WARRIORS PRACTICE FACILITY, OAKLAND, CA — This is Part 2 of the recap of #GSWMediaDay at Golden State Warriors headquarters yesterday.
Here’s a continuation of the highlights:
- Andrew Bogut‘s press conference was crashed by his best friend on the team, Harrison Barnes, who was introduced by emcee Raymond Ridder as a “high school kid reporter.” Barnes took the opportunity to ask if Bogut had added any cars to his collection.
“I added a Black Falcon, which is a car in Australia,” quipped Bogut, referring to Barnes’ nickname. “Once you sign that new contract, we’ll get you a gold-plated one. How about that?”
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Bogut also added that he had dinner in Walnut Creek back in May with Jarryd Hayne, the new San Francisco 49ers punt returner who was a star rugby player from Bogut’s native Australia.
“He was very homesick at that point,” said Bogut. “I couldn’t be more happy or proud of what he’s accomplished. A lot of people here don’t realize he’s the equivalent to our LeBron James our Kobe Bryant or Kevin Durant in Australian Rugby League. He’s that big in Australia. He’s the highest paid rugby league player, one of the highest in the world, and he’s one of the best rugby league players in the world, so to give that up, it’s the equivalent of the best player in a sport leaving and going and playing tennis or whatever.”
Bogut also had a little snarky fun with Warriors fans, taking over their Twitter account for questions being asked with the hashtag #GSWMediaDay:
Lol @andrewbogut! pic.twitter.com/RpxulI2rq1
— LetsGoWarriors (@LetsGoWarriors) September 29, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
- Warriors’ Bogut offers support to fellow Aussie Jarryd Hayne — Jeff Faurado, Bay Area News Group
- Andrew Bogut calls Jarryd Hayne ‘the feel-good story of the year’ — Rusty Simmons, San Francisco Chronicle
- Full transcript of Bogut interview — ASAP Sports
Thompson credited the NBA dress code with the spark. “Yeah, it’s definitely something over the years that I feel like I’ve gotten into. As the NBA and NBA family, we’ve done stuff over All-Star Weekend where you have the NBA fashion show and things like that. You know, coming into the league, I think, as a rookie, those were the times where they kind of changed the dress code and all that type of stuff, and now they’re starting to bring more fashion to it.
“So for me I can honestly say I’m not as big maybe as Andre is, but definitely intrigued how the fashion sense is, and I like the fact that the NBA is involved with fashion. I’m trying to learn and trying to get up on Andre’s swag.”
- Harrison Barnes was, of course, quizzed on his contract extension talks and if he thought it would happen, as the deadline the deal is at the end of next month, October 30th.
“Obviously you hope that happens, but that’s a little bit out of my circle of competency,” said Barnes. “But I do know for sure I love it here in Oakland and this is home for me.”
- Harrison Barnes is too smart to play dumb — Dieter Kurtenbach, KNBR.com
- Barnes confident extension with Warriors will get done — Monte Poole, CSN Bay Area
- Warriors’ Harrison Barnes ‘optimistic’ deal will be done — Faurado
- Harrison Barnes says contract extension talks ‘are going well’ — Simmons
- Full transcript of Barnes interview — ASAP Sports
He also talked about meeting Hakeem Olajuwon as part of the NBA Africa Game last month.
“At 54 he’s still got it. That’s what was crazy,” said Ezeli. “At 54 we were playing one-on-one, and all the fakes and everything, it’s unbelievable.”
Ezeli also posted this video that saluted the trio of 2012 Draft picks alongside Draymond Green and Barnes.
- Warriors’ Festus Ezeli meets idol Hakeem Olajuwon — Faurado
- Full transcript of Ezeli interview — ASAP Sports
Shaun Livingston was supposed to address media from the podium as well, but that was cut short as he had interview obligations with other outlets.
We took a stroll around the premises and found Stephen Curry dribbling for the camera. Not to shatter the legend, but he did mess up a few times and the ball went careening away at times (not shown in the video below).
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
He also skated a bit on the sheets that he was supposed to stand on while dribbling, an indication of his shiftiness.
Green got a chance to show fans the little nuances on the uniforms for 2015-16 indicating a championship franchise.
Speaking of championships, the Larry O’Brien trophy sat idle for a rare moment as he wasn’t needed for any pictures or video, but soon enough his presence was called upon to do a few last photos for the Warriors’ Twitter account. Warriors social media manager Julie Phayer, with a little help from assistant Paige Karleen, found a new way to stay out of the trophy’s reflection:
Behind the scenes of a @Warriors tweet with Larry and the Twitter Mirror. #GSWMediaDay #Warriors pic.twitter.com/vkXhToA1iD
— Daniel Brusilovsky (@danielbru) September 28, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Meanwhile Barnes checked his phone while waiting alone on a chair, as Ezeli finished up his jumbotron video roll with his own primal screams in gym that was now nearly emptied of reporters.
His and Green’s yells were the perfect ways for #DubNation defending its championship to start and end another memorable Warriors Media Day.
Check out our photo gallery and Part 1 for more links!
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
