This article was compiled from: The Athletic
Written by Marcus Thompson II
原标题：How Kevon Looney has made himself invaluable to the Warriors dynasty
In the Warriors' 114-97 home win over the Kings, Looney played 31 minutes, contributing four points, 20 rebounds and nine assists, nine of which were frontcourt rebounds, and his plus-minus was +21. Looney became the fourth player in NBA history to steal at least nine front boards and provide at least nine assists in a single playoff game. The top 3 have all won MVPs, they are "Magic" Johnson, Barkley and Jokic. Looney was doomed to miss out on MVP in his career, but he was a priceless treasure to the Warriors dynasty.
Wear Warrior No. 5? It could be his fans
Kevin Looney, the Warriors' No. 5 player, sometimes watches the crowd in the stands, stares at one of the No. 5 jerseys, and then gets a little excited. "Last year, wearing that jersey was definitely a Byron (Davis) fan," Looney said with his trademark smile.
The most famous player to pass through the Warriors No. 5 is probably All-Star guard Byron Davis. In addition to him, backup guard Sbets, who was popular with the Warriors in their first championship victory, also wore No. 5. Tim Hardaway also crossed No. 5, and while he is known for his No. 10, he crossed the Warriors' No. 5 in his rookie season.
This year, if Looney sees the Warriors' No. 5 jersey, he often says it's probably his own fan, and every time he smiles brightly, it's a simple joy.
Warriors reporter Marcus Thompson said that if Warriors players were treated as statues together, Curry's statue could be golden, and Looney's statue would be at least iron or steel. Not just because he has three championship rings, but also for the immeasurable impact he has had on this championship team and the sacrifices he has made to do so. Looney giggled at the thought of the statue, he didn't think about the statue, if the Warriors could lift the No. 5 jersey into the air, if not as a retirement number that no other players wear, but just for display, Looney would be excited enough. Because that means recognition of Him.
"When I look into the crowd and see somebody wearing the number 5 shirt, I know he's my fan and that's enough," Looney said.
Moral compass? He's also a rebounding master
Kerr called Looney the Warriors' "moral compass," not only because he would supervise teammates and correct some behavior in the locker room, but also because of the glitz and drama in which the Warriors operated, and people would always feel Looney's down-to-earth. He will not be distorted by the dreams around him, will not be lost by temptations, and will not be intimidated by adversity and difficulties. He is so solid, so reliable, and always the Loon in everyone's heart.
Looney's secret weapon lies in his ability to always remain calm. He has experienced a lot of setbacks, but he doesn't dwell in frustration or pain, he spends all his energy on what he has to do.
This season, Looney's answer is to become a rebounding master, leading the league with 247 frontcourt rebounds. These 247 front boards were exchanged for 347 points for the team's secondary offensive score. Looney averaged 3.3 frontcourt rebounds per game, tied for fourth with Gobert, Poeltl and Allen. Looney grabbed 18.5 percent of the rebounds while on the floor, tied for seventh in the league with Sabonis. Looney is also an iron man, with full attendance last year and this year. Cole called Looney "a man who can weather every storm" and said he would never worry about Looney's condition.
Wiseman didn't play and he was disappointed
Looney is a great listener and always understands everything. He always kept a clear head and understood the wisdom in each piece of advice from a broader perspective. His mother, Victoria, was a talented singer and missionary who was well known in Milwaukee. His father, Kevin, was always considered strong and reliable. These are the sources of Looney's power. When he comes to the Warriors, he will also draw energy from veterans like David West, Pachuria, Vallejo and Iguodala.
Of course, calm does not mean no desire, Looney also wants big contracts and works tirelessly for them, he wants to be appreciated and get more love.
"I've always had to compete for my spot," Looney said, "and since I've been here, they've brought in some interior players every year, from Jordan Bale to Mian Jones, and every year someone has come." That includes Wiseman.
Justifiably, Wiseman was his rival, but Wiseman didn't succeed with the Warriors, and there was Looney among those disappointed. "Some people have really helped me improve a lot before, so I also want to help him [Wiseman] as much as I can," Looney said. ”
With an annual salary of only 177th, he is not angry
Looney likes the Warriors and doesn't want to leave the Bay Area. "Unless [the other teams give] crazy sum, I don't want to give up everything now, I don't want to give up the chance to win the title."
The money Looney received from the Warriors isn't crazy, certainly not crazy, signing a three-year, $22 million contract last offseason. This season, Looney's annual salary is $8 million, ranking 177th among all players this season and only 39th among centers. Kings backup center Holmes earns $11.6 million a year, ranking 27th among centers, and the Lone Ranger's Powell, the Pacers' Theis, and the Knicks' Haltenstein all earn higher salaries than Looney.
But Looney wasn't angry, and he enjoyed simple pleasures on his way to his fourth title. “Looooooon！” Looney grinned as fans at Chase Center dragged out his name. For him, that's enough.