Kevon Looney has been one of the most unexpected, yet gratefully rewarding surprises of the Golden State Warriors' last two championship runs. Initially an injury-marred player out of UCLA, Looney stood little to no chance to stick around in a star-heavy Warriors' rotation, but with the help of Draymond Green and other veterans, he's soon earned his place as a vital cog of this juggernaut.

Looney had been mired as an earth-bound center, capped by his poor health and lack of athleticism, yet the fourth-year big man has now been one of the Warriors' best lob threats in recent memory.

“Last year and this year, even when I don’t expect him to throw me the lob, he throws the lob,” Looney said of his partner-in-lob Green, according to Ethan Strauss of The Athletic. “First couple times, in the game, I always was grabbing it, and landing first, but this summer, I made it more of a focus to become a lob finisher because that’s what our team needs. Draymond’s turned me into one of those players who go get lobs.”

The lob has always been an integral part of the Warriors' system, whether it was Andrew Bogut, JaVale McGee, or Looney at the back end to finish the alley-oop play.

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Looney doesn't boast about his hops, mostly keeping that to himself, as well as saving his legs and his 7-foot-4 wingspan for the times that call for it.

“I keep that under wraps,” Looney said of his vertical leap. “I got a sneaky bounce to me. I can get up when I need to, but if I don’t have to, I don’t usually. Let people think I have a 3-inch vertical! (laughs)”

Loon's sneaky hops have given the Dubs the weapon so many deemed as lost without a center capable of throwing it down in a flash, this time armed with more than a pair of jets to take off, but a bevy of finishing moves around the basket and a relentless motor to pound the glass in situations where another possession is needed.

No one in making Air Looney sneakers in the near future, but fortunately for the Warriors, their trusty big man will pack all the airness he needs for this final stretch of the postseason.