Following the Golden State Warriors‘ decision to re-sign James Michael McAdoo to a second 10-day contract, Santa Cruz Warriors head coach Casey Hill shared his thoughts on Golden State taking yet another look at the 6’9 athletic forward.
“James Michael is one heck of a story,” Hill said to LetsGoWarriors.com via text message. “He’s been nothing but a pleasure to coach and work with, and I couldn’t be more proud of what he’s accomplished so far. The best has yet to come with him.”
And while McAdoo may now be heading back to Hill’s team in Santa Cruz very soon, it’s really quite possible that the Warriors could bring him on for the rest of the season with the team still keeping their last roster spot completely vacant.
Since rising to the position of Santa Cruz head coach a couple seasons ago, Coach Hill has helped lead Golden State’s NBA D-League affiliate to a 19-12 record after making it to the NBA D-League Finals last season. He maintains a good relationship with Golden State head coach, Steve Kerr, working to implement Kerr’s strategies into Santa Cruz to give the organization another way to determine what works best.
But aside from the x’s and o’s, many believe that Golden State’s great team chemistry is one of the central factors behind the team’s continued success; both the players and coaches like being with each other on and off the court, which allows them to mesh well and execute in spectacular fashion.
Adam Johnson, Editor of SeaDubsCentral.com — a beat site that covers the D-League and, in particular, the Santa Cruz Warriors — spoke to LetsGoWarriors on how difficult it can be to form relationships within the D-League.
“With the NBA, there’s a level of continuity that allows teammates to create relationships with each other on another level; in the D-League — with all its moving parts — it’s not as easy,” Johnson said.
“That doesn’t mean that players can’t create bonds with one another, but the fluid nature of the D-League makes it a challenge to develop chemistry on a nightly basis when a team’s roster is constantly changing.”
And while that may be the case with the majority of the D-League, the Santa Cruz Warriors appear to be just as much of an anomaly as Golden State.
According to Gina Antoniello, Director of Santa Cruz’s Public and Community Relations, much of Santa Cruz’s success can be attributed to Coach Hill’s genuine long-term investment in each of the players he works with, as well as the players’ openness to developing good chemistry for the betterment of the team.
“In Santa Cruz, there’s that culture of family that has bonded our players as brothers,” Antoniello said. “It all starts with Coach Hill who has found that special style of mentor, coach, and friend, as he so effortlessly connects with each player on an individual level.
“Through that trust and investment in each player he has connected them with one another and given them their mission. That sort of camaraderie is one of Golden State’s strengths that resonates down in Santa Cruz as well.”
Now since becoming the D-League affiliate of Golden State in 2011 and relocating to its current home in 2012, Santa Cruz has enjoyed a great deal of success both on and off the court. Through Santa Cruz, the Warriors organization has given itself a prime opportunity to better analyze talented basketball players just a step below that of the NBA, players that — given the right teaching and the environment to grow — have a legitimate chance to be called-up by a NBA team like the Warriors.
But with that comes a certain stigma that D-League players are not worth watching. Whether it be in person after buying a $30-$40 ticket or on the D-League live feed on Youtube, the fact that the D-League is seen as being “below” the NBA detracts casual basketball fans that would much rather watch superstars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry.
With Santa Cruz, however, that doesn’t seem to be the case, as both Johnson and Antoniello can attest to.
“Much like Golden State is to the NBA, Santa Cruz fans are like no other in the D-League,” Johnson said. “The team is always at or near sell-out and [the fans] are very supportive of the local team.”
The team is also very much involved with the local community, Johnson added, engaging in outreach projects like Read To Achieve and a new elementary school curriculum known as “Math Warriors.”
Johnson also mentioned that the team is the first in the D-League to sell over $1 million in season tickets, a feat that the organization accomplished in just two-and-a-half years time.
“It’s incredible to see our arena packed wall to wall, then feel the electricity and hear the noise that can bring down the house,” said Antoniello.
“That Golden State excitement is definitely present in Santa Cruz. We truly have the best fans in the D-League.”
As one of the five D-League teams currently above .600, it’s great to see Golden State’s D-League affiliate consistently among the league’s elite and supported by a loyal following capable of turning Kaiser Permanente Arena into “Mini-Roaracle.”
ALSO: James Michael McAdoo and Elliot Williams were chosen to represent the Santa Cruz Warriors in last Sunday’s NBA D-League All-Star Game.
McAdoo, suffering a right ankle sprain shortly before the conclusion of his 10-day contract, was unable to play in the D-League All-Star game. Williams, however, tallied 16 points, five boards and six assists on 6-for-11 shooting.
Following the All-Star break, Santa Cruz will resume the season Tuesday on the road against the Oklahoma City Blue.
Golden State will enjoy a long break with their next game coming against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday at Oracle Arena.
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