Kevon Looney Q&A: Warriors season, 'best basketball of my career'

Just over four years ago, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, KlayThompson, Draymond Green and the defending NBA champion GoldenState Warriors were shooting around on a chilly morning inCleveland. As his teammates got their shots up, Shaun Livingstonwas sitting nearby on the baseline.

He foreshadowed his upcoming retirement that would happen at theend of that campaign, but glowingly talked about the Warriors'player development staff and the young talents who were next inline to carry along the franchise's legacy. Unprompted, after aquestion about Golden State's future, Livingston looked over with asmile: "LOONEY!"

"I mean, that’s a perfect example,” Livingston told me, referencing Kevon in Dec.2018. “He’s our most important big right now with Draymond[Green] out, know what I mean? ‘Cause of what he brings to thetable and he knows how to play. He’s always in the right spot.

“So that’s the progression of him being here these years andwatching, learning from the vets — watching Andre [Iguodala],watching Draymond. And now he’s one of the main core guys that hasto be on the floor.”

It's safe to say Livingston knew what he was talking about allof those years ago. Now in his eighth season, having played in 179straight games (postseason included), Kevon Looney is the Warriors'ironman and a main fixture of this ball club. He's a three-time NBAchampion and among the top screen-setting centers in the league,using his physicality and will to outwork his opponents (as we sawFriday evening in Cleveland).