract. That’s not because of any designated veteran distinctions (although he’d qualify for those) but rather because of the fact that he’s already logged 10 years of service time.

The Warriors hold Durant’s full Bird rights and as such would be permitted to blow past the salary cap to retain him. They would also be able to offer a fifth season and 8% raises between those seasons. That’s a $220+ million-deal over the course of the next five years, starting at $38 million in 2019-20.

If Durant chooses to sign somewhere other than Golden State, he would still be able to earn a 35% max deal but only for four seasons, with 5% increases between each campaign. For comparison’s sake, that totals around $165 million using a $109 million salary cap projection for next year. (Thanks Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors for the math)

Your guess is as good as anybody’s as to how important that slightly bigger bag will be for Durant this summer but it’s something that the Warriors organization will have to think about given that they’ve already blown past the luxury tax mark in three of the last four seasons.

Jonas Jerebko, PF
Jerebko joined the Warriors as a depth rotation piece on a minimum salary and has done a fine job in the minutes allotted to him. He may be welcomed back on another cheap deal next season or look to parlay his experience on the reigning champions into another deal with a team eager for established veterans.

Kevon Looney, C
Looney has seen his role with the Warriors increase gradually over the course of the past four seasons and will have an opportunity to leverage that – including his production during the 2019 postseason – on the open market this summer.

In most cases, a player in Looney’s situation would be a restricted free agent but the team actually declined his 2018-19 fourth-year option back in the fall of 2017. They ultimately brought the big man back on a one-year deal for this season but that cost them the opportunity to extend a qualifying offer and thus make him restricted.

Looney will have free rein to go out and look for a bigger opportunity but may not find a better situation than what he has with the Warriors. Looney’s fate could be tethered to Cousins’ given the position they share.

Klay Thompson, SG
It’s hard to imagine a Warriors team without the second half of the Splash Brothers but keeping the iconic backcourt together won’t come cheap. Thompson is in the final year of a four-year rookie scale contract extension signed prior to the jump in the salary cap and could now command a substantial raise.

Although Thompson missed out on a shot at a 35% designated veteran extension when it was revealed that he didn’t make an All-NBA team this year, he can still earn a significant 30% max deal with 8% raises over the course of the next five years.

With that math, Thompson could earn just shy of $190 million through the 2023-24 season, including $32 million next year. If Thompson does decide to move on, the most he could earn would be $140 million through 2022-23.

The post Previewing The Golden State Warriors’ Potential Free Agents appeared first on SLAM.

Looney initially sustained a non-displaced first costal cartilage fracture in Game 2 and the Warriors have leaned more heavily on DeMarcus Cousins and Andrew Bogut in the post since.

Looney will undergo further testing to see he can indeed reach a point where he could play in the Finals but, given head coach Steve Kerr’s reluctance to play Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson at less than 100%, there’s no guarantee that Looney does end up getting an official green light to return to action.

Looney has averaged 7.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game for the Warriors this postseason.

The post Kevon Looney Could Return From Collarbone Injury This Series appeared first on SLAM.

“If there’s any pain, it will be a no-go,” Thompson told reporters after practice Tuesday afternoon.

Kevin Durant (strained right calf) has been ruled out of Game 3—Kevon Looney is done for the series with a nondisplaced first costal cartilage fracture—but head coach Steve Kerr says it’s “feasible” KD could suit up in Game 4 after only one practice.

Per The San Fran Chronicle:

“Obviously, I would do anything I can to be out there, but it’s all in (the training staff’s) hands,” Thompson said. “If there’s any pain, it will be a no-go just because of the position we’re in. This could be a longer series, so there’s no point in trying to go out there and re-aggravate it and potentially keep myself out of the whole … Finals instead of just one game. So like I said, it will be a game-time decision. But I really want to be out there.”

Thompson, who left early in the fourth quarter of Game 2 with left hamstring tightness, underwent an MRI exam Monday that revealed a mild left hamstring strain. For much of the practice session open to media Tuesday, he sat on the bench before eventually getting up some shots.

Kerr conceded that Thompson, who has not missed a playoff game in his career, will do everything in his power to play Wednesday. However, the training staff must determine whether Thompson would be at risk of worsening the injury if he played Game 3.

News that Looney is done for the Finals comes a day after the Warriors announced that he was “out indefinitely.”

Related Klay Thompson: ‘I Don’t See Myself Missing Game 3’

The post Klay Thompson: ‘If There’s Any Pain, it Will Be a No-Go’ for Game 3 appeared first on SLAM.

“Whatever’s needed,” Cousins said after scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 28 minutes, helping lead Golden State to a 109-104 Game 2 win against the Toronto Raptors.

Boogie, who ruptured his Achilles in January 2018 and will be a free agent this summer, says he doesn’t take “any of this for granted.”

Per The AP:

“On our defensive end, making his presence felt blocking shots, being in the right place at the right time, it’s a big lift for us,” Warriors guard Stephen Curry said. “I know he’s been waiting a long time to be on this stage. Obviously with his injuries, he’s taken the challenge of inserting himself and making that transition smooth. So it’s been fun to watch. More to come.”

Now recovered from what basically was a hole in his leg, Cousins is more than plugging a hole in the lineup.

“I want to be on this stage,” Cousins said. “This is what I’ve worked for my entire career, to be on this stage, to have this opportunity to play for something. But once they told me I had a chance, a slight chance, of being able to return, it basically was up to me and the work and the time I put in behind the injury. It was up to me. So I put the work in.”

He’s not 100 percent right now. But if the Warriors need him to play as though he is, Cousins said he will.

“I’ve told you all before I don’t take any of this for granted,” Cousins said. “I’ve seen how quick this game can be taken away from you. So every chance I get to go out there and play, I’m going to leave it on the floor.”

Related DeMarcus Cousins: ‘This Was an Incredible Moment for Me’

The post ‘Whatever’s Needed’: DeMarcus Cousins Ready to Play Big Minutes for Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

While the big man hasn’t been ruled out explicitly, Woj adds that there isn’t great optimism that he’ll be back before the end of the series. Looney’s injury is a non-displaced first costal cartilage fracture.

Looney played just 11 minutes for the Warriors in their Game 2 victory in Toronto, Sunday night, a game that saw Golden State head coach Steve Kerr lean on both DeMarcus Cousins and late-season veteran addition Andrew Bogut.

That pair, one fresh off of a quadriceps injury earlier in the postseason and the other a 34-year-old spring signing, did an admirable job holding down the post during their Game 2 run.

Looney has averaged 7.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game for the Warriors, stepping up as a key piece of the team’s rotation while Cousins nursed his quad injury before making his own return in Game 1.

The 23-year-old Looney will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and look to leverage his contributions to Golden State’s playoff run when gauging his value on the open market.

The post Kevon Looney Out Indefinitely With Fractured Collar Bone appeared first on SLAM.

“We live for this,” Draymond Green said after the two-time defending champs hung on for a galvanizing 109-104 win against the Toronto Raptors.

The Dubs lost Kevin Looney (sprained collarbone) and Klay Thompson (left hamstring tightness) to injuries, but found contributions from others to earn a hard-fought victory.

Per The Athletic:

“Hell, yeah, we were screaming,” Looney said. “We wanted to be out there so bad. We see plays that could be made. We got a hell of a team back there in the training room.”

Indeed, the Warriors had quite a bit of talent mending in the locker room. That was a lot of offense and three of their best defenders watching the game on television. But the Warriors left Canada with the NBA Finals tied at 1-1 because of what they still had on the court.

“We live for this,” Draymond Green said. “Our backs against the wall. On the road. Klay goes down. Loon goes down. This is what we do.”

This is how they prefer it.

“We’ve been in this situation a bunch of times now,” Draymond Green said. “We’re not laying down. Obviously, we need our guys out there on the floor. But if not, we’ve still got guys who can step up. You’ve got to beat us. That’s the most important thing. Making someone beat us.”

Related Draymond Green: Role ‘Completely Changes’ Without Kevin Durant

The post Draymond Green: ‘We Live for This’ appeared first on SLAM.

“I’ll be fine,” Thompson said after Golden State survived 109-104 against the Toronto Raptors.

Steve Kerr alluded to Thompson’s remarkable pain-tolerance, but seemed less certain about the All-Star guard’s status going forward.

Per Yahoo Sports and The San Fran Chronicle:

“No, I don’t see myself missing Game 3,” Thompson told Yahoo Sports.

Thompson led the Warriors with 25 points and carried them in the first half as they evened the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors with a 109-104 victory.

“I’ll be fine,” Thompson told Yahoo Sports. “That was a good win for us tonight.”

When finally subbed out with 7:59 remaining, Thompson hobbled to the bench. After a few moments, he limped toward the locker room, where he was evaluated by team trainers.

“Klay said he’ll be fine, but Klay can be half-dead, and he’d say he’s (fine),” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “We’ll see. He pulled his hamstring; he thinks it’s minor — I don’t know what that means going forward.”

Related Klay Thompson: ‘I’d Rather Win a Championship Than Be Third-Team All-NBA’

The post Klay Thompson: ‘I Don’t See Myself Missing Game 3’ appeared first on SLAM.

Boogie finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocks in 28 minutes, helping the Warriors seal a 109-104 Game 2 win over the Toronto Raptors to even up the NBA Finals at 1-1.

Head coach Steve Kerr said the Dubs “needed everything” Cousins could muster.

Per The San Fran Chronicle:

“He was great,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “We came in thinking, ‘All right, he can maybe play 20 minutes,’ and he gave us almost 28. There was only one time in the game when he needed a rest, which was mid-fourth and we gave him a couple of minutes and then got him back in the game.

“But we needed everything he gave out there, his rebounding, his toughness, his physical presence, getting the ball in the paint, and just playing big, like he does. We needed all of that. … So I thought he was fantastic.”

Stephen Curry called it a “big-time” moment for Cousins, saying, “He was special. He played aggressive, put a lot of pressure on the defense, made his presence felt blocking shots, being at the right place at the right time. I know he’s been waiting a long time to be on this stage. He’s taken the challenge and made the transition smooth. It’s been fun to watch. More to come.”

Cousins found himself nearly overcome with emotion afterward, wiping away a tear as he addressed his good fortune.

“This was an incredible moment for me,” he said. “It’s what I’ve worked for my entire career, the opportunity to play for something. Once they told me there was a slight chance I could return, it was basically up to me. I put in the work and the time, and God is great. I’m able to … be out there playing the game I love.”

Related Stephen Curry: Game 1 Loss to Raptors ‘Not the End of the World’

The post DeMarcus Cousins: ‘This Was an Incredible Moment for Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

Curry says Toronto was playing “janky” defense, which led to Iguodala hitting the game-sealing three-pointer in Golden State’s 109-104 victory.

Andre added that getting his “head knocked off” late in the first half woke him up, as the Dubs tied the NBA Finals at 1-1 heading back to California.

The veteran forward finished with eight points, eight rebounds and six assists.

Per The San Fran Chronicle:

“He’s the adult in the room,” [Steve] Kerr likes to say, saluting Iguodala as the stabilizing force on the team, the man who smooths out the ragged edges and reins in the schoolyard impulses of his sometimes overly adventurous teammates.

He suffered a blow to the head with 3½ minutes left in the second quarter after bumping into Toronto center Marc Gasol, and retired to the locker room. Iguodala is already nursing a leg injury that recently required an MRI exam, not a good sign for a 35-year-old, 15-season vet at the tail end of a super-long season and a super-duper-long five-year run.

“Got my head knocked off, and it kind of woke me up a bit,” Iguodala said. “Got a little edge after that.”

Then he sealed the deal with an ice-cold 3-pointer with seven seconds left in the game and the Warriors clinging to a two-point lead, and Klay Thompson out with a leg injury.

“Well, you’re not going to let Steph (Curry) take the shot,” Kerr said, “so they double-team Steph and that left Andre open, and he had hit another big one earlier in the game.”

Related Post Up: Warriors Rally in Third Quarter of Game 2, Even Series 1-1

The post ‘It’s Kinda Disrespectful to Leave Andre Iguodala Open Like That’ appeared first on SLAM.

Below, Looney explains what it’s been like to watch (and occasionally participate in) the team’s historic run, and how the experience has and will continue to affect his career.

—

“Draft night was a crazy night. It was all these dreams coming true. I didn’t think I was gonna [get drafted by Golden State], so when I went there, I knew it was gonna be a great fit for me, because I knew I might have to get surgery. So I knew when I came to a team like this, I was gonna have a chance to really develop, to get my body right before I even get on the court. It was really a perfect situation for me. I remember Klay [Thompson], he texted me [that night], told me, ‘Make sure you rest, it’s gonna be a long season. This is where it’s gonna start.’

“Going through the injury process was frustrating because the guys made me feel part of the team, but I really didn’t feel comfortable with the guys because they’re a little older than me and they’ve been playing together, and I couldn’t really play. I didn’t really feel confident talking about basketball with them because they’re champions—they know a lot about basketball. I didn’t really feel as comfortable because I wasn’t playing. But the guys made me feel good and accepted me, so it made it kinda easy. But it was frustrating, to go there and watch. It was really frustrating.

“The beginning of the season when we started 24-0, it was like, this is not normal. I didn’t know how it felt to lose in the beginning. In the preseason, guys were good, we lost a couple of games. But then when the season started, a whole other light just went off. I would say when I watched Steph go for 50 earlier in the year against New Orleans, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is crazy. You don’t see this every day.’

“Since I’m the only rookie, they all kinda take to me. I talk to Andre [Iguodala] a lot because when I’m on the bench, he’s on the bench with me sometimes. Shaun [Livingston] had an injury, so I talk to Shaun, he knows how I feel. Then Draymond [Green], he plays my position—he always takes me under his wing, makes sure I feel comfortable with the team. He’s the leader so he makes sure everyone’s talking and having fun. All the veterans have been great for me.

“My first game, when I first suited up [January 27 vs. the Mavs—Ed.], I didn’t expect to play until maybe the end of the game if we blew them out. Draymond got in foul trouble and they just threw me in in the second quarter. I hadn’t even played in six months. I felt a little lost. It was really unexpected and I hadn’t played—to that point, I hadn’t practiced with the team really. I had a couple games in the D-League. I never played with Steph Curry or Klay or them guys. When I got out there, I was kinda lost as to where to be. Klay told me, ‘When in doubt, just go set a screen and get out the way.’ I just followed that and it worked for me.

“Sometimes I don’t know if I’m gonna be active or not active, or if I’m gonna be playing in the D-League or with the real team. I gotta stay ready. I gotta do a lot more extra work to make sure I’m in game shape because I’m not playing really any minutes. So I gotta do a lot of conditioning. You gotta really take everything like you’re gonna play 40 minutes. Do your workout, stay focused. At any moment you have a chance to get in the game. If someone gets in foul trouble or somebody tweaks an ankle, you gotta be ready when they call your number.

“I get texts all the time, like, ‘What’s the secret? What is Steph doing?’ Sometimes I just text my brothers in our group chat, I’ll text them like, ‘Did y’all see the game? This guy’s amazing, man.’ I can’t believe what he’s doing. People ask me all the time. I get a lot of texts and calls and everyone wants to know the secret.

“Everywhere we go, the fans are waiting: waiting to watch warmups, to watch you do layup lines, do your pre-game routine. When we go to other cities, everyone’s got on Steph Curry jerseys. It’s just different. There’s nothing like this. I’ve never been on a team where at any moment, you never feel like you’re gonna lose a game. When guys come out flat, we could be down 20, but you always feel like, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna win this game.’ And they always figure out a way to do it.

“This is the best thing for me. I needed a lot of work to develop my body and my game, and what better place than with the champions? The older guys are really teaching me about nutrition and taking care of your body. Andre has been in the League 13 years and he’s still playing great, so I listen to him about taking care of your body and getting better. It’s really the perfect experience for me. I have a chance to win a championship my first year—a lot of guys don’t get a chance for their whole careers. So I’m really taking this opportunity and getting better.”

—

Adam Figman is the Senior Editor of SLAM Magazine. Follow him on Twitter @afigman.

Photo via Getty Images

The post In The Wings appeared first on SLAM.

Looney, 19, was the 30th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

In six games with the Warriors 2015 NBA Summer League team in Las Vegas this July, the big fella averaged 9.3 points and 7.2 rebounds.

From the press release:

Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney underwent a successful right hip arthroscopy this morning to repair a torn labrum, the team announced today. The procedure was performed by renowned Steadman Clinic orthopaedic surgeon and hip specialist Dr. Marc Philippon at the Vail Valley Surgery Center in Vail, Colorado.

 

Looney will begin rehabilitation from the surgery immediately and is expected to be out a minimum of four-to-six months before returning to basketball activity.

 

“Kevon has his entire NBA career ahead of him and we felt that, in consultation with our medical staff, Kevon and his representatives, it was best to address the issue now,” said Warriors General Manager Bob Myers. “He will have our complete support throughout the rehabilitation process and we are confident he will make a full recovery.”

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https://youtu.be/cwji24aGuG0

Watch more Draft Suite interviews:

Emmanuel Mudiay
D’Angelo Russell
Sam Dekker
Justise Winslow
Myles Turner
Karl-Anthony Towns
Devin Booker
Trey Lyles
Kristaps Porzingis
Bobby Portis
Dakari Johnson
Rakeem Christmas
Jerian Grant
Stanley Johnson

The post Kevon Looney Foot Locker x SLAM Draft Suite Interview (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Images via Getty

The post NBA Draft Index, Vol. 3 appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA’s offensive trends must be factored in when evaluating these prospects. Emphasis is on prospects that can take the ball to the rim and three-point proficiency.

Images via Getty

The post NBA Draft Index, Vol. 2 appeared first on SLAM.

Now that one of the most talked about draft classes in the history of college basketball is actually in the NBA, this new season brings more names to learn. They may not be household names yet, but they will make an impact at the next level.

The college game moves on with an influx of freshmen talent and evolving stars. We will track the top players throughout the college season in our NBA Draft Index.

Images via Getty

The post NBA Draft Index, Vol. I appeared first on SLAM.

by Ryan Jones / portraits by Darren Hauck

He was barely into middle school at the time, but even then, Kevon Looney knew he and his AAU teammates were in over their heads. “We played against a bunch of the top guys in the country our age, like the Harrison twins, and they blew us out by 30,” Looney remembers. “It was really ugly.”

Looney and his young teammates on the Milwaukee Running Rebels weren’t quite ready for their first taste of big-time hoops, but as he’s quick to point out, “We’ve made some strides since then.” Few players in the country have made more progress than Looney. Now a senior at Milwaukee (WI) Hamilton, the 6-10, 210-pounder is a consensus top-15 prospect in the 2014 class. He says he started to realize how far he’d come a few years ago, first when he stepped up to the U17 level as a freshman. But it really hit home after his sophomore year. “That summer, I went to all the camps—LeBron Camp, NBA Players, all of ’em,” he says. “I was playing against all those guys who are on TV right now—[Andrew] Wiggins, Jabari [Parker], Julius Randle—and I held my own. That’s when I knew I could play.”

There’s no doubting that now. A long-limbed combo forward with versatility and range, Looney—his first name is pronounced “Kuh-VON,” but you can call him Loon—tries to do a little bit of everything when he’s on the court. “I think I’m a great rebounder and a good scorer—I’m steadily improving my shooting, hitting a lot of threes this year,” he says. “I’m focused on getting to be more athletic, stronger, get in a little better shape, and trying to become a better leader on the court.”

Improving in all those areas would seem to be a matter of dedication. At Hamilton High, that’s built into the schedule—coach Randy Williams runs 6 a.m. weekday practices—but Looney seems plenty motivated on his own. For example: Skinny as he is, he’s steadily getting his weight up. “I’ve been lifting weights my whole high school career, and I usually gain 10 or 20 pounds each summer,” he says, “so I’ll just try to stay on pace with that.”

All of which points to a dude who’s more than ready to make an immediate impact at his next stop. New UCLA coach Steve Alford is counting on it. “I remember watching them on TV when they had Kevin Love, Westbrook and [Darren] Collison,” Looney says. “It’s a great place, great campus, great education, and I like Coach Alford’s system. I’ve seen how all the players gravitate to him.”

Not that a Milwaukee dude needs an excuse to dream of sunny SoCal, but Looney even has “a little bit of family” out West: Nick “Swaggy P” Young is a distant cousin whom Looney has met “a couple times.” His fam back home has been fully supportive of him leaving for UCLA, a move that saw him choose the Bruins over Florida, Tennessee, Duke and home-state power Wisconsin. “I had a great relationship with all those coaches,” he says, “but I felt like I wanted to try something new.”

The scenery will be different, but the sight of Kevon Looney dominating opponents won’t really be anything new. The difference? Next year, the whole country will be able to see the strides he’s made.

The post Loon Squad appeared first on SLAM.

After considering Wisconsin, Michigan State, Duke, UCLA, Tennessee and Florida, Kevon Looney, a highly touted 6-8 power forward from Milwaukee’s Hamilton HS, announced today shortly after 2pm EST at a press conference in his school’s gymnasium that he is taking his talents to Hollywood, choosing the Bruins, to the surprise of many. From the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel: “And the winner is … UCLA. Milwaukee Hamilton boys basketball standout Kevon Looney announced his college choice during a press conference Thursday afternoon at Hamilton. His other finalists were Wisconsin, Duke, Florida, Michigan State and Tennessee. Looney is a 6-foot-9 guard/forward whose size and excellent ballhandling skills made him one of the top recruits in the country. Here is a selection of his national rankings for the 2014 class: Rivals (13th), Scout (14th), ESPN (11th), NY2LA (fifth) and 247 Sports (eighth). In October, he was invited to the 2014 USA developmental national team minicamp. “Looney can do anything he wants,” Milwaukee Vincent coach Marquis Hines said after last season. “He really is unbelievable to me. He could be one of the best players we’ve had in Wisconsin in a long time. He’s an exceptional kid and that’s key.” Looney averaged 26.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, seven blocks and 3.1 assists last season for Hamilton. He made 70% of his shots, including 32% from three-point range, and led a Wildcats squad filled with mostly unproven players to within one victory of the City title.”

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[sg-gallery]

adidas Nations, the premier international grassroots basketball program, concluded last night at Long Beach City College in Long Beach, Calif. The world’s elite 18-and-under players represented teams from the U.S., Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and Latin America.  Above are some cool shots of the top prospects in action, courtesy of adidas.

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Featuring more than 500 teams from across the nation with some of the country’s top 14, 15, 16 and 17 year-old AAU players, the adidas Super 64 culminated yesterday after five days of intense competition. Check out the action shots of the top players from the final day, courtesy of Kelly Kline/adidas

Stay tuned to the adidas Basketball Facebook page and follow the conversation on Twitter at @adidasHoops with #Super64. Final scores are all updated here.

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YOUTHFUL THORNTON PLAYS OLDER, WISER THAN HIS YEARS

California native and 6-1 point guard, Derryck Thornton Jr, had one of the more impressive combinations of natural feel for his position, court vision, handle, athletic ability and versatile scoring punch at the Under Armour Summer Jam presented by NY2LA Sports in Mequon, WI, which had big-time Division I prospects playing in the 15s, 16s and 17s divisions.

Playing up a level with Dream Vision’s 16s, the Class of 2016 floor general got another taste of playing with high Division I prospects as his running mates. He’s going to get used to it as he is transferring to prep power Findlay (NV) Prep when the school year begins.

“I’m expecting to get a lot better, and really figure out how to play with some of the best kids in the country,” Thornton said. “Next year we’re going to be really good. I think it will help my development in the long run.”

Thornton has already garnered the interest of many collegiate powerhouses, and collected offers from Arizona, USC, UNLV and Oregon State—among others—and has schools like Michigan, Kentucky, UCLA, Oregon and UConn tracking him according to his father Derryck Sr.

His ability to put immense pressure on opposing defenses by employing a veteran approach of taking what the D gives him—rather than relying on his talent alone as many 14- and 15-year-olds still do—was showcased over the five-day event that began July 17 and ended July 21.

If he got the lane, he most likely scored by finishing at the hoop or scoring in the lane on pull-ups or floaters. If help came once he got by his man on the perimeter, he kicked out to an open shooter or dropped a nice dime to a teammate open in the paint.

His pick-your-poison game should only continue to expand as he continues to develop physically and get stronger. It’s uncommon to be so skilled at such a young age, but Thornton laughed at the notion of being “a natural.”

“I work very hard for that,” Thornton said. “My dad and I work pretty much every day, twice a day. We do a lot of different skill work, and we stay in the gym. I love to workout and hit the gym, we lift weights and do pretty much every aspect to get better. That’s where all that stuff comes from.”

Besides playing on a team stocked with DI-caliber players, Thornton is starting to get used to the attention from college coaches.

“It’s a little overwhelming,” Thornton said. “But for the most part I just try to play hard and not really focus on any of that. I just want to play hard.”

WHITEHEAD CONTINUES TO ADD JUICE

Isaiah Whitehead has spent the last couple years establishing himself as one of the most potent scorers in the Big Apple while starring at Lincoln HS, as well as the country while running with the Juice All-Stars.

At 6-4, with powerful upper-body strength, Whitehead has always fit the mold of a scorer rather than a shooter. His advanced mid-range game, and finishing ability in the lane (including one of the nastiest posters from the tournament on a defender from Team Detroit), was witnessed by all the high-major coaches tracking him throughout the event.

But Whitehead also showed off an improved handle to go with his underrated passing ability. He’s also refined his three-point stroke, and hit 6 from downtown in a win over Team Illinois in Juice’s opening playoff round win.

“It’s a great shooting gym,” Whitehead said of the event’s host site Homestead High School. “The rims are shooter’s rims, so if you put it up a little bit higher it feels like it always goes in. The national talent is great here. It’s a great tournament. It’s Under Armour teams just trying to battle against everybody else, so we’re just trying to represent Under Armour.”

Whitehead mentioned Louisville, Minnesota, UCLA, Arizona, Syracuse, St. John’s, Miami and Georgetown as just some of the schools who have been recruiting him the hardest and said he’ll start to think about his visits after Juice wraps up its summer schedule this week in Las Vegas.

At the Fab 48 in Vegas, it will be another chance for Whitehead to show off his improving and diversified game.

“I’ve just been in the gym everyday working on it—hard work pays off,” Whitehead said. “I have to be a point guard in college. [The college coaches] want me to play on and off the ball.”

DAVIS AND BIGHAM BREAKOUT

As the lone Mississippi resident playing on Team Thad, a squad made up of primarily players from Memphis, 6-5 Terence Davis set himself apart in more ways than the state he calls home. But he was happy to share the court with his neighbors from Tennessee.

“Playing with these Tennessee boys, they always get me better,” Davis said. “I just like playing with them because they always compete.”

Davis doubles as a standout wide receiver at Southaven HS, and came into the Summer Jam with interest from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Penn State and Tulane as a hooper. In an impressive win over Dream Vision, Davis canned three consecutive treys (a four-point play sandwiched in the middle) in the second half to thwart a run and also got some of his game-high 25 points with athletic finishes in transition.

College coaches jammed into the bleachers that lined the six courts at Homestead High School, and Davis knew it was his chance to make an impression. He said he wants to try and play both sports in college, and that he is continuing to work on his ball-handling and shot so he can improve his skill as a 2-guard.

“I look at them sometimes,” Davis said of the coaches watching Team Thad. “But if I do something good, or make a bucket, I won’t try to draw too much attention to myself. I don’t be messing with no camps or nothing like that, because I’m a football player also so I go to football camps most of the time. So I have to prove myself at these AAU showcases.”

It looks like he’s done just that, as he reportedly picked up his first offer from Memphis during the Summer Jam.

Texas Select center Myles Turner’s spot in the Class of 2014’s top 10 is due in large part to his phenomenal shot blocking ability. The 6-11 Turner turned away just about every one who tried to challenge him in the lane throughout the tourney.

But 6-6 Detroit Southeastern’s Daryl Bigham had more success finishing on Turner near the rim than anyone else who tried at the Summer Jam. Bigham finished with 16 points in the Michigan Hurricanes win over Texas Select, and he followed that up with a 27-point performance to help his team reach the tourney’s elite 8.

In the mold of guys like Jae Crowder and Paul Millsap, the undersized forward refuses to let height or rankings dictate his play on the court. His athleticism, motor and skill allowed him to standout against several of his opponents who are ranked ahead of him.

“I like playing people that’s bigger than me, and that are ranked higher than me,” Bigham said. “That motivates me. I was looking forward to playing them anyways, so I came in trying to show everyone that I could play with (Turner).”

Bigham listed Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Buffalo, Florida Atlantic and Stony Brook as his current offers, but is far from pleased with the list.

“Nah, I ain’t settlin’,” Bigham said. “Hopefully that game got me some more [looks], but I’m trying to get better with my handle and shot. I’ve been working on all that, so hopefully I keeps getting better.”

OTHER NOTES FROM THE SUMMER JAM

– Diamond Stone (Dominican HS/Young Legends): Ranked as one of the top players in the Class of 2015, the 6-10 center was as dominant as ever throughout the tournament due in large part to a slimmed down look. While he’s not an explosive athlete, Stone catches basically everything thrown at him, has great footwork and great touch on his shot for a post player. He even stepped out and knocked down some three-pointers in a few games throughout the tournaments.

– While he wasn’t the highest rated member of the Class of 2014 in attendance, Ohio State-commit and the Illinois Wolves’ Keita Bates-Diop (University High) continues to play like a future pro. At 6-7, with a long wingspan, Bates-Diop has always been a good defender and shot blocker. But he’s become a consistent catch-and-shoot three-point shooter when he’s open and can score a variety of other ways on the offensive end.

– Kevon Looney (Hamilton) had every high-major coach in attendance check out at least of one his games, because the 6-9 small forward is one of the most intriguing prospects in the Class of 2014. Playing with the Milwaukee Rebels, Looney won’t make any highlight videos but what he will do is shutdown whoever he is guarding, own the offensive and defensive glass and score inside or out. Amazingly, the five-star player doesn’t get nearly enough touches in a game with that team as 5-8 scoring point guard Damontrae Jefferson dominates the ball.

– Playing with the Atlanta Xpress 16s, Class of 2017 shooting guard James Walker Jr (Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy) showed the makings of a future high-major player—great athlete, excellent release on his shot and nice size at 6-4 for an off-guard. His game has shades of OJ Mayo, but he looked to be a more willing passer. Just by looking at Walker, it’s hard to believe he hasn’t begun high school yet. His teammate Doral Moore Jr (Luella HS), 6-11 Class of 2015 center, will also be one high-majors will be monitoring as he continues to grow into his body and add strength.

– South Carolina’s Seventh Woods (Hammond HS, 2016) made waves with his YouTube highlight video that went viral, and showed flashes of a future high-major recruit while playing with the Carolina Wolves’ 17s. There is plenty of time left for him to sharpen his skill set to match his nearly unparalleled athleticism for his age.

– Iowa City native Wyatt Lohaus (West HS) committed to Northern Iowa last August, so his name is rarely mentioned among the best guards in the Midwest but that is a mistake in my opinion. At 6-2, the son of former NBA player Brad Lohaus, is an excellent shooter and deceptive athlete. The most impressive aspect of his game is his ability to score off the dribble with pull-ups between 10 and 15 feet. Lohaus was cookin’ all tourney and helped lead the Iowa Barnstormers to the final four. I have a hunch, we’ll be hearing more from him when he gets to UNI. Barnstormers’ Drake-bound big men Kory Kuenstling (Dunkerton HS) and Casey Schlatter (Iowa Falls-Alden) stepped up big during their elite 8 win over Jersey’s Sports U featuring 6-10 future Kentucky Wildcat Karl Towns, 6-9 high-major forward prospect Quadri Moore and 6-3 guard Wade Baldwin who sports several high-major offers of his own. The 6-10 Kuenstling is more a traditional back to the basket player who will need to add weight and strength, but the lefty has really good touch in the paint. Schlatter, 6-9, is a face-up 4 who is capable of catching fire from three-point land.

– The Wisconsin Swing 17s don’t have players like Indiana-bound big man Luke Fischer, or point guard Bronson Koenig who will suit up for Wisconsin in the winter, any more but they reached the final four by defeating several teams that had national recruits on their team such as the Carolina Wolves and Milwaukee Rebels (five-star forward Kevon Looney). Swing 6-2 point guard Lamonte Bearden (Germantown HS) created the most buzz with his yo-yo handle, flashy passing and versatile scoring ability. He already holds offers from Oregon State, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay and Bradley—with Iowa, Purdue and Buffalo among those very interested—and should see his recruiting stock continue to rise if he can show consistency each time out. 2014 6-4 shooting guard TJ Schlundt (St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy) played up a grade level last summer on the Swing as one of the squad’s knockdown shooters from three-point land. But he showed a much more versatile offensive game this summer, as he was able to score when teams ran him off the three point line—and also proved to be a willing defender and rebounder. Schlundt holds offers from UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay, Northern Kentucky and Drake, and could wind up being a steal if high-major programs don’t jump into his recruitment over the next year.

– Staying in Wisconsin, one of the biggest sleepers I saw was Wisconsin Academy 16s 5-9 point guard Darold Thomas (Madison La Follette). He has a little bit of Wichita State’s Fred Van Vleet in him, in that his understanding of positioning and angles makes up a lot for his size. No schools have begun to recruit him yet, but that will change over the next two years. Nick Noskowiak (Sun Prairie HS) headlines the Wisconsin Playground Warriors’ 16s squad as the point guard gave his verbal commitment to Marquette in April, but 6-3 guard Brevin Pritzl (De Pere HS) is just starting to see his recruitment begin. The three-point marksman can also put it on the floor, and had one of the best highlights I saw all tourney when he drove baseline and dunked all over an Atlanta Xpress defender.

– DC Assault 16s 6-2 combo guard Jon Davis (National Christian Academy) was one of the more impressive guards from the Class of 2015 that I watched. His ability to break his man down to create a driving lane or some space for a shot was terrific. A consistent stroke all the way out to three-point land and a willingness to drive left as well as he does going right make him a tough guy to guard.

The post Summer Jam Final Observations appeared first on SLAM.

Fresh off stellar showings at the LeBron James Skills Academy, NBA Top 100 camp, Nike Elite 100 Camp and the Pangos All-American Camp, the 6-8 forward hasn’t had much down time.

But so it goes for one of the nation’s consensus top-20 high school ballers.

“[The camps] are fun, and not as tiring as you would think,” Looney said. “[AAU] is different from camps. These guys run a lot faster up and down, and I get a lot more tired. But they’re like my family so it’s a lot of fun playing with these guys. I feel like I’m getting a lot better.”

Perhaps no Class of 2014 prospect has seen their stock rise more drastically in the last year than Looney—who already has offers from Georgetown, Wisconsin, Marquette, Tennessee, Michigan and Iowa.

Standing at 6-8, with the wingspan of a 747, the ability to run the floor like a guard and a commanding presence in the paint have helped shoot Looney up to the No. 9-ranked prospect by Scout, No. 11 by Rivals and No. 16 by ESPN.

“It’s pretty important to me,” Looney said. “I want to be the best player in my class so I look at the rankings to see where I’m at, what I need to improve on and who’s in front of me.”

Regardless of where he’s ranked nationally, Looney already has the attention of basically every program in the country. Duke, Kansas and Michigan State have recently gotten into the mix, but have yet to offer.

Since the first live period in July began Wednesday, with two more five-day live periods remaining before the month ends, Looney says he’s not planning on thinking about college too much until all the schools have gotten to see him play.

“I want to let the rest of the coaches come see me in July,” Looney said. “I’ll wait to after the summer then I’ll start thinking more about it.”

The Running Rebels are currently 2-0 in pool play at the NY2LA Sports Next Level Invitational, in which Looney dropped 21 points in front of John Thompson III, Bo Ryan, Buzz Williams and Tom Izzo on Wednesday and followed that up with a 14-point, 15-rebound, 4-assist and 4-block performance Thursday in front of stands packed with coaches.

National recruiting editor for NY2LASports.com, Antonio Curro, witnessed Looney’s development as a player firsthand and has been watching him at the NY2LA tournaments since he was in fourth grade.

“Kevon has always been very instinctive as a player,” Curro said. “He was very fundamentally sound as a middle school talent, as he continued to develop [physically]. He had pretty solid footwork and a really good feel for the game. He’s improved his perimeter skill set, his ability to face the basket off the dribble and his pull up.

“He’s just a matchup problem. He really excels 12 to 17 feet from the basket because he can use either hand, has a mid-range pull-up and things like that—and is probably where his strength is at this point.”

Aside from the physical gifts of an NBA-type body frame, and what Looney can provide a coach on the court, Curro said much of how he is off the court is what’s made him one of the most highly sought after recruits in the country.

“He has exceptional character, without question,” Curro explained. “That shows in his grades, in his mannerisms and he’s very humble and just goes about his business. I think that’s a huge key. We’ve regarded him as a top 10 to 15 kid since he was in seventh grade, but as far as why everybody is jumping up and down it’s because he’s really exploded because of his size. He’s got a ridiculous ceiling. He looks like he just continues to grow and grow, and his athleticism, ability to finish in transition is really elevating the last four to six weeks.”

Curro is no stranger to seeing stars born at the NY2LA tournaments throughout the spring and summer, as recent top-ranked prep hoopers such as Harrison Barnes (Golden State Warriors), Shabazz Muhammad (UCLA) and Jabari Parker (No. 1 in Class of 2013) all have scorched the nets at Homestead High School in Mequon, WI.

Looney’s path has been very similar.

“Kevon is going through that stretch of really taking that next step into elite, ‘wow’ status,” Curro said. “I think his aggressiveness and the improved versatility he’s shown is a big reason why.”

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