👇timestamped transcript below, tap More or scroll down (better than RUclips’s auto-generated one, tap More or scroll down) … PREVIOUS VIDEO: Gui/Dario ruclips.net/video/KLWIMVTbp6c/видео.html … MORE CURRY Q&As: ruclips.net/p/PLszalip37vKJR-0W6w6Ag8n70gtEpqs_F … MORE PLAYLISTS: ruclips.net/user/letsgowarriorsplaylists Eleven years ago to this video upload (see timestamps below), I first filmed David Lee, answering questions in the locker room after Game 3 of the WCS vs the Spurs. Last week, my guy “warriors4lifeofficial” on IG alerted me to Lee’s birthday (4/29) so I decided to rummage through all the footage we had pertaining to DLee on this channel and here’s what I found… 0:00 MAY 10, 2013 - first David Lee (3 minutes played) locker room interview after the Warriors lost Game 3 of the 2013 Western Conference Semifinals to the Spurs, 102-92, his first appearance in the series after his heroic return in Game 6 of the previous series against the Nuggets: Are you amazed at how well they've done? Have they been creative? “No question. That’s the name of the game, with good teams. One guy goes down and the other guys stepping up. Gotta give a lot of credit to our coaching staff. They're doing some different things in different lineups. And of course, Harrison's played mostly three, but played some four. And Draymond’s stepped in and done a great job. And Andrew’s continued his job on defense. So it helps a lot when you got Klay and Steph playing the way they are. And that sets everybody else up. I'm really proud of them… I haven't gone anywhere. I've been here the entire time and I'm just happy to be here. And we'll just see what happens as far as when I get back on the court. But the most important thing is, I'm starting to feel better each day and I'm still here to support the team, no matter what… It'll be up to Coach. I'm at this point, today, I'm not able to run that quickly, that's for sure, and so that's just the reality of it. But we'll still see what this has in store for me… I'm really nervous. I think it's going to be tight. I'm nervous. Oh, my gosh. So much worse. It's nice to be out there and have some say in what's going to happen. And I said that to Coach after, I don't know how you do it. And I kind of put it into action. So, I kind of know where he's coming from on that one. It's difficult.” 1:52 MARCH 16, 2016 - Steph after practice, before Lee’s return nine days later: Have you been glad to see him getting some playing time? “Yeah, we've talked a good amount the last two weeks about his new situation. I know for him, he loves to play the game and be on a team that's competing for something. So, definitely happy for him. He loves the opportunity he has and I think he loves the guys he's playing with down there... It's nice to see him kind of settled in, and who knows what might happen in the playoffs when we play, but he's out there doing it, and I'm so honored with what he's all about.” 2:35 BEHIND-THE-SCENES on March 25, 2016, Lee’s first return to Oracle (with the Dallas Mavericks to face the 64-7 Warriors) 3:01 DLEE TRIBUTE VIDEO 3:15 James Michael McAdoo pregame workout 3:34 Ian Clark and Festus Ezeli pregame workouts 3:42 David Lee pregame workout 3:51 Lee says hi to Ezeli and Leandro Barbosa 4:00 Harrison Barnes pregame workout 4:18 Steve Kerr arrival for pregame interview 4:27 Anderson Varejao pregame workout 4:36 Draymond Green pregame autographs 4:45 Stephen Curry pregame workout 5:28 Pregame at Lee’s first return to Oracle: “…on paper, this should be a tough game for us. I think the best thing we can do is go out there and play hard and be aggressive from the start. And you never know what can happen… A bunch of family and friends in town. And of course, I wanted to get my rest. So, I just took everybody to dinner last night. But more than anything, this is kind of business as usual with the exception of the pregame stuff. And I'm not going to be a guy that's going to lie to you and say that it doesn't mean a lot to me, the pregame stuff, and getting to celebrate this. So I'll enjoy that moment. And then, once that's over with and the ball's thrown up, it's business as usual. But it's great to be back and see a lot of familiar faces and friends.” When you look back at last year, can you share how you were able to keep yourself mentally and physically sharp enough? [timestamps👇 continued in Comments] #Warriors #DavidLee #StephenCurry
“Yeah, I gained a lot of respect for guys in the league. When I was a rookie, I didn't play much, but after that, I got a lot of playing time on the teams I was on. I gained a lot of respect for guys that are able to be career guys that are at the end of the bench or guys that are reserves and are able to be sharp each and every game, because it is not easy. For me, as far as keeping my attitude positive, at some point last year, looking back on the fact I've been an All-Star twice, scored 10,000 points, done some pretty cool individual things. It became important to me, like more important the kind of the legacy that I'm gonna leave in this game and and what kind of attitude I have towards the game. And being a positive guy towards my teammates, that became more important to me, rather than what my points and rebounds looked like. And that was the first time in my career I could probably say that because every player in this league wants to average 20-and-10 and wants to be an All-Star. And that's human nature and we're all competitive. But last year I really just - whatever reason, right now, the injuries, this isn't my time. But I also want to be ready. Because I've also seen every situation where it's going to come back around. I'm going to have my opportunity and I had that opportunity, in the Memphis series and in the Finals. And I was able to come through and I owe that to the fact that I stayed positive and I stayed ready. And it also helps to have guys in that locker room that will support me the whole time and kept my spirit high.” You shedding a few tears when you see that (pregame tribute) video? “Man, is Steph apparently talking tonight? He might keep it light and make fun of me the whole time, in which case I wouldn't, but there's a decent chance. It's a very, very cool thing to look back on. We'll see how mushy they get with the video. There's a bunch of ways they can take this, but either way I'll enjoy it.” (LetsGoWarriors reporter Poor Man’s Commish) Hey, I know you haven't got the ring yet, but it has all those different features of it -? “I did not know that. I didn't know about the various features.” Oh, okay. I was going to ask you what was your favorite feature? “We'll do an interview at a later date and we can discuss that.” [2015 champ ring features: ruclips.net/video/QhMdXKc0a6U/видео.html] 8:44 Andrew Bogut pregame workout 9:01 Curry pregame tunnel shots and autographs 9:50 Jim Barnett walks by Brandon Rush and Mo Speights pregame workout 9:58 Klay Thompson pregame autographs 10:07 MARCH 25, 2016 - STEPH POSTGAME: “We had our opportunity to celebrate, the first game of the year (with the ring ceremony). He obviously wasn't here, so for him to be his first time back at Oracle, on an opposing team, was a great reception that he had received and is well-deserved. The five years he spent here was a great ride of elevating to the championship. It was a highly anticipated night for him to come and receive his ring and get that love from DubNation, that they appreciate what he meant to the Warriors franchise.” 10:46 MARCH 25, 2016 - KERR POSTGAME: Can you talk about the reception from the fans when David Lee received his ring? “I thought it was awesome. He deserved it. The video was great. The players were excited for David and he played a huge role in helping to resurrect this franchise during his five years here. And then of course winning a title last year, which ironically came in the year when he lost his starting job. But that was a big part of why we were so successful last year. He accepted it, stayed ready and when we needed him in the playoffs, he came up big for us. And I'm glad he got the response that he did.” 11:30 MARCH 25, 2016 - DRAYMOND POSTGAME: “An incredible reception; he's done a lot for this organization. He's part of the championship team. He's one of the first free agents to actually decide to come here. And he started something special. So, it was a great reception for him. And it was definitely well m-deserved.” How much did you learn from him? Because you obviously took over the position that he played. “A lot; he taught me a lot. Great depth, whether on the court or off the court. He taught me a lot, he's a big part of it, to me.” 11:56 APRIL 2, 2016 - KERR AFTER PRACTICE: Can you stop Raymond (Ridder) from reading the numbers, even if you wanted to? “We wouldn't do it because we enjoy his voice so much. It's the 13th time since - Exactly. Although we do miss David Lee's impersonation.” 12:12 MAY 16, 2016 - Lee returns to Oracle to watch Warriors face OKC (lost Game 1 of WCF) 12:21 MAY 12, 2017 - KLAY AFTER PRACTICE (before Game 1 of the 2017 WCF which the Warriors would win, 4-0): What have you thought about what David did for (the Spurs) this season? “Oh, David's been great. He fits in there as a group because he's so versatile and so skilled. He's skilled, he can pass, he can shoot, he can finish the rim. It's going to be fun going against him.” 12:37 JANUARY 24, 2018 - STEPH POSTGAME, two months after David Lee announced his retirement: Before the game, I ran into a guy who's been following this team for a long time, a season ticket holder. And he said, ‘Four All-Stars again. Wow, I can't believe it. I remember the days when we used to pray to get just one.’ And you remember how bad it was when you first got here. So what are your reflections on getting to this point where you get to go be the guys making history with four All m-Stars in two consecutive years? “It's crazy. Actually, me and Raymond were talking about it yesterday. When I first got here at our practice facility in Oakland and we had, on the wall, like All-Stars through the years. And so it had the greats of the Warriors organization, Wilt Chamberlain, Alvin Attles, all the rest. 1998, Latrell Sprewell. And then there's a huge gap until David Lee in 2013, right? And then it got real dry in there. So like, I guess from 2000, or 1999, or 1998, til D.Lee was an All-Star, we started celebrating, like, All-Star 3-point contest participation, Jason Richardson, Slam Dunk champion and all that kind of stuff. So that was on the wall, too. So we just wanted a little bit of representation also, any way we can get it. But now, to be in a position where, like you said, we're making history with four guys, two years in a row. It's unbelievable to kind of think what that means in the history of the league and what this team is about. And for us four to be able to represent all the different guys that we've played with and won championships with and done great things, that’s what it's all about. So ride the wave as long as we can and appreciate the opportunity to represent our teammates in LA this year.” 14:26 FEBRUARY 24, 2018 - LEE PREGAME, his return to Oakland after his retirement: How are the wedding plans (with tennis player Caroline Wozniacki)? “Oh, most important, most important question, right? Going really well, at work, starting a new job, and planning that. So those are my two main things going on right now. And being a tennis fan, that's also on the agenda.” Did you have fun in Australia? “Absolutely. I was just telling a few people in the owner's room, it's one of the most nerve-wracking things I've ever been a part of, is having to watch - and I'll be a spectator again next week - but having to watch somebody and have zero control over the outcome, other than just being able to cheer somebody on, it's a pretty helpless feeling.” You were always part of the ride here, but it keeps going and going. What have you just thought about it, and where has this gotten you? “It's incredible, and I just talked to Coach Kerr about it a little bit, and it's been amazing. You keep seeing this roll continue, and to realize it's been a few years now since it started. So there's actually - it's not like this is a new thing. It's a thing that's been around for a few years and is continuing to get better. And my biggest thing is I'm just happy to be a small part of it. I don't really care what part of it people think I was, whether I was one of the first people here, just the fact I was able to win a championship and be a part of something so special, and it's continued on from there. And they've done it with an incredible group of people with great character and great team chemistry and, obviously, great ownership and coaching. So it's really cool to have been a part of that. And that's why I'll continue to support it whenever I'm out here.” You were here when Steph started his rise. When you look at him now, does it blow you away to kind of see where he is compared to when you first met him? “Yeah, no question about it. I think a lot of it just has to do with confidence because, I think we were - Raymond, you were here when this all went down - and he signs the contract before the big contract. I guess it was a big contract then, too, but how many members of the media, how many people, fans, and everything doubted investing in a guy that had so many ankle troubles and had so many injury difficulties? And there were times when Monta (Ellis) got traded, should they have traded Stephen instead? There was a lot of interesting things that go on and now you look back on it and everybody pretends like those times never happened, but it's what made him stronger. And also I just saw really the confidence build every single year and every time I think that he can't reach a new level, he has an even better season. So it's really special to watch.” How much have you felt at peace, how much do you miss the game now? [👇continued in next Reply Comment below👇]
“I'm completely at peace with it. I'm really happy that I got to go out on my terms. I think that's something that was very important to me and I had the thought of playing another two or three years and then got a great business opportunity off the court and right as that happens, the offers that came in at free agency were to play twelve, fifteen minutes a game, in places that didn't have a chance to win a championship again. And I looked at that and I looked at what I accomplished in the league and thought that now would be as good a time as any. And I told a story that I didn't know until I kind of watched the first game of the year and I was watching that Cleveland-Boston game and saw Gordon Hayward get hurt and I said, ‘You know what, I think I'm good. I think I'm good sitting on the couch and observing this.’ So I'm completely at peace with it and I'm very, very happy to come back tonight and no awkward feelings. Just going to go support everybody and be a fan. So it's been great.” Two questions for you. You said you got a great idea. What's that? First of all, and then second of all, over your years at Golden State, what are sort of the things that stick out to you or that you remember the most? “You can see when, as I told you, it went where I was kind of not thrilled about anything that was presented to me. I thought that now was the perfect time to get involved so I could get learning as quickly as possible. And it's been great so far. And then, obviously, the championship, being a part of that. You look at, getting injured my final year here and how that could have been the most frustrating year of my career, obviously, losing a lot of playing time, but I think it was the fact that I put the team first and instead, was only thinking about being a part of something special. And then when I was given the opportunity in two different playoff series, meaning Memphis and then the Finals against Cleveland to take care of business because of my attitude, I was mentally ready to do so. And I think I helped our team accomplish something really special and something I'll always look back on as being one of the coolest things in my life. So I think that's the thing that sticks out, obviously, the championship. And really just seeing this build year by year. And that's what's so special, is getting here. I'll never forget when I signed and it's not like I was coming from a perennial winner. I was coming from a New York team that we had lost a bunch of games. And I think it was Tim Kawakami that asked, like, ‘Why would you come? Explain to me, again, why did you just sign here? Like, I'm not really understanding it. They've been through X amount of losing seasons and outside of the We Believe year, there's really been nothing positive to happen.’ And my answer was because I think this could be a great - obviously, the fan base. This is incredible. And I think it has great potential. So to see it build year over year, year after year, was a really cool thing to be a part of.” You said that you're a really good team-first guy. Did that evolve? “Oh yeah, completely. Any young guy that comes in the league and doesn't say that they have a certain level of selfishness is probably not playing a lot of minutes or isn't getting very far. I mean, I got here and made a couple of All-Star Games and did some things. And It was of course about winning, but at the same time, I think that I definitely had some selfishness, like a lot of players do, and it finally became more important to me towards the end of my career, about being a good teammate, being a part of a winning culture, and doing things like that, and I think the reason is because I was surrounded by such good teammates here. It made me want to be that way, and I think that's, in a situation here now, when you have leaders like Steph and Kevin Durant, guys like that, and Draymond, that believe in stuff like that, everyone else has to fall in line. And so that's what happened to me. I don't know if I just became a little more mature or what happened, but It was a big change in my career and a change in my mindset. And like I said, I think the reward came because I was able to make that switch.” On the last series he played, with San Antonio in the WCF loss to Golden State: “I think even if you ask the Warriors players, I think if Kawhi doesn't get hurt, probably tough for them to come back from how many ever points down and beat us. I still think it would have been a very close series and because the Warriors had home court, you probably have to give them the advantage. And I think a lot of my Spurs teammates would agree with that. But it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if we win Game 1 at Oracle. with that being said, they were the best team last year, and deserved to win the finals. And did so, but it would have been really interesting. And getting a Game 1 win on the road always creates a really interesting scenario. If, all of a sudden, adjustments are made, you never know what happens. But it was a heck of a game. It was a terrible ending, on the other side of that. But also just the way Kawhi went down was very, very tough, and I was in sort of an interesting position because a lot of the people in San Antonio kind of pointed fingers and Zaza was a teammate of mine the year before in Dallas, and I think he's a great guy. So it was, I sort of had to just stay out of that one, but it would have been an interesting series, had Kawhi not gone down, but who knows what would’ve happened.” 22:41 Lee posts Boston Globe article about Andrew Bogut re-signing with the Warriors in 2019, but posting a picture of Lee instead of Bogut - more: ruclips.net/video/Tvr9Clbxh9I/видео.html 22:57 MAY 24, 2021 - KERR EXIT INTERVIEW: ”Every year is is totally unique. I know my first year, the difficult part of navigating the season was to have to coach a player like David Lee, who had started and been an All-Star for me as a first-year head coach, to go to David Lee and say, ‘You're not gonna be starting anymore.’ David deserved better, frankly, but he got hurt. Draymond played out of his mind, earned the spot. That season was very difficult on David Lee. He ended up helping us dramatically in the playoffs. We went to the championship. It all worked out right. But my point is, that was the challenge that year. How do you take an All-Star player and tell him he's gonna come off the bench? That's a difficult thing to do as a first-year coach. The next year was something different. This year it was something different. Every year presents its challenges. And so you have to embrace each season for what it is and then navigate your way through that, and try to help your players be the best versions of themselves.” - entire interview after end of 2021 season: ruclips.net/video/fwO8fPt04bo/видео.html
👇timestamped transcript below, tap More or scroll down (better than RUclips’s auto-generated one, tap More or scroll down) … PREVIOUS VIDEO: Gui/Dario ruclips.net/video/KLWIMVTbp6c/видео.html … MORE CURRY Q&As: ruclips.net/p/PLszalip37vKJR-0W6w6Ag8n70gtEpqs_F … MORE PLAYLISTS: ruclips.net/user/letsgowarriorsplaylists
Eleven years ago to this video upload (see timestamps below), I first filmed David Lee, answering questions in the locker room after Game 3 of the WCS vs the Spurs. Last week, my guy “warriors4lifeofficial” on IG alerted me to Lee’s birthday (4/29) so I decided to rummage through all the footage we had pertaining to DLee on this channel and here’s what I found…
0:00 MAY 10, 2013 - first David Lee (3 minutes played) locker room interview after the Warriors lost Game 3 of the 2013 Western Conference Semifinals to the Spurs, 102-92, his first appearance in the series after his heroic return in Game 6 of the previous series against the Nuggets: Are you amazed at how well they've done? Have they been creative? “No question. That’s the name of the game, with good teams. One guy goes down and the other guys stepping up. Gotta give a lot of credit to our coaching staff. They're doing some different things in different lineups. And of course, Harrison's played mostly three, but played some four. And Draymond’s stepped in and done a great job. And Andrew’s continued his job on defense. So it helps a lot when you got Klay and Steph playing the way they are. And that sets everybody else up. I'm really proud of them… I haven't gone anywhere. I've been here the entire time and I'm just happy to be here. And we'll just see what happens as far as when I get back on the court. But the most important thing is, I'm starting to feel better each day and I'm still here to support the team, no matter what… It'll be up to Coach. I'm at this point, today, I'm not able to run that quickly, that's for sure, and so that's just the reality of it. But we'll still see what this has in store for me… I'm really nervous. I think it's going to be tight. I'm nervous. Oh, my gosh. So much worse. It's nice to be out there and have some say in what's going to happen. And I said that to Coach after, I don't know how you do it. And I kind of put it into action. So, I kind of know where he's coming from on that one. It's difficult.”
1:52 MARCH 16, 2016 - Steph after practice, before Lee’s return nine days later: Have you been glad to see him getting some playing time?
“Yeah, we've talked a good amount the last two weeks about his new situation. I know for him, he loves to play the game and be on a team that's competing for something. So, definitely happy for him. He loves the opportunity he has and I think he loves the guys he's playing with down there... It's nice to see him kind of settled in, and who knows what might happen in the playoffs when we play, but he's out there doing it, and I'm so honored with what he's all about.”
2:35 BEHIND-THE-SCENES on March 25, 2016, Lee’s first return to Oracle (with the Dallas Mavericks to face the 64-7 Warriors)
3:01 DLEE TRIBUTE VIDEO
3:15 James Michael McAdoo pregame workout
3:34 Ian Clark and Festus Ezeli pregame workouts
3:42 David Lee pregame workout
3:51 Lee says hi to Ezeli and Leandro Barbosa
4:00 Harrison Barnes pregame workout
4:18 Steve Kerr arrival for pregame interview
4:27 Anderson Varejao pregame workout
4:36 Draymond Green pregame autographs
4:45 Stephen Curry pregame workout
5:28 Pregame at Lee’s first return to Oracle: “…on paper, this should be a tough game for us. I think the best thing we can do is go out there and play hard and be aggressive from the start. And you never know what can happen… A bunch of family and friends in town. And of course, I wanted to get my rest. So, I just took everybody to dinner last night. But more than anything, this is kind of business as usual with the exception of the pregame stuff. And I'm not going to be a guy that's going to lie to you and say that it doesn't mean a lot to me, the pregame stuff, and getting to celebrate this. So I'll enjoy that moment. And then, once that's over with and the ball's thrown up, it's business as usual. But it's great to be back and see a lot of familiar faces and friends.”
When you look back at last year, can you share how you were able to keep yourself mentally and physically sharp enough?
[timestamps👇 continued in Comments]
#Warriors #DavidLee #StephenCurry
“Yeah, I gained a lot of respect for guys in the league. When I was a rookie, I didn't play much, but after that, I got a lot of playing time on the teams I was on. I gained a lot of respect for guys that are able to be career guys that are at the end of the bench or guys that are reserves and are able to be sharp each and every game, because it is not easy. For me, as far as keeping my attitude positive, at some point last year, looking back on the fact I've been an All-Star twice, scored 10,000 points, done some pretty cool individual things. It became important to me, like more important the kind of the legacy that I'm gonna leave in this game and and what kind of attitude I have towards the game. And being a positive guy towards my teammates, that became more important to me, rather than what my points and rebounds looked like. And that was the first time in my career I could probably say that because every player in this league wants to average 20-and-10 and wants to be an All-Star. And that's human nature and we're all competitive. But last year I really just - whatever reason, right now, the injuries, this isn't my time. But I also want to be ready. Because I've also seen every situation where it's going to come back around. I'm going to have my opportunity and I had that opportunity, in the Memphis series and in the Finals. And I was able to come through and I owe that to the fact that I stayed positive and I stayed ready. And it also helps to have guys in that locker room that will support me the whole time and kept my spirit high.”
You shedding a few tears when you see that (pregame tribute) video?
“Man, is Steph apparently talking tonight? He might keep it light and make fun of me the whole time, in which case I wouldn't, but there's a decent chance. It's a very, very cool thing to look back on. We'll see how mushy they get with the video. There's a bunch of ways they can take this, but either way I'll enjoy it.”
(LetsGoWarriors reporter Poor Man’s Commish) Hey, I know you haven't got the ring yet, but it has all those different features of it -?
“I did not know that. I didn't know about the various features.”
Oh, okay. I was going to ask you what was your favorite feature?
“We'll do an interview at a later date and we can discuss that.”
[2015 champ ring features: ruclips.net/video/QhMdXKc0a6U/видео.html]
8:44 Andrew Bogut pregame workout
9:01 Curry pregame tunnel shots and autographs
9:50 Jim Barnett walks by Brandon Rush and Mo Speights pregame workout
9:58 Klay Thompson pregame autographs
10:07 MARCH 25, 2016 - STEPH POSTGAME: “We had our opportunity to celebrate, the first game of the year (with the ring ceremony). He obviously wasn't here, so for him to be his first time back at Oracle, on an opposing team, was a great reception that he had received and is well-deserved. The five years he spent here was a great ride of elevating to the championship. It was a highly anticipated night for him to come and receive his ring and get that love from DubNation, that they appreciate what he meant to the Warriors franchise.”
10:46 MARCH 25, 2016 - KERR POSTGAME: Can you talk about the reception from the fans when David Lee received his ring?
“I thought it was awesome. He deserved it. The video was great. The players were excited for David and he played a huge role in helping to resurrect this franchise during his five years here. And then of course winning a title last year, which ironically came in the year when he lost his starting job. But that was a big part of why we were so successful last year. He accepted it, stayed ready and when we needed him in the playoffs, he came up big for us. And I'm glad he got the response that he did.”
11:30 MARCH 25, 2016 - DRAYMOND POSTGAME: “An incredible reception; he's done a lot for this organization. He's part of the championship team. He's one of the first free agents to actually decide to come here. And he started something special. So, it was a great reception for him. And it was definitely well m-deserved.”
How much did you learn from him? Because you obviously took over the position that he played.
“A lot; he taught me a lot. Great depth, whether on the court or off the court. He taught me a lot, he's a big part of it, to me.”
11:56 APRIL 2, 2016 - KERR AFTER PRACTICE: Can you stop Raymond (Ridder) from reading the numbers, even if you wanted to?
“We wouldn't do it because we enjoy his voice so much. It's the 13th time since - Exactly. Although we do miss David Lee's impersonation.”
12:12 MAY 16, 2016 - Lee returns to Oracle to watch Warriors face OKC (lost Game 1 of WCF)
12:21 MAY 12, 2017 - KLAY AFTER PRACTICE (before Game 1 of the 2017 WCF which the Warriors would win, 4-0): What have you thought about what David did for (the Spurs) this season?
“Oh, David's been great. He fits in there as a group because he's so versatile and so skilled. He's skilled, he can pass, he can shoot, he can finish the rim. It's going to be fun going against him.”
12:37 JANUARY 24, 2018 - STEPH POSTGAME, two months after David Lee announced his retirement: Before the game, I ran into a guy who's been following this team for a long time, a season ticket holder. And he said, ‘Four All-Stars again. Wow, I can't believe it. I remember the days when we used to pray to get just one.’ And you remember how bad it was when you first got here. So what are your reflections on getting to this point where you get to go be the guys making history with four All m-Stars in two consecutive years?
“It's crazy. Actually, me and Raymond were talking about it yesterday. When I first got here at our practice facility in Oakland and we had, on the wall, like All-Stars through the years. And so it had the greats of the Warriors organization, Wilt Chamberlain, Alvin Attles, all the rest. 1998, Latrell Sprewell. And then there's a huge gap until David Lee in 2013, right? And then it got real dry in there. So like, I guess from 2000, or 1999, or 1998, til D.Lee was an All-Star, we started celebrating, like, All-Star 3-point contest participation, Jason Richardson, Slam Dunk champion and all that kind of stuff. So that was on the wall, too. So we just wanted a little bit of representation also, any way we can get it. But now, to be in a position where, like you said, we're making history with four guys, two years in a row. It's unbelievable to kind of think what that means in the history of the league and what this team is about. And for us four to be able to represent all the different guys that we've played with and won championships with and done great things, that’s what it's all about. So ride the wave as long as we can and appreciate the opportunity to represent our teammates in LA this year.”
14:26 FEBRUARY 24, 2018 - LEE PREGAME, his return to Oakland after his retirement: How are the wedding plans (with tennis player Caroline Wozniacki)?
“Oh, most important, most important question, right? Going really well, at work, starting a new job, and planning that. So those are my two main things going on right now. And being a tennis fan, that's also on the agenda.”
Did you have fun in Australia?
“Absolutely. I was just telling a few people in the owner's room, it's one of the most nerve-wracking things I've ever been a part of, is having to watch - and I'll be a spectator again next week - but having to watch somebody and have zero control over the outcome, other than just being able to cheer somebody on, it's a pretty helpless feeling.”
You were always part of the ride here, but it keeps going and going. What have you just thought about it, and where has this gotten you?
“It's incredible, and I just talked to Coach Kerr about it a little bit, and it's been amazing. You keep seeing this roll continue, and to realize it's been a few years now since it started. So there's actually - it's not like this is a new thing. It's a thing that's been around for a few years and is continuing to get better. And my biggest thing is I'm just happy to be a small part of it. I don't really care what part of it people think I was, whether I was one of the first people here, just the fact I was able to win a championship and be a part of something so special, and it's continued on from there. And they've done it with an incredible group of people with great character and great team chemistry and, obviously, great ownership and coaching. So it's really cool to have been a part of that. And that's why I'll continue to support it whenever I'm out here.”
You were here when Steph started his rise. When you look at him now, does it blow you away to kind of see where he is compared to when you first met him?
“Yeah, no question about it. I think a lot of it just has to do with confidence because, I think we were - Raymond, you were here when this all went down - and he signs the contract before the big contract. I guess it was a big contract then, too, but how many members of the media, how many people, fans, and everything doubted investing in a guy that had so many ankle troubles and had so many injury difficulties? And there were times when Monta (Ellis) got traded, should they have traded Stephen instead? There was a lot of interesting things that go on and now you look back on it and everybody pretends like those times never happened, but it's what made him stronger. And also I just saw really the confidence build every single year and every time I think that he can't reach a new level, he has an even better season. So it's really special to watch.”
How much have you felt at peace, how much do you miss the game now?
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“I'm completely at peace with it. I'm really happy that I got to go out on my terms. I think that's something that was very important to me and I had the thought of playing another two or three years and then got a great business opportunity off the court and right as that happens, the offers that came in at free agency were to play twelve, fifteen minutes a game, in places that didn't have a chance to win a championship again. And I looked at that and I looked at what I accomplished in the league and thought that now would be as good a time as any. And I told a story that I didn't know until I kind of watched the first game of the year and I was watching that Cleveland-Boston game and saw Gordon Hayward get hurt and I said, ‘You know what, I think I'm good. I think I'm good sitting on the couch and observing this.’ So I'm completely at peace with it and I'm very, very happy to come back tonight and no awkward feelings. Just going to go support everybody and be a fan. So it's been great.”
Two questions for you. You said you got a great idea. What's that? First of all, and then second of all, over your years at Golden State, what are sort of the things that stick out to you or that you remember the most?
“You can see when, as I told you, it went where I was kind of not thrilled about anything that was presented to me. I thought that now was the perfect time to get involved so I could get learning as quickly as possible. And it's been great so far. And then, obviously, the championship, being a part of that. You look at, getting injured my final year here and how that could have been the most frustrating year of my career, obviously, losing a lot of playing time, but I think it was the fact that I put the team first and instead, was only thinking about being a part of something special. And then when I was given the opportunity in two different playoff series, meaning Memphis and then the Finals against Cleveland to take care of business because of my attitude, I was mentally ready to do so. And I think I helped our team accomplish something really special and something I'll always look back on as being one of the coolest things in my life. So I think that's the thing that sticks out, obviously, the championship. And really just seeing this build year by year. And that's what's so special, is getting here. I'll never forget when I signed and it's not like I was coming from a perennial winner. I was coming from a New York team that we had lost a bunch of games. And I think it was Tim Kawakami that asked, like, ‘Why would you come? Explain to me, again, why did you just sign here? Like, I'm not really understanding it. They've been through X amount of losing seasons and outside of the We Believe year, there's really been nothing positive to happen.’ And my answer was because I think this could be a great - obviously, the fan base. This is incredible. And I think it has great potential. So to see it build year over year, year after year, was a really cool thing to be a part of.”
You said that you're a really good team-first guy. Did that evolve?
“Oh yeah, completely. Any young guy that comes in the league and doesn't say that they have a certain level of selfishness is probably not playing a lot of minutes or isn't getting very far. I mean, I got here and made a couple of All-Star Games and did some things. And It was of course about winning, but at the same time, I think that I definitely had some selfishness, like a lot of players do, and it finally became more important to me towards the end of my career, about being a good teammate, being a part of a winning culture, and doing things like that, and I think the reason is because I was surrounded by such good teammates here. It made me want to be that way, and I think that's, in a situation here now, when you have leaders like Steph and Kevin Durant, guys like that, and Draymond, that believe in stuff like that, everyone else has to fall in line. And so that's what happened to me. I don't know if I just became a little more mature or what happened, but It was a big change in my career and a change in my mindset. And like I said, I think the reward came because I was able to make that switch.”
On the last series he played, with San Antonio in the WCF loss to Golden State:
“I think even if you ask the Warriors players, I think if Kawhi doesn't get hurt, probably tough for them to come back from how many ever points down and beat us. I still think it would have been a very close series and because the Warriors had home court, you probably have to give them the advantage. And I think a lot of my Spurs teammates would agree with that. But it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if we win Game 1 at Oracle. with that being said, they were the best team last year, and deserved to win the finals. And did so, but it would have been really interesting. And getting a Game 1 win on the road always creates a really interesting scenario. If, all of a sudden, adjustments are made, you never know what happens. But it was a heck of a game. It was a terrible ending, on the other side of that. But also just the way Kawhi went down was very, very tough, and I was in sort of an interesting position because a lot of the people in San Antonio kind of pointed fingers and Zaza was a teammate of mine the year before in Dallas, and I think he's a great guy. So it was, I sort of had to just stay out of that one, but it would have been an interesting series, had Kawhi not gone down, but who knows what would’ve happened.”
22:41 Lee posts Boston Globe article about Andrew Bogut re-signing with the Warriors in 2019, but posting a picture of Lee instead of Bogut - more: ruclips.net/video/Tvr9Clbxh9I/видео.html
22:57 MAY 24, 2021 - KERR EXIT INTERVIEW: ”Every year is is totally unique. I know my first year, the difficult part of navigating the season was to have to coach a player like David Lee, who had started and been an All-Star for me as a first-year head coach, to go to David Lee and say, ‘You're not gonna be starting anymore.’ David deserved better, frankly, but he got hurt. Draymond played out of his mind, earned the spot. That season was very difficult on David Lee. He ended up helping us dramatically in the playoffs. We went to the championship. It all worked out right. But my point is, that was the challenge that year. How do you take an All-Star player and tell him he's gonna come off the bench? That's a difficult thing to do as a first-year coach. The next year was something different. This year it was something different. Every year presents its challenges. And so you have to embrace each season for what it is and then navigate your way through that, and try to help your players be the best versions of themselves.” - entire interview after end of 2021 season: ruclips.net/video/fwO8fPt04bo/видео.html
You were willing to come play here when no one else believed in us. SO I REMEMBER HOW YOU WERE THE CATALYST OF OUR DYNASTY.
Thank you for making this. I miss David Lee!
Thanks for watching! 🙏💛💙
David Lee was one of my favorite Warriors
Probably No. 2 in my book behind Steph, maybe 1a, in terms of really cool ego-less human beings on the Warriors to talk to 👍👍💛💙