Kevon Looney

At 28 years old, Kevon Looney has this physical status:

Kevon Grant Looney (born February 6, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. (NBA) is a sports franchise in the United States.

In 2014-15, he earned second-team all-conference honors in the Pac-12, as a freshman playing college basketball with the UCLA Bruins.

He decided against college participation and join the NBA draft in 2015 and was then selected in the first round by Golden State with the 30th overall pick.

In 2017 and 2018, he won two NBA championships with the Warriors for the second time. Looney, who grew up in Wisconsin, was named the state's top high school athlete as a senior in 2014.

He has since been lauded nationally as a five-star prospect and has been given All-American honors.

In his first season at UCLA, he led all freshmen in the country in double-doubles, putting up double figures in both points and rebounds in 15 games.

He was one of the Pac-12's top players, as well as the all-freshman team.

Since undergone hip surgery both physically and mentally, Looney's playing time was limited as a rookie with Golden State.

For the majority of the playoffs, a strained left hip sidelined him for the majority of the season.

He became a regular in the Warriors' rotation as an undersized center, helping them win their second straight championship.

Early life

Looney was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Doug and Victoria Looney. Kevin, who was six years older, was a youngster while watching his brother Kevin play pickup games. Looney, like his brother, became a Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant fan, and he watched Bryant's moves imitated.

Looney, the best player on his high school team at Alexander Hamilton High in Milwaukee, was the best player on his team. He was already being recruited by colleges as a freshman, receiving offers from Marquette and Wisconsin in-state schools. After averaging 20.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game in his sophomore year, he was named Player of the Year of the Milwaukee City Conference in 2012. Looney, a junior, averaged 26.1 points, 12.4 blocks, and 3.1 assists per game, leading a squad of mostly unproven players to a runner-up finish for the conference championship.

He had 27.9 points, 12.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 8.0 blocks per game in his last season; both CBS Sports and The Post-Crescent said his averages were "nearly" a quadruple-double. Despite being Hamilton's most gifted passer, he was also its best passer and spent mainly at point guard. Mixtapes on YouTube praised him as "the next KD" in reference to current Golden State teammate Kevin Durant, who is capable of handling the ball, making his own shot, and shooting. Hamilton went undefeated in conference play to win its first league title in four years, and Looney earned his second City Conference Player of the Year award. He rose to national prominence as the second player in Milwaukee Public Schools and the sixth in Wisconsin; he was also named a McDonald's All-American. The Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association named Wisconsin Mr. Basketball, and Gatorade and the Associated Press selected him as their state player of the year. Rivals.com, ESPN.com, and Scout.com rated him nationally as the No. 1 in the country, ranked him as the best in the world. No. 10, No. 10. No. 12 is out of town, and No. 12 is out. The 15 players were selected from the field.

Hamilton's No. 2 has been retired from Looney's No. 338. In 2018, the most popular ranked 5th in the world. When he was a sophomore, he considered changing his number, but Wati Majeed, his closest friend, tried to discourage him from doing it. "You're No. 1" says the narrator. You are who you are, 5, that's who you are. Majeed said, "You can play all five positions and guard all five positions."

Personal life

Looney has an older sister, Summer, in addition to his brother Kevin. Nick Young, his uncle, played in the NBA, and the Warriors were teammates on the 2017–18 Warriors.

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College career

In 2013, Looney announced on Halloween that he had chosen the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). No recruiting analysts at 247Sports.com had predicted his decision, which was a mystery to most, even his parents. Looney loved California, and called UCLA the "most beautiful campus I had ever seen." Steve Alford, the Bruins' head coach, was captivated by the team's vision. While the Bruins did not promise Looney a starring role as a freshman, the Bruins told him that he would be able to play both inside and outside, as well as demonstrate his versatility, as Kyle Anderson did for the school in 2013–14.

Looney sustained a hip injury while playing in the gym right before his freshman year. Isaac Hamilton of the Bruins fired the ball and crashed into the right leg of Looney, who was trying to recover the ball. He slept for two to three weeks before the season, and that was the best he'd seen. He didn't miss a single session or game all year, but his lateral mobility and speed were hampered by his injury. He avoided changing directions and played more like a lumbering big man. He was one of the top freshmen in the country in 2014-15, playing power forward for the Bruins. In a 113-78 victory over Montana State, he debuted with 20 points, nine rebounds, and three assists. "One of the most memorable freshman debuts in UCLA's rich history," CBS Sports described his appearance as "one of the most impressive freshman debuts in the university's rich history." In his first four games, he recorded double-doubles and became the first freshman in UCLA history with at least four double-doubles. If Looney chooses to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), pundits will begin projecting him as a freshman lottery pick. In the Bruins' first ten games, he had seven double-doubles before scoring in double digits just once during UCLA's five-game losing streak, which culminated in a 0–2 start to their Pac-12 Conference schedule. In an 86–81 double-overtime win over Stanford, Looney helped the team snap a streak of 27 points and 19 rebounds. He was one of 14 people selected for the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) mid-season watchlist for the Wayman Tisdale Award, which is given each year to the nation's top freshman. He was also one of 16 finalists for the inaugural Karl Malone Award, which was given to the top power forward in Division I men's basketball.

His scoring mainly came from putbacks, fast breaks, and open shots. As the season progressed, the natural rebounder's shooting improved. Looney was 11 of 17 in the last seven games of the regular season after scoring only nine of his three-point field goals in the first 24 games. Despite being a student at Stanford, he kept his scoring tapese to a naughty start. Looney left mid-game after UCLA's quarterfinal victory over USC. When he was cleared and fitted with a shield 90 minutes before the game, he was a game-time decision to play the next day against Arizona. Despite being limited by the mask, he played 30 minutes but was limited, finishing below his season averages with only five points and four rebounds. The Bruins lost 70–64, but the close match helped them secure a spot in the 2015 NCAA tournament. For the second straight season, Looney continued to wear the mask as UCLA advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second straight season.

Looney averaged 11.6 points and led the team with 9.2 rebounds per game, finishing with 15 double-doubles. His double-doubles led the country, and his rebounding ranked second among all freshmen nationally. His rebounds and double-doubles ranked second among all Pac-12 players. Looney met 47.0 percent of his field goals, with 41.5 percent from a three-point range. He was voted second-team All-Pac-12 and named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. The National Association of Basketball Coaches had him named second-team all-district also (NABC).

Professional career

After one season with UCLA, Looney decided not to apply for the 2015 NBA draft. However, his draft stock was slashed due to issues with his hip. ESPN.com announced on the morning of the draft that he had undergone hip surgery before the 2014–15 season, and that "he probably misses the [following] season." He had also heard that some squads did not think his UCLA victories would translate to the NBA, and that some executives and scouts did not think he worked hard enough. Looney, one of 19 players to watch the draft, was disqualified in the first round, where he was ranked 30th overall by Golden State, where he was ranked 30th overall. Looney, the Warriors, who had just recently crowned the NBA Finals, said they had no evidence that the Warriors needed any further treatment. Nonetheless, they were able to handle any recovery time he might need given his age, inexperience, and the team's solid core lineup. He signed his rookie scale with the Warriors on July 8, 2015, and starred on their Las Vegas Summer League team. Looney underwent a successful right hip osteometry to repair a torn labrum on August 20, 2008.

Since recovering from injury after recovery from his surgery, Looney was assigned to the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State's D-League affiliate. With 11 points and 12 rebounds in 16 minutes against the Idaho Stampede on January 12, he made his professional debut with Santa Cruz, posting a double-double. After averaging 8.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in 18.2 minutes in five games, he was recalled by Golden State on January 24. Looney was fired for the first time against the Dallas Mavericks three days later, due to a big man, Festus Ezeli. He made his NBA debut that evening, becoming the 11th former UCLA player to play for the Warriors. In a 127-107 victory, Looney scored on his first attempt and ended with two points and two rebounds. After the game, he was given the game ball. He continued working on his rehabilitation, and he was given several assignments to Santa Cruz.

In March, Looney suffered a setback when he was separated by inflammation in his surgically repaired hip. The Warriors won for the first time in the NBA this season, beating the previous record of 72 set by the Chicago Bulls in 1995–96. On April 22, Looney underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn labrum on his left hip, which had been expected to keep him sidelined from four to six months. Eight months ago, a similar operation had been carried out on his right hip. He played in five games with Golden State and 12 in the D-League during his rookie season. The Warriors reached the NBA Finals in 2016, losing in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers after a 3–1 lead.

While recovering, Looney did not play in the 2016 Summer League because he was recovering from injury. He went to training camp overheard because he was unable to play the majority of the previous 15 months. He battled James Michael McAdoo to be the No. 1 during the preseason. The Warriors' depth chart features the 5 forwards. Looney's season began well in 2016. He made his first career start on November 26, 2016 in the absence of an injured Draymond Green. In a 115-102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, he had six points, three rebounds, and two assists in 18 minutes of play. However, Looney became ineffective in limited minutes and his playing time decreased. After an extended stretch of restricted playing time, he was given a one-game assignment to Santa Cruz on January 13, 2017. He was sensational in his D-League debut, racking 18 points and 20 rebounds in 24 minutes. It was the first of three D-League stints for him during the season. Due to a left hip injury, Looney missed the majority of April. Golden State won their second championship in three years after defeating Cleveland in five games. Looney was inactive for all 17 playoff games, with 12 of them missing due to his left hip.

Looney, who was healthy last year, turned into a regular rotation player in 2017-18. Since hiring a personal trainer over the summer, upgrading his workout regimen, and adopting a new Paleo diet, he lost 30 pounds (14 kg) before the season. He was one of the team's six centers, behind starter Zaza Pachachulia and veterans David West and JaVale McGee, although young Jordan Bell and Damian Jones seemed to have promising futures. In a 120-117 victory over Washington on October 27, 2017, Looney had nine points on 4-of-4 shooting and five rebounds. He was able to play longer than being out of breath, he helped lead an 18-point second-half comeback after Green was ejected late in the second quarter. Golden State did not exercise its fourth-year option on Looney for 2018-19 due to his employment's luxury tax ramifications on their payroll, making him an unrestricted free agent the next summer. Despite not having appeared in seven of the Warriors' first nine games, he's started getting regular playing time. The league was shifting toward a small-ball, transitioning style of play, according to Golden State coach Steve Kerr, who also said the Looney was "our best switching [center]." Looney had four points and three blocked shots in 15 minutes against the Philadelphia 76ers on November 11, a plus-minus of +14 in 15 minutes, while matched up mainly opposite Joel Embiid, one of the league's top centers. Since the rookie Bell passed him on the depth chart, his playing time in December dropped to seven minutes per game. Looney led seven points and tied his then-career high with eight rebounds in 15 minutes against the Houston Rockets on January 4, 2018. He was more effective switching defensively on Rockets guard Chris Paul than Bell, who remained on the bench in the second half. Kerr praised him for being a "amazing example of what being a professional in this sport" after playing minimally and missing the last two games. In a 108-94 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Looney returned to his hometown and finished a career-high 23 minutes while racking nine points on a flawless 3-of-3 shooting with additional eight rebounds, three assists, and a block. In a 124-109 victory over the Phoenix Suns on March 17, he had career highs of 13 points and six blocks. In a 92-81 loss to the Indiana Pacers, he had a career-best 11 rebounds off the bench on March 27.

Looney, who was playing in the first postseason of his career, was impressed with his defensive transitions. The Warriors dominated the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2018 playoffs by 4-1. McGee was the starting center, but Looney became Kerr's favorite by playing the most (100 minutes) of all the Warriors' big men. Well guarded LaMarcus Aldridge, and Kerr praised his defense and ability to switch to Spurs guards Patty Mills and Manu Ginóbili on pick and rolls. Pachulia's former starter Pachulia was more consistent than Bell, and the entire series did not get any playing time. Golden State defeated the New Orleans Pelicans in the conference semifinals 4–1. Looney came as the team's most reliable center, protecting Anthony Davis well. In the final two games, he became the Warriors' sixth man after the team went small and started their Hamptons Five lineup with Green at center. Looney defended the Rockets in the conference finals against guards Paul and James Harden. After forward Andre Irmodala was sidelined with a leg contusion, he was able to return to the starting lineup in Game 4 as a result of his leg injury. He started the series with four games, and the Warriors defeated Houston 4–3 to advance to the Finals for a rematch against Cleveland. For their second straight championship, the Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 4–0. Looney started Game 1 before being supplanted by McGee in Game 2. He played 39 minutes in the four games but only three minutes in the last two after Iodala returned. He appeared in the playoffs for the sixth time (387) on the Warriors, with the most among their six centers. With him playing, Golden State had a 97.5 defensive rating, the highest among all rotation players.

Looney re-signed with the Warriors in 2018-19. Golden State also acquired four-time NBA All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins with their mid-level exception, but the center was recovering his left Achilles tendon and had no estimated date on when he would return. Looney started the season as a reserve, while Damian Jones was the starting center. However, Jones was ruled out for the season after tearing his left pectoral muscle. In a 128–111 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on December 3, 2018, in his first appearance for the injured Jones, Looney scored 14 points and a career-high-tying five assists. Since starting at center for all but one of the previous 18 games, he returned to the bench when Cousins' debut on January 18, 2019. In a 132-100 victory over the Pacers on January 28, Looney scored a career-high 15 points, shooting 6-for-7 off the bench. He finished the regular season with averaging point total (6.3%), shooting percentage (62.5 percent), rebounds (5.2), and minutes played (18.5). Following a first-quarter injury to Cousins, Looney scored a career-high 19 points in a 135-131 loss in Game 2 of the Warriors' first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers. With Cousins expected to miss the remainder of the playoffs, Kerr started Andrew Bogut, the former Warrior who was acquired late in the season, to keep Looney in the backup role where he had excelled. When Kerr opened the series by throwing Iodola into the starting lineup and moving Green to center, the Warriors advanced to the following round against Houston. Looney, as a better defensive option against the Rockets as a back-up to Green, assumed Bogut's minutes. Despite losing Kevin Durant to a right calf strain near the end of the third quarter, he had nine rebounds, five on the offensive end, and a key block late in the game. "Unsung hero tonight," Kerr called Looney their "unsung hero." Golden State has advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where Looney excelled for the second year in a row. He was their best center in the series and helped the Portland Trail Blazers win by 12 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in Game 4. Kerr praised him as a "foundation piece" of the franchise. Looney collided with Kawhi Leonard in Game 2 of the 2019 Finals against the Raptors and sustained a non-displaced first costal cartilage fracture near the collarbone, and was unable to participate in Game 3. In the playoffs, he was playing 20.4 minutes per game and shooting 75%. Although the bulk of his shots were from short range, he was still a good 73 percent (38 of 52) when tightly guarded. In Game 4 Looney returned to play the rest of the series, but the Warriors lost in six games.

Looney re-signed with the Warriors on a three-year contract worth $15 million during the offseason. He started feeling pain in his hamstrings during the summer. Following the 2019-20 season opener, he was forced to miss his hamstring due to nerve damage outside of the brain and spinal cord. Since his second season in the NBA, he had managed to avoid numbness in his hands, wrists, and feet. However, he could not cope with the situation until it reached his hamstrings. During the season, Looney was limited to just 20 games, averaging only 3.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. On May 19, 2020, he underwent surgery to fix a core muscle strain and was supposed to be ready for the following season.

Looney was a back-up to rookie center James Wiseman, the No. 1 in the 2020-2021 season. a 2nd overall draft pick. However, after the rookie sustained a meniscus injury and was sidelined for the season, he became the Warriors' only true center. In a victory over the 76ers on April 19, 2021, Looney had a career-high 15 rebounds, and he kept Embiid to a 4-of-14 shot while guarding him.

Looney exercised his player choice to stay with the Warriors in the 2021–22 season during the off-season. Although Wiseman's injury kept him sidelined, he was Golden State's starting center. Looney's career-high 18 rebounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 9, 2022. He was able to deal with the aches of his neuropathy while also playing in all 82 games of the regular season, gaining a career-high 80 degrees and averaging career highs of 21.1 minutes and 7.3 rebounds per game. Looney made his first appearance in the Western Conference semifinals against the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 6, delivering a career-high 22 rebounds in a 110-96 win to clinch the series. Jonathan Kuminga was recalled in the lineup for the first quarter, a career high for him in any quarter, assisting the Warriors in defeating the Grizzlies 70-44. Looney's 11 offensive rebounds were more than the entire Memphis team combined. He received "MVP" chanting in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against Dallas as he led a 19-point rally as the Warriors took a 2–0 series lead. It was his first 20-point game since college, and it was the first 20-point, 10-rebound effort by a Golden State center in the playoffs since Robert Parish in 1977. Looney had 10 points and 18 rebounds, six on the offensive end, assisting the Warriors in their fourth NBA Finals in eight years. He was one of the series's best players, dominating offensive rebounds and playing solid defense. After the Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals, Looney claimed his third championship.

Looney re-signed with the Warriors on a three-year, $25.5 million contract on July 10, 2022.

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