Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have been the faces of the Golden State Warriors for quite some time. Very few organizations have been able to turn a championship or two into a dominant dynasty throughout the history of the NBA, yet this is exactly what the Warriors have achieved. As good as these three future Hall of Famers are, they oftentimes overshadow the rest of the greatness that lies on this roster, most notably Kevon Looney.
You may not always hear his name come up in terms of scoring and you may not see him on the nightly highlight reel either. This doesn't mean Looney isn't impactful, as everyone within the walls of the Warriors organization knows that the big man is just as important as Steph, Klay and Draymond, including Curry himself.
Looney has been with the organization since he was drafted in 2015, winning three titles and putting his fingerprints all over the Warriors' success. Well, his fingerprints are actually all over the basketball, as he's truly one of the best rebounders in the league today.
Looney, who faced a ton of adversity when he first entered the league due to hip surgeries and the center position changing, has helped redefine what it means to be a big man in the NBA. Curry and Thompson are arguably the greatest shooters of all time and Green sets the tone for this team defensively, but Looney has been the guy to fill in all the gaps for this championship organization.
With the 2023-24 season right around the corner and training camp set to begin, the Warriors' focus is once again fixated on having a chance to play in the final series of the year. This past season ended in disappointment for Golden State, which is why their redemption arc and quest to keep the dynasty alive is about to begin.
From going home to do work in his community to traveling overseas with his teammate to soaking in what his journey with the Warriors has been like, Looney had himself a very busy offseason. With training camp days away, ClutchPoints had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Golden State's big man in an exclusive interview about his basketball journey, as well as how adversity has built not only his career, but the dynasty he will forever be connected to.
ClutchPoints: Every summer, you go back to Milwaukee in order to give back to the community you grew up in. Aside from seeing your friends and family, what’s the best part about the camps and events you represent in the area?
(Photo credit: @ShootsbyRuss)
Kevon Looney: Just to get and see the up-and-coming kids. Seeing their love for the game brings me back to how I was as a kid. I still love the game very much, but there’s something about a kid’s love for the game that resonates with me as a professional basketball player. I remember being that small and going to camps in the area run by Brandon Jennings and Devin Harris when they were with the Bucks. Remembering how much being able to go to those camps meant to me, I'm glad to be able to give back to the next generation.
It really means the world to me and it provides me that juice I need before the new season. The youth of the community has a strong connection to the game I'm fortunate enough to play every day, so doing these camps and seeing these kids makes me excited to go back and do what I love with my teammates.
CP: Tell me about the Running Rebels Community Organization and what your main goals with the organization are.
Looney: I started doing stuff with the Running Rebels through basketball, but they do so much more. They help out local schools with different programs and they help underprivileged kids by giving them the resources to live out their dreams. Whether it is playing basketball, getting involved with music, attending college, the Running Rebels have a program to help people out. My role with them is to help take over the AAU program that I played for. I sponsor the team and whenever a kid needs help with training or they just need some advice, I try to be there for them.
It goes both ways as well, as the Running Rebels help me put on the great camp for the kids in Milwaukee every year, so those are the people that really taught me what it means to give back. I’ve been using the Rebels to help give back to the community and they’ve helped me become a better man. They've been great mentors to me for years, so I try to follow in their footsteps to be the perfect mentor for the next generation.
CP: What's been easier for you, winning those championships with the Warriors or managing the hundreds of kids at your basketball camp every summer?
I would actually have to say winning with the Warriors is easier than dealing with the kids sometimes! [Kevon laughs] All those excited kids running around freely at the camp, they don’t always listen like we do at the professional level. It’s always a lot of work, but it’s always rewarding and a ton of fun at the same time. The kid’s view on basketball and view on life is a lot different from mine. It can be a nice refresher at times, but I don’t know, I find it easier being next to Steph [Curry] and Klay [Thompson] and the guys in the locker room than the kids sometimes.
CP: While we are on the topic of your championship runs, I can’t not mention that you are a three-time champion, just one of eight active players to have three rings. I am sure you can name some of the others seeing as most of them are your teammates. Out of the three championship runs you’ve personally been a part of, which one was the most special to you?
Looney: I think I would have to say the most previous one in 2022. All that adversity that we went through as a team by not making the playoffs the two seasons prior and then Klay coming back from injury, we had a whole new group totally… just so many people doubted us. All of us in the locker room were the only ones who knew we could win another title. Personally, I feel like that was one of my best seasons overall. I was able to play a big part on that team. That’s not to say I didn’t during the other two championship teams, but I played limited minutes and was just kind along for the ride playing my role then.
The championship we just won, I felt like I was an integral part of the success and one of the true leaders of the team. Everything just kind of fell the right way, which is why the last one was the most special to me.
CP: Out of those championship teams, which one was the best in your mind?
Looney: The first one for me was definitely the greatest. That was the 2016-17 team, Kevin Durant’s first year with us. I truly think that is one of the best teams ever in league history. We went 16-1 in the playoffs, the only loss coming in the Finals. That year, we were playing some of the best basketball I have ever seen. I didn’t get a lot of minutes, but I got to sit up close and watch it. There aren’t too many other teams who could keep things close with that team. We were special.
CP: You’re surrounded by sure-thing Hall of Famers every year on the Warriors, yet you may just be their most impactful player. What makes you such a unique talent for your team?
Looney: Being there for so long and understanding my role, understanding what our team needs at different times in the game, I take pride in being able to take pressure off of some of those guys. Klay, Steph, Andre [Iguodala], Draymond [Green]… All of those guys have a lot of responsibilities on the floor and for me being that fifth guy sometimes, I’ve tried to be that guy who can do just about anything. I’ve been here a long time now, so I know the system. My ability to adapt in any situation also makes me unique.
I like to say I’m a utility guy in a way and I learned that from both Draymond and Andre. My rebounding, size, and strength are the three best parts of my game. As far as our team goes, my ability to switch screens and guard any position on the floor really helped us grow into the championship-caliber team we are now. By watching the guys before me and learning from them, I’ve tried my best to take us to that next level each and every year.
CP: Aside from going back to Milwaukee this summer, you also spent some time vacationing with Klay Thompson overseas. Take me through this trip and the experience of being with Klay overseas.
Looney: We went to China and visited a few different cities. We also went to Manila in the Philippines. I wouldn’t call it a vacation, though, because dealing with Klay can be a handful! We worked really hard putting on three or four different camps in each city. It was a lot of fun and the biggest surprise to me was how much they love basketball out there. I went to China once before, but it was definitely a different experience being able to share this time with Klay and going to promote my shoe brand. Every city and all the fans showed us a lot of love and I felt like a rock star out there. This was an experience I will never forget.
CP: What was the best part of this trip?
Looney: Just seeing the fans react to us landing in the airport and stepping off the plane. They were all there waiting on us. Going to the events at the mall was madness, especially when they started breaking all the barricades down just to be able to get close to us and take pictures. You forget how much people around the world love the game of basketball. I hadn’t been there in a long time and Klay hadn’t been there in like five years, so they were so excited to be able to see us.
The love they showed us was definitely my favorite part because I love interacting with them and seeing the smiles on their faces. I also have to say, playing the one-on-one game with everyone watching was like playing in the Finals!
CP: Did you and Klay have a bunk bed type of situation going on out there or how did that work?
[Kevon laughs]
Looney: Nah, nah I’m not doing that with Klay, I want my own room! They legit treated us like kings out there. We stayed in one of the nicest hotels I have ever been to. They had private planes and rides ready for us. They treated us right out there.
CP: You know, every player in the league always has nicknames listed on Basketball-Reference, yet all they have for you is “Loon.” The guys in the locker room definitely have something better for you, right?
Looney: I get a lot of names through the fans, the players, even out there in China. I’ve been called Loon, Loon Dog, I’ve had Oloonjawon, Moses Maloon, they called me Loo in China. I’ve got a lot of different names. I kind of get caught off-guard when people call me by my first name actually.
CP: Klay had a pretty good nickname for you during the playoffs the last couple of years: Kevon Looajuwon.
Looney: Yeah, that’s pretty dope. Getting a compliment like that on an all-time great from a future Hall of Famer like Klay, that’s just amazing. It’s tough to live up to, but when I have those 20-rebound games and help us win, I feel like I live up to that nickname. My dad made me watch Hakeem Olajuwon growing up, so it’s pretty dope to get that nickname.
CP: You had 22 rebounds in Game 6 of the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals against Memphis, then 18 rebounds in Game 5 of the 2022 Western Conference Finals against Dallas. This past year against Sacramento, you had 21 rebounds in Game 7. I know we talk about “Game 6 Klay” all the time, but what should we start calling you for your performances in closeout games?
Looney: I don’t know to be honest. [Kevon smirks] I think I am going to need another series of doing this in order to get a nickname on the same level as “Game 6 Klay.” I live for those big moments. Guys like Steph, Klay and Draymond set the standard so high. When you see them giving their all, it makes you want to play better and have special performances of your own. They impact the game in so many different ways and for me, it’s all about finding a way to make them and the team better.
Grabbing rebounds is my way of impacting the game and it helps change the momentum and flow on the court. It’s special to put up numbers like that and receive the kind of recognition I do from the fans. Hopefully I can have a couple more memorable playoff moments so I can get a nickname like Klay!
CP: What goes into these massive playoff performances for you and how have you been able to dominate the glass in the biggest games of the season?
Looney: As easy as this answer sounds, it's just a mentality going into each and every game. Understanding what is at stake and what the team needs of me. I hold myself to a very high standard and tell myself I can always get every single rebound that presents itself. Sometimes, people say they can do this, but I have reached a level in my game where I understand where I need to position myself in order to get every rebound. The attention that Steph draws also makes it even easier for me to play behind in the dunker spot and control the glass.
Sometimes, rebounding is all our team needs to be successful, even though everyone pays attention to the threes and high-level scoring. As the big man at the center position, I feel like my job is to set the tone in terms of physicality and attacking the glass. As well as watching my own film and the success I have rebounding, I also watch others around the league and those who have retired. You can learn a lot of little things by watching the success of others. It takes a lot to win a championship and everyone needs to play their role to perfection to achieve this end goal.
CP: Let’s go back to that Game 7 against the Kings this past year. You had battled it out all series long with Domantas Sabonis, who ranked first in the league in rebounding over the course of the regular season, but you just dominated the paint in this game. What was your mindset and what went into this special 21-rebound performance.
Looney: We kind of had a letdown at home the game before and felt like we should’ve closed that series out in six games. Steph brought us all in after this game and basically told us if we get on that bus to Sacramento, we are going to win. I mean, just look at what he did in that game by scoring 50 points. His speech, his leadership kind of motivated all of us to have the mindset of not leaving him out there by himself.
We lost games in this series because we were beat up on the glass. I knew that in order for us to win, I had to have a special game and really control the paint by setting the tone of physicality early. You can just get into a zone sometimes, similar to how shooters like Steph and Klay get in the zone. Where they feel like they can’t miss, I get the feeling like every rebound is coming my way. In this game I felt like I was coming up with the ball every time I got a single finger on it. It was a special night for me to have a performance like that in Game 7. It’s something you dream about as a kid. It’s one of those games I’ll never forget.
CP: Steph’s 50-point game obviously helped you guys get past Sacramento too, right?
Looney: What Steph did against the Kings in Game 7 was special. He’s just one of those players you have to admire when he takes the court because they don’t make them like him anymore. That’s a special guy both on and off the court.
CP: Are you just numb by now to how special of a player Steph is or are you like all of us, constantly shaking your head at some of the things he does every single night?
Looney: That’s a good question. Sometimes we just get used to him scoring 30 or more points because that’s what he does. His crazy threes and all that are normal for us until you go play with other NBA guys in the summertime. They’re all good players and special in their own way too, but then you realize that Steph is an all-time great for a reason.
A lot of times, we take what he does for granted. When he gets it going, though, and puts us on his back by scoring 50, or deciding we aren’t going to lose a game, you can feel it in the moment that he’s not just one of the best players in the league, but that he’s one of the greatest players of all time. I am just fortunate to be able to see these games up close and call him both my teammate and friend.
CP: The career you’ve had with the Warriors so far is the perfect example of a player in this league earning everything he’s accomplished. At what point in your career did you fully understand the opportunity and role that presented itself with Golden State?
Looney: I’d have to say Year 3 in the league. That’s when I realized that the opportunity of being with a team that is one of the best ever was an opportunity I couldn't take lightly. I knew my number would be called at some point and I just kept myself ready for the moment. That time came when we played Houston. Andre got hurt and I was put in the starting unit. It was a tough series and we went on to win Game 7.
It’s times like that where I realized I had a chance to hold a big role on this team moving forward and be a part of a dynasty. It makes you raise your level of play, it makes you raise your level of focus, and, most importantly, your level of commitment. Of course you've got to be ready to play in games, but you also have to be ready to practice. If your head isn’t in it for practice, then guys will run you off the court. You learn quickly how to be a pro. How to be a winner. When I learned that I had a chance to etch my name in history with a team like this, I raised my game to another level and fully locked in.
CP: I say all the time that you have to be one of the best “glue guys” in the entire league because you truly hold the team together with all the little things you do to set the team up for success. Do you feel like you have helped change the way the center position is played?
Looney: I do. With me and the way we sometimes play small ball with Draymond, I think our Warriors system as a whole kind of changed the way teams evaluate the center position and how they want their big guys to play. There are still those lob threats and big bruisers in the paint, but now, most teams want guys who can be mobile and guard multiple positions. They want great passers, great screens, guys who can play inside and outside of pick-and-roll sets. These are all things I learned from Draymond, as well as Andrew Bogut earlier in my career, as he was such a good passer for a big guy.
We both helped change the center spot because now, if you can’t guard multiple positions, you won’t play. I’ll give Draymond a lot more of the credit because he was one of the first smaller guys to be viewed as a valuable option at center. Now, there are so many guys who play that type of style. Domantas Sabonis and Bam Adebayo do everything for their team, and Nikola Jokic is probably the type of center everyone wants for obvious reasons. I think we definitely changed the position and I think it's going to continue to evolve even after we are gone.
CP: Coach Kerr always has nothing but high praise for your work ethic and way you approach life. Tell me about the special relationship and connection you have with him.
Looney: I have a great relationship with Coach. You know, he believed in me when a lot of the fans and even other training staff and players maybe didn’t. He gave me an opportunity when I probably didn’t deserve it when I was coming off injury and had a lot to prove. He always had a lot of trust in me and put me in spots where I had to either sink or swim. Luckily, I found a little bit of success early on and was able to earn more trust. I think he believed in me and what I could do when I didn’t even believe in myself, so I truly have a special level of respect for him.
Coach Kerr is always there to give us advice and even outside of basketball, he’s someone we can count on. When I was dealing with being injured and going through that dark time, he was always someone I could talk to about life. He was a guy trying to figure his way out in the NBA early in his coaching career too, so we kind of related to one another in that way. Now, people are talking about him as one of the greatest coaches ever. It’s great to have him in my corner and we share a really strong connection with one another.
CP: Let’s go back to 2015 when you were preparing for the NBA Draft. Was there a specific team that you thought was going to take you in the first-round?
Looney: I really didn’t know to be honest. I worked out for over half the league and everything went really well during the pre-draft process. I thought I would wind up going in the 15-24 range of the draft and I even got invited to the green room. Some injury concerns did make me a little skeptical of things, so I didn’t really know what was going to happen. I did not think for a second I would drop to 30th overall and I didn’t even talk to or work out once for the Warriors before the draft. Ultimately, this has been a blessing in disguise. I found the perfect fit for myself, I was surrounded by some of the best medical professionals I could have in my corner, and I learned how to play basketball the right way. It all worked out for the best.
CP: You ultimately ended up going 30th overall to the Warriors and you had to battle through adversity with hip injuries and surgeries. Tell me about the journey you went on as a young player just wanting to be on the court, but having to constantly rehab and go through conditioning to get your body right instead.
Looney: It was really tough. There wasn’t any blueprint to follow for my hip injuries. It wasn’t like, “Alright, these guys get hip injuries every year, here is what you should expect.” I had double hip surgery and there wasn’t anyone I could really call for advice. There were a lot of guys that had one hip surgery and didn’t make it back to the NBA, so this is where doubt set in for me early on. It was definitely tough and it killed my confidence. Already having a major injury, I had to figure out my body again and figure out how to play in the NBA at the same time.
Despite all the hardships, it was worth it because I really learned how to be a pro during this time and I understood how much I really love this game. Having the time to develop as a young player and man during rehab helped prepare for times like this. Growing up, I never really got hurt and I never had to sit down to rest. That really killed my inner confidence early in my career, so that’s why I take a lot of pride in playing in every game now. I hate to have that label of “soft” or “injury-prone” or “being fragile.” That’s something I never liked and it’s a big slap in the face to me. To be healthy and available for my team is at the top of my list in terms of importance.
CP: You’ve had a lot of veteran voices on the roster through the years. Who would you say really helped you as a mentor and had the biggest impact on helping you get to be the player you are today?
Looney: I’ve had a lot of great vets and I am extremely fortunate for all of them. If I had to name the two best, I’d have to say Andre and Draymond. That’s not to say others weren't super impactful to me as a player and a man. I spent a lot of time with Shaun Livingston, David West, Andrew Bogut, Zaza Pachulia, and even Anderson Varejao when he was with us. The things I learned from them about being a big man in the NBA today is why I’ve found success. Setting screens the right way and doing small things even like standing in a particular spot on the floor while the play is happening – these are small details you can’t learn by just playing. A lot of the lessons I got from them early in my career, I still utilize in my game today and even try to mentor the youth on our team since I am now the aging veteran!
I give a lot of credit to the vets I had when I entered the league because they poured a lot into me. They were the perfect role models for me and they truly don’t understand the great impact they’ve had on me. I’m forever in debt to all those guys.
CP: Every player has their own pregame routine and ritual before tip-off, I always see you at the scorer’s table with the chalk laid out and you playing the piano. How did this come to be?
[Kevon laughs while shaking his head]
Looney: So growing up, I was always watching NBA games. I saw Michael Jordan with his chalk routine before the game, I saw LeBron James throwing the chalk in the air, and I saw all the great players had their own little routine. I decided then that I would have my own pregame ritual as well. I always used chalk before games to get my hands ready, but I knew I had to come up with something different, something unique.
This was my shining moment, so I decided I was going to mess around and play a fake piano at the scorer’s table one night. The rest is history I guess! It gets me amped up, my teammates love it, and I feel cool having my own little routine people are noticing. [Kevon smiles]
CP: Your team made some pretty big changes this offseason. Mike Dunleavy Jr. took over the front office and Jordan Poole was traded for Chris Paul. What was your initial reaction to this trade and how will Paul be able to fit in with the way you all play?
Looney: I was shocked when I saw this. I didn’t really know this was happening. You know, there’s always trade rumors out there during the offseason, but I didn’t know Chris Paul would be the guy we would get. You know, he’s always been like our No. 1 enemy in the playoffs and a guy we’ve always had to get past during our championship runs. When I heard about it and realized he was going to be on our team now, I immediately thought it was a dope opportunity. Being able to play with another Hall of Fame point guard is going to be amazing.
Chris is a guy who knows some much about the game and a guy who every big that plays with him winds up having their best season ever, so I’m excited to get the chance to play alongside him. I think he’s going to fit in really well. We’ve all gotten the chance to know him a little bit during the summer and he’s truly excited for this next chapter in his career. He fills a key need for us next to Steph and he will help solve some of the turnover issues we had a season ago. The sense of calmness in his game will be refreshing and he’s another leading voice in the locker room that we need. I’ve already learned things I would never think of from him, so I am genuinely looking forward to this season. We have a chance to do something special.
CP: What’s your message to all the doubters claiming the Warriors won’t win another title and that the dynasty is over?
[Kevon smirks]
Looney: I feel like we’ve been over this multiple times in the previous years. We have a great team and you should never doubt the heart of a champion. When you got guys like Steph, Klay, CP3, Draymond – they are all Hall of Famers for a reason. They're winners for a reason and I really believe we still have a lot left in the tank. Losing last year was not ideal, but it has helped us refocus on our main goal of keeping things going. This year is going to be special. To everyone doubting us, just be ready because we know we are still champions.
CP: Draymond recently went on social media backing a claim that you should have your jersey retired when you are ready to call it quits with the Warriors. What would it mean to you to have your number hang alongside that of Steph’s, Klay’s, Draymond’s and other Warriors greats one day?
Looney: Wow… Just thinking about that brings an amazing feeling. [Kevon looks off in thought] As a kid, you don’t even dream of something like that, your only goal is to make it to the NBA. To actually think about having your number put up in the rafters and have your legacy cemented forever next to some of your teammates… that’s special. That’s amazing.
I still have a lot of work to do and it's something I can dream about. Hopefully, if I can help us win a few more championships, I can get up there. That would just be such an amazing honor to be next to all of those Hall of Famers. It wouldn’t just be amazing for me, but for my family and my city. One day when I have kids, I would be able to show them that I was actually good at this game, so that would be something. [Kevon laughs]
CP: Building off of this, you have one more year left on your contract after this upcoming season. Do you envision yourself remaining with the Warriors for the remainder of your career?
Looney: That’s the goal. I’m on this team and Steph, Draymond, and Klay have been here their whole careers. If I can be another guy to be here for the whole ride, that would be amazing. Basketball is a business, though, and things happen fast. Trades happen, injuries happen; you just never know what is going to happen. We are fortunate enough to have a lot of talented players on our team, so there are always money things that happen too.
I’d love to be here my whole career. It’s a goal of mine. My family loves it out here, my girlfriend loves it out here, and I love it out here. All the fans and people in San Francisco treat me like their own family. I got here when I was 18 and I’ve become a man in this city. It’s a part of my life history. Outside of Milwaukee, all I know is the Bay Area. You never know what can happen, but my intentions are to stay with the Warriors.
CP: When all is said and done and you are ready to hang up your jersey in the locker room for the final time in your career, what do you want people to look back on and remember you for? What do you want fans of the game to remember when your name is brought up in conversations?
Looney: I want them to say that I was one of the best rebounders in the league. I want them to say I was the best offensive rebounder in the league and one of the toughest players in the NBA, period. I take pride in being tough and doing all the small stuff. This is something that was instilled in me back home, as I feel like Milwaukee is a blue-collar city. I was always taught that I need to be tough and be the first player to dive on the ground for the ball, do all the dirty stuff to help your team win. The champions and the celebrations are great, but it would be a dream come true for people to acknowledge my toughness and rebounding skills when I am ready to call it quits.
Hopefully, that won’t be for a long time, so my fans have nothing to worry about there!
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