Kevon Looney speaks to reporters after scoring 11 points in the Warriors’ win over the Raptors.
Kevon Looney is only 26 years old, but the Warriors big man already is in his eighth NBA season with Golden State.
And throughout his professional basketball journey, the three-time NBA champion has learned countless lessons from his older counterparts Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala, who range in age from 32 to 38 with four rings apiece.
With those four still on the team and a fresh crop of faces representing the Warriors of the future, Looney has found a new role as a “middleman” between the locker room’s two generations, imparting wisdom learned from the older veterans to the up-and-coming youngsters.
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“In the locker room, I just try to -- my role is more to bring everybody together,” Looney said after the Warriors’ 126-110 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday at Scotiabank Arena.
“... I’m in the middle of the age gap, so maybe the relationship with the young guys and the older guys, just trying to relay the culture and the winning habits that all the older guys taught me, try to bring it to the younger guys and explain to them what the coaches and the older guys expect.”
The winning culture that the Golden State elders expect has contributed to four NBA titles over the team’s last eight seasons. And Looney's answer Sunday was similar to that of the 23-year-old Jordan Poole, who referred to himself as the team's "middle child."
As the young group of Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, James Wiseman, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins, all 21 or younger, navigate the ups and downs of the league, Looney knows the struggle all too well.
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The center has faced numerous injury setbacks throughout his career but came out fighting on the other side, cementing his place in Warriors lore as their very own Iron Man.
“I’m one of those guys that’s kind of been through what they’ve been going through -- not playing, playing and in and out of the lineup,” Looney said. “So I know how they feel, and just explaining to them just be patient, that’s kind of my role.”
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The Warriors’ young core is lucky to have such a talented group of veterans to look up to, including the 26-year-old Looney.
And if Dub Nation is lucky, the beloved big man will continue to serve as a team mentor for a long, long time.
