Matt Barnes gets real on what makes the Warriors special.
As the most accomplished franchise in the modern NBA, the Golden State Warriors are unmatched when it comes to setting the bar for success. And while the greatness of Stephen Curry is no doubt a huge part of the recipe, former Warriors champion Matt Barnes also revealed that selfless humility is a huge part of what makes the team so special.
“You look at these superstars from [Kevin Durant], to Steph [Curry], to Klay [Thompson]… at least when I was [with the Warriors], there were no egos,” said Barnes. “Everyone left that sh*t at the door. To me, that’s the secret of why you guys won because it’s like that environment is second to none. The way you guys love and f*ck with each other, that’s not normal.”
For most NBA teams, everything revolves around the star. And while the same can be said of the Warriors to a certain extent, the bond that the core guys share is unlike anything else in the NBA right now. Over a decade of dominance together, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green learned what it means for a squad to play as one and this team-first mentality is part of the reason why they are still together all these years later.
No Egos For The Warriors
Every player on an NBA roster has their own agenda, and there’s usually one or two guys who are in it, mostly for themselves. During the height of the Warriors’ run, while things were far from perfect, they were able to build a very special kind of culture in the locker room that became the envy of teams across the league. Steph, who was at the absolute peak of his powers, was the unquestioned leader of the franchise but he was still willing to defer to his teammates and he never let anyone feel left out.
Compare this standard to what we see in the NBA today and the difference is quite jarring. While we have guys like James Harden, Ben Simmons, and Damian Lillard jumping ship when the going gets tough, Curry stayed the course early on and never gave up on the franchise that drafted him. As a result, the Warriors took on his identity as they became a shining example of dominance in the modern basketball age.
Warriors Are Not Done Yet
Despite winning four NBA championships, Stephen Curry is still in a position to lead his team to glory this summer. At 35 years old, the guy is playing at an MVP level with averages of 30 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on 51.2% shooting this season. Meanwhile, both Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are contributing their share on offense and defense. Assuming these guys stay healthy, the Warriors should be in store for a highly competitive season and the signs are looking positive so far with a record of 6-3 through the first nine games.
With new challenges in the West and the mileage racking up with each passing game, it remains to be seen how much longer the championship window will stay open for the Warriors. But unless they prove otherwise, the Dubs must be considered top-tier contenders in the West and nobody should be counting them out this season.
