Tag: Jr. NBA

Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry acknowledged to ESPN analyst Doris Burke that he thinks he needs to be do a better job of keeping in touch with teammates during quarantine.

He thinks that if the team connects and sticks through the coronavirus, they’ll have a “prime opportunity” once basketball returns.

Curry and Durke were guests on the Jr. NBA Leadership Conference on Friday, during which they gave advice about basketball and life to young athletes.

During the conversation, Burke asked him how NBA players have stayed connected through the quarantine.

“It’s been hard, to be honest,” Curry said. “I’m so used to having that drive to the practice facility. The four to five, six hours that we’re at the gym. It’s just kind of natural conversation, and start to get to know people over time. You really can’t force that stuff. And so that’s kind of taken away.”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaWGqWH6B5M?start=1164]

Curry said the team tries to have video calls frequently to talk about their lives, not necessarily basketball, and to do workouts together twice a week.

But he thinks he hasn’t been as well as he needs.

“I haven’t been doing a great job of it,” Curry said, and added that he needs to check in on the younger players more often.

“I can’t imagine when I was a rookie, coming into this league and trying to figure everything out and you get hit with the postponement of the season.”

The bulk of this team is different since the last time they were in the playoffs. Curry called this a “bridge year,” implying that the Warriors expect to be better next season. But as they went from injuries and losses straight into social distancing and cancellation of the schedule, it’s going to be harder to do.

This year’s team leader in minutes played was rookie Eric Paschall. Not including players who were traded midseason, Damion Lee is second among Warriors, and he only had 410 minutes last year. Rookie Jordan Poole is third of those who remain on the team.

Last year’s top three were Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Steph Curry. Durant and Thompson, obviously, did not play a minute for the Warriors this season. Curry’s injury limited him to just five games.

“It’s not just about putting talent together, it’s about that chemistry,” Curry said.

Once Thompson and Curry are back in the mix, the point guard thinks the team can contend again.

It will just take a lot of hard work both on the court and regaining that chemistry they had over the years – even when they’re not able to physically be together.

Big picture, there’s a lot of things that are way more important than basketball,” Curry said.

“But when basketball does come back, we have a prime opportunity to reclaim where we were, and it’s gonna come with a lot of hard work and it’s going to look entirely different, but hopefully everybody’s buying into it and do whatever you can in this meantime to make sure you’re well mentally and physically.”

[lawrence-related id=26225,26165]

Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry and ESPN analyst Doris Burke joined forces Friday afternoon on the Jr. NBA Leadership Conference to give kids lessons and advice during this difficult time.

With Burke asking questions and giving occasional personal input, Curry described how his life is going, how he and his kids are working through the coronavirus pandemic and, of course, had plenty of basketball-related advice for young athletes who tuned in.

The following are how Curry responded to different topics presented by Burke. When Burke speaks, it is specified.

On communication:

Sometimes the craziness of life can district you a little bit. But through this situation, you find out who (your support system is) really fast as your day to day, your routines, your jobs, they look a lot different. You start to kind of analyze who those people around you who you can rely on for positivity and support.

… It’s about just staying in touch, asking the simple questions of how you’re doing, what’s on your mind, trying to check in as much as possible. … It’s a great opportunity to hit the reset button and reach out to people that you’ve maybe lost touch with.”

On the importance of asking and answering questions:

It’s tough. Our oldest is 7, and so not being at school, there’s been a lot of questions just centered around that. Why can’t I go see my friends? Why are you teaching me grammar? (laughs) I’m asking myself the same questions. … Being as honest as possible, understanding that at her age she can handle a little bit more than her younger siblings.

… I told her we’re just going to figure it out. Some days it’s going to be good, some days it’s going to be rough. You might feel sad certain days, you might be happy other days. Every emotion you have is OK.

Just make sure that you’re telling us what’s going on so we can help because we’re going through the same things as gown adults. So I think being as honest as possible to her has been huge.

Burke: While (children) might not be able to consciously recognize what it is exactly they’re feeling, to speak to a parent, to speak to a friend, to speak to a colleague, to know that we’re all sort of in the same boat, that’s a comforting thing.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaWGqWH6B5M?start=1163]

On finding gratitude, peace in tough situations

I try to find gratitude somewhere, or appreciation of something. Everybody’s in different circumstances. It’s easy to complain, I find myself doing it either under my breath or to my wife. She’ll look me in my face and be like, ‘Hey, it could be worse, but also think about all the great things that have happened whether it’s relationships, whether it’s something that has taught you who you are in this world and those people that you matter to.’

Finding some type of appreciation on some level will hopefully set your day off in the right direction. … There are real-life situations that people are going through, and real-life change that there’s a lot of fear and uncertainty going around. I think there’s always something we can be appreciative of. It’s just life in general, health, that can frame your point of view on the difficult challenges that you have to face.

Burke: You’re striking a chord with me, Steph. I didn’t know it at the time obviously but that last game on March 11, I actually had the virus. I was not feeling well. And to be perfectly honest with you, along the lines of your feeling the gratitude, when I came through it, that was the only emotion I was literally capable of feeling was incredible gratitude for being well and that my children were well. So believe me when I tell you, that’s a great perspective and I keep saying to my kids there are lessons here for us … Lean into these lessons, whatever they may be.