Kevon Looney shares what he told friends in 2015 after watching Stephen Curry in Warriors practice for first time

Kevon Looney on Stephen Curry

Kevon Looney’s decade with the Golden State Warriors is at an end, and he has written an emotional goodbye for the Player’s Tribune.

And as part of this, Looney has revealed his instant impressions of getting to see Stephen Curry for the first time.

Back in 2015 the Warriors had just won the championship, and drafted Looney out of UCLA with the 30th pick in the draft.

Curry was hitting his peak, entering the season where he led the Warriors to a 73-9 regular campaign, and he became ‘must see’ for every fan attending games.

Looney explained: ” I remember coming home from practices and talking with my folks, or friends back in Milwaukee and being like: “No joke, Steph … you don’t even understand. It’s insane.

“I’m pretty sure he’s the best player I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Curry’s performances over the decade since have served to further underline that Looney’s early belief was spot on. He went on to lead the Warriors and Looney to three further titles.

Kevon Looney on his biggest achievement

Looney picks out the Warriors’ title win in 2022 as the one he was most proud of, as this was the championship he made the biggest contribution towards.

He played all 82 games that season, starting 80, showing how far he had come. His first season with the Warriors saw him play only five games.

Looney said: “The thing I’m most proud of when it comes to my time with the Warriors is the fact that I earned everything that came to me as a player.

“No one gave me anything. I worked for everything. I earned my stripes.”

He described how challenging it was to impress proven winners on the Warriors when he joined, adding to the pressure.

Looney now enters a new phase of his career, looking to help turn the Pelicans from also-rans into a team with relevance.

Now with his track record as a proven winner, Pelicans players will be feeling the pressure to impress him.