"I’m not one of the guys that sits out": Warriors’ Kevon Looney on new NBA rule, chances against Bucks, chemistry with Chris Paul and more (Exclusive)

Normally, Kevon Looney’s hometown friends greet him with warm wishes both when he returns to his native Milwaukee and when he plays with the Golden State Warriors. But after the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers, some of Looney’s friends exposed their real rooting allegiances.

“I got a lot of calls from all my friends and family. They said, ‘They’re going back to the championship. They’re going to win it,’” Looney told Sportskeeda. “It was cool to talk stuff with them. But for us, we know what it takes.”

After all, the Warriors already have won four NBA championships in six Finals appearances because they boast the league’s best shooting backcourt (Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson) and one of the league’s best defenders (Draymond Green).

During two of their title runs, the Warriors also had the ultimate cheat code in Kevin Durant. And though the Warriors’ championship success mostly hinged on their star power, Looney also contributed as a valued role player with his improved defense, rebounding, and durability.

This offseason, the Warriors further leaned into their championship core while acquiring a future Hall-of-Fame point guard (Chris Paul) and retaining some of their young talent (Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody). It was not surprising, then, that Looney boasted, “I think we can beat anybody.”

Therefore, Looney dismissed his friends’ trash talk as if they were undersized players trying to battle him on the glass unsuccessfully.

“I just said, ‘We’ll see. They’re going to see us,’” Looney said, laughing. “We’re not going anywhere.’”

Kevon Looney: Full interview with Sportskeeda

Looney spoke to Sportskeeda about various topics, including Warriors coach Steve Kerr possibly starting Chris Paul and how that may affect his role, his efforts to play 82 games for a third consecutive season and Green vouching for the Warriors to retire Looney’s jersey following his career. Looney also chimed in on the NBA’s new resting rule, the point guard debate between Curry and Magic Johnson and more.

The following one-on-one interview has been condensed and edited.

With your rebounding approach, you’ve said it stems from knowing your shooters well, your other teammates and the offense. What goes into internalizing all of that in real-time to help you get the boards?

Looney:

“I’ve watched them so many times, so I know where the ball is going to go. It’s kind of off instincts when it’s game time. But going into the game, it’s a lot of preparation with working on body positioning, keeping my feet moving and bringing the energy every time. It’s about being relentless. In the first half of the game, everybody is going to box out and everybody is going to be disciplined. But when the third and fourth quarter comes, guys are tired and are not as focused on the game plan as much anymore. That’s when I start trying to get those big rebounds to break their spirit. It’s about being relentless, having that energy and having that cardio to do it the whole game. That’s something I have to make sure I’m in good enough shape to do.

This also goes back toward drills you worked on as a kid and your dad getting on you…

Looney:

[laughs]. “He still gets on me now!”

What does he tell you?

Looney:

“He tells me, ‘You got to go every time even on the free-throw line. There are sometimes I get lazy because I think Steph and Klay are going to make every shot. So I don’t go to the glass. He says, ‘No, you should’ve gone and gotten another rebound.’ He does this after every game and keeps me honest.”

Well, you were still the third-best rebounder in the playoffs last season. What’s your goal on where you’ll rank this season?

Looney:

“I want to lead the league in total offensive rebounds again. If I can get my average up to No. 1, that would be great. I want to average at least 10 rebounds this year. I want to lead the league in rebounds. But you never know how many minutes you’re going to play. When there are other guys that play 35 minutes, it’s hard to dominate the league in rebounding like that. [Looney averaged 23.9 minutes last season]. But I want to at least get over 10 [rebounds per game]. That would be the first time I would ever average 10 in the NBA. So, that’s my No. 1 goal.”

Kevin Looney in action during Golden State Warriors v Los Angeles Lakers - Game Six

Would your No. 2 individual goal be to play in all 82 regular-season games for a third consecutive season?

Looney:

“Definitely. That’s something I want to keep doing. I take pride in showing up every game and taking care of my body after missing so many games earlier in my career. I want to keep the streak going. I always approach the season as if I’m not going to let the coach or training staff think that I’m hurt and I’m going to force it and be a superhero. But it’s definitely my goal. I feel like I’m in a good space with my body. I feel good going into training camp. I think it’s a feasible goal.”

You’ve chatted with me and others about what you’ve done over the last few years to improve your health with your training and dieting. How did this past offseason training compare with the other past offseasons with trying to play all 82?

Looney:

“It was pretty similar. I wanted to continue to get stronger in my core overall. I’m playing center so I have to be able to take those hits. I’m setting a lot of screens and boxing out. When you’re down there in the paint, you get hit a lot and that can cause injuries. So I’m always making sure my body is physically strong and that I’m in the best shape going into the season. Other than that, I like playing in the summertime. It builds resiliency and it makes me feel a lot better going into the season. So I make sure I’m playing enough pickup, that I’m physically strong and that my cardio is where it needs to be. It’s a long grind, so all of that helps me going into the season.”

How did your offseason turn out?

Looney:

“The highlight of my summer is always playing at UCLA. Going to China with Klay for the first time was pretty dope. It was a crazy experience. I got to go to Milan with the players union. But other than that, I was at UCLA training and hosting my camp in Milwaukee. That’s always fun to do my camp in my eighth year. I played with the kids and did stuff like that. That was pretty cool.

What was the China Klay experience like in China?

Looney:

“It was a lot of fun. But I think he’s become a lot more tame as he’s aged (laughed). He wasn’t as crazy as in the years past. But it was a lot of fun. He showed me a great time. I also got to go to the Philippines and watch him play chess with Manny Pacquiao.”

How did Klay do against him?

Looney:

“He did well. The first time, it was a stalemate. The second time, Pacquiao won it. I think he had home-court advantage. That’s the only reason he won. If he played Klay in the Bay, Klay would get him (laughs).”

Did you learn how to speak Chinese? I saw Klay gave you a hard time on if you could learn the language.

Looney:

(laughs). “I learned a couple of words, but not too much. Next year when I go back, I’ll make sure I learn more so I can talk more fluently.”

What jumped out to you about the Rico Hines runs at UCLA this year?

Looney:

“Seeing all the new young talent in there. I graduated from being a younger guy to an older guy. That’s always kind of weird. I was playing the young Detroit team. They had their whole team in there pretty much. The Clippers brought their guys in. The Bucks were in there. So were the Lakers and Raptors. Everybody was in there. So to see all young guys and their development and see how they start from the beginning of summer to end of summer, you see how much better they’re getting, it was pretty cool to see.”

Did you show the young guys how it’s done?

Looney:

(laughs). “I tried. The young guys are flying around and energetic. I’m still trying to run and get my legs under me. But it’s always a lot of fun to teach them the tricks and teach them some wisdom when I can.”

What did you share?

Looney:

“I talked to the bigs about rebounding and teaching them how to play the right way. I taught them how to play out of split cuts and taught them various NBA actions. Some of the rookies haven’t learned them yet. But when they were on my team, I tried to get them to play the right way and play winning basketball. That’s not always normal with playing pickup in the summertime.”

As someone who has played all 82 in the past two seasons, what do you think of the NBA’s new resting policy?

Looney:

“I found it interesting. They’re always putting in these rules in. But then the owners and the training staff find a new way to get around it. We’ll see what happens. I’m not one of the guys that sits out, so it doesn’t really pertain to me. But I found it interesting. I think the players get a bad rap. They think that it’s us that want to sit out all of these games. But it’s really the training staff and other people protecting us from ourselves. We used to say no. But then you say no and then actually get hurt, the next time they’re going to say, ‘You have to sit out now.’ I think the resting [rule] will make guys play more. But I think it’s going to make guys happier. They want to play. But sometimes a coach or training staff gives you a long speech that ‘It’s bigger than this’ and ‘It’s about winning.’ So you just go with what they say.”

Steve Kerr said in past playoffs that he and the staff have asked you to take it easy at some point and you’ve said, ‘No.’ Is that correct?

Looney:

“Yeah definitely.” (laughs)

What are the notable examples when you put your foot down?

Looney:

“There were a lot of games last year where we would have back-to-backs and they would have four guys sitting. They would ask me, ‘Want to take this night off?’ I’d say, ‘No, I’m fine. I feel good.’ But you have to make sure when you go out there that you don’t get hurt. Because if you do get hurt, then they’re not going to trust your word again (laughs). That comes with a lot of pressure and responsibility. I’m always going to be honest with them. I’ve had a good track record the last couple of years. So I’ll try to keep it up.”

Speaking of playing, Steve said he has “six starters” on the team with Chris Paul’s arrival and that he’ll experiment with different lineups. How do you look at that given you’ve dealt with different starting and bench roles in previous seasons?

Looney:

“It’s no different for me. My role is always subject to change since I’ve been here. Sometimes I start. Sometimes I come off the bench. Sometimes I start the game. Sometimes I close the game. It doesn’t really matter. I’ll try to play my role to the best of my ability. I know I’ll get my minutes. I have to be effective with the minutes that I get. I haven’t thought about it. Steve said he’s going to talk to us to keep us all updated about our role and what’s going to happen. But I’ll prepare for whatever.”

How will you prepare for your familiarity with playing with the Warriors’ stars and then figuring out chemistry with different second-unit combinations?

Looney:

“I’ll just try to build a relationship with them early with everybody on the team. That’s been my role, anyway. I make sure that everybody knows what the program is here and know what’s expected here. We’ve already been doing that this summer. We’ve been building that rapport off the court. It’s a different approach when you’re starting and coming off the bench. When I find out what I’m doing, I’ll have a better understanding of what I need to do to get ready for the game. But for now, I’m learning my teammates and learning what they like as a screener and a guy that can get guys open in other guys’ spots. That’s the time right now to figure it out. We’ve been playing a lot. We’ve gotten a feel for Chris and Cory Joseph. I already have a feel for JK (Kuminga) and Moses (Moody). All the new guys, I’m getting familiar with them.”

What’s the feel you have for Chris?

Looney:

“It’s been great. I already kind of know his game playing against him all of these years. I held him in Houston for almost 100 isos and got a good feel for where he likes to get to. But it’s a little bit different when you’re setting a screen for him (laughs). He’s a different type of point guard than I’m used to playing with, so we’re getting on the same page with knowing when he wants to roll and knowing when he wants to be aggressive and knowing where he wants to get the shots at. It’s been a little different. But it’s been easy. He’s one of the smartest players in the league. I know he's going to give me a lot of easy layups (laughs).”

Kevon Looney blocks Chris Paul during Houston Rockets v Golden State Warriors - Game Five

What’s going to be your approach when you play with Draymond versus when you play with Dario Saric?

Looney:

“I already know how to play with Draymond. We’ve played together for so long. I know what he expects from me. We have a good chemistry already. When I play with somebody new like Saric, I’m reading what he likes to do. He can shoot a little bit. He can pass a little bit. So it’s about knowing what he’s going to do and if he’s going to be more of a screener or wants to space the floor more. It’s different things like that. When you’re playing with two bigs, sometimes there’s concerns about the spacing. So I make sure my spacing is right on the court with him. Defensively, it’s going to be easy for us. We’ve already figured that part out. On the offensive end, I’ll just make sure I know where to run at and know how to cut off from his passes and things like that.

Back to what you were saying about defending Chris. What have been the highlights and challenges when you guarded Chris and James Harden in the playoffs in 2018 and 2019 and Domantas Sabonis last season?

Looney:

“When you match up with those type of guys, it’s never easy. It’s always a chess match. You have to be prepared. They’re going to be really, really good. They’re going to make plays. You can’t get discouraged when they go on a run. You just want to make it hard on him. When I played Sabonis, there were times that I made him take tough shots and made him uncomfortable and made him work for everything. So hopefully by the fourth quarter, he gets really tired. It’s harder for him to close the game. I learned early with playing against Chris Paul and Harden that they’re going to make shots. You just want to make sure by the end of the game that they’re tired. I learned how to be disciplined and knowing how those guys are getting to the foul line. That was the biggest things Steve always harped on since I’ve been here with not fouling and making them earn every bucket. I learned that early against Harden and CP because if you touch them or reach, it’s going to be automatic free throws. Then you’ll get taken out of the game. I carried that over into every matchup. I want to be disciplined and make guys score over top. If they’re going to get 40, they’ll have to get 40 with no free throws. You have to make it hard on them.”

How would you compare defending LeBron James in the 2018 NBA Finals to last season in the second round?

Looney:

“It was different. LeBron had 51 [points] in Game 1 against us in 2018. He was at the peak of his powers in that series. He was probably more in control of the game and involved in every play and every timeout in that series. I think last year he was more with going with the flow and picking his spots. He’d turn it on at certain times in the game. In ’18, he was on the whole time and in control of every possession and every play. Last year, he picked his spots. He’s still in control. Even with his voice, you know where he is. But he would let Austin Reaves control the ball a little bit. He would let D-Lo [D’Angelo Russell] get going. He was more cerebral with picking his spots.”

Draymond shared his agreement with a fan who said the Warriors should retire your jersey after your career ends. What do you think about that?

Looney:

“That’s high praise from Draymond. It’s always amazing when teammates respect you and see you as a peer. He’s a future Hall-of-Famer. So for him to vouch for me and put me in that [category] means a lot to me. That’s the ultimate end goal if I can get up there. I probably have to win a couple more championships and have four or five more 82-game seasons. But it’s an honor for him to even respect me like that.

Mychal Thompson told me the Warriors should make sure that Steph, Klay and Draymond never leave and that you’re a Warrior for life, too. Mychal also said he thinks you can play 10-12 more years.

Looney:

[interrupts] “That’s the goal. I’m just trying to follow the example that my veterans set with Klay, Draymond and Steph. They’ve been with one franchise for 10-plus years. I want to follow in their footsteps and try to be here as long as possible. I want to set the example and show the young guys how to be professionals and how to be winners. I think it’s possible. But anything can happen. I’ll keep playing year-by-year and see what happens.”

Lastly, much has been made with the GOAT point guard debate between Steph and Magic [Johnson]. What’s your reason for choosing Steph?

Looney:

“I’ll go with Steph, man. I know Magic’s accolades and I know what he did. But I didn’t get to see him with my whole eyes. I have to go back and watch highlights. I got to see Steph up close and personal for my whole career. I got to see him in the biggest spots. I got to see him in a random game in New Orleans or something like that. He’s the best point guard to me. I know what he does for me and how he makes my job easier. I’ve seen him make a lot of guys a lot of money and make guys a lot better. So, I have to go with Steph.”

Follow NBA writer Mark Medina on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Threads.