To win one championship in the NBA is a huge accomplishment for any player, regardless of what role they hold on their team. Getting to and winning in the NBA Finals is the name of the game. For the Golden State Warriors, competing for a championship and being one of the final teams standing at the end of the season has become a near-yearly occurrence.
Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Warriors have captured four titles and have been to the championship series eight different times, turning themselves into this generation's dominant dynasty. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala have all been the catalysts for success in the Bay Area, yet Kevon Looney's vast importance must not be overlooked. While he was not there for their first championship run in 2015, Looney has proven his worth by outexecuting his opponents physically and mentally in the paint.
Only 84 players in NBA history have won three or more championships. Just 58 of them have done so with the same team. Looney is fortunate enough to call himself one of these players, as he has spent his entire eight-year career with the Warriors, capturing titles in 2017, 2018 and most recently in 2022.
Kevon Looney overcame a lot of adversity to become an NBA champion
Looney's role and legacy being a part of this Warriors dynasty was not always a given, though, especially since there were questions about if Looney was ever going to be able to play in the NBA due to multiple hip surgeries when he first entered the league.
“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,'” Kevon Looney told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview ahead of training camp. “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.”
Looney ultimately played in just five regular-season games during his rookie campaign — the 2015-16 season. That year was full of torment for the Warriors' big man, especially with doubt being an unmovable presence that stood before him every day. Giving up and coming to terms with the idea of not being able to live up to expectations is the path most athletes would go down when facing this much adversity pertaining to injuries.
That wasn't an option for Kevon Looney.
“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,” Looney explained to ClutchPoints. “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.”
While he has faced some other injury obstacles since his rookie season, Kevon Looney has played in all 82 games each of the last two seasons, as well as a total of 35 playoff games in this span. Even when he was sore or feeling under the weather, Looney still showed up and did his job because he not only understands the opportunity that has presented itself to the Warriors, but he understands his importance to the team's overall success. In fact, Golden State's big man has not missed any game since March 20, 2021.
Kevon Looney helping revolutionize center position in NBA
The Warriors have always been viewed as an undersized team. They were amongst the first to implement the idea of playing small by not having a true center on the floor, which has led to the evolution of the center position as a collective. While they are smaller than most bruiser-like centers from back in the day, Green and Looney have redefined what it means to be a big man in the league today.
They both play out on the perimeter and even though they are not necessarily shooting threats, the Warriors' frontcourt talents have made a living by doing everything else to impact winning. Whether it is switching screens and defending every position or being the primary facilitator that ends up racking up assists by passing to Curry and Thompson, both Green and Looney have helped shape the center position to the point where we now have high-impact, All-Star big men like Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and others doing more than just rebounding and scoring in the paint.
“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.”
“We both helped change the center spot because now, if you can’t guard multiple positions, you won’t play,” Looney continued. “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.”
Kevon Looney, beast on the boards
Kevon Looney may not be the scorer Steph or Klay are out on the perimeter and may not be the same two-way presence Draymond is at any spot on the floor. However, what makes Looney such a special part of this Warriors dynasty is his effort and ability to outrebound anyone he goes up against.
The art of rebounding in the NBA is something that has, and never will, change. When a shot goes up, it has always been the center's responsibility to box out and be stronger than his opponents on the interior. As much of a physical game rebounding is, it's also a mental battle.
Through the years, Looney has really established himself as one of the best rebounding big men in the league due to his unique ability to find himself in the perfect spot for every rebound. Sure, there is always a little bit of luck involved with how the ball spins off the rim or backboard, but Looney's approach is simple: he just wants to ball more than everyone else.
“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,” Looney pointed out to ClutchPoints. “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.
“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.”
Star players put a team in a position to win a championship. Role players and secondary talents are the ones who ultimately forge a championship team. We have seen this come true time and time again across the league in the playoffs. Pertaining to Looney specifically, what he did in the 2022 playoffs propelled the Warriors to another championship.
In Game 6 of their Western Conference Semifinals series against the Memphis Grizzlies, a closeout game, Kevon Looney recorded 22 total rebounds, 11 of which were on the offensive side of the glass. Against the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, he recorded back-to-back 12-rebound nights in Games 2 and 3 before registering 18 total boards in Game 5 of the series, another closeout game to send the Warriors to the NBA Finals. His efforts on the glass against the Boston Celtics in the Finals put Golden State in a position to win and Looney's teammates did the rest.
Every single time No. 5 had a big rebounding night during their recent title run, the Warriors went on to win the game. This is no coincidence, as Looney has rapidly become one of the most underrated, high-impact rebounders in the entire NBA.
“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.”
Warriors out to prove doubters wrong again
The 2022-23 season is being viewed as a letdown for the Warriors in many people's eyes, especially after they conquered all odds to get back to the NBA world in 2022. For Looney, this past year was the best of his career, as he set career-high averages in points (7.0), rebounds (9.3) and minutes (23.9).
Falling short of defending their championship, the Warriors are now preparing for the new 2023-24 season with a refreshed mindset. Instead of being the hunted at the top of the NBA food chain, they are once again the hunters, a dangerous position for a team that has plenty of championship expertise. Redemption is the one word that comes to mind when describing the upcoming season for Golden State, as everyone within the walls of the organization still believes they have what it takes to win it all.
Legacies are forged in the postseason and titles are remembered forever. For 41 games, the 2014-15, 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2021-22 championship banners will be visible in Chase Center, serving as a friendly reminder of what their ultimate goal is. Looney and this experienced core have been through all the ups and downs through the years, which is why the Warriors will once again be in the hunt for this upcoming season's title pursuit.
“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,” Kevon Looney said. “When you got guys like Steph, Klay, CP3 [Chris Paul], 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.”
Follow Us
Subscribe