One of the unsung heroes will make its return.
After 10 seasons, a 73-win record, and three championships, the Warriors’ former center Kevon Looney transferred to the New Orleans Pelicans as he agreed to a two-year $16 million deal.
The big man will return to Chase Center on Saturday for the first time this season in the Pelicans-Warriors matchup.
“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,” Looney said in an article he wrote for The Player’s Tribune.
“No one gave me anything, I worked for everything, and earned my stripes. There were injuries early on, some growing pains. Trips back and forth to Santa Cruz. Lots of bench minutes, DNPs, you name it. But I never stopped working. I never stopped believing in myself.”
Looney has experienced rapid growth over time, which is evident in their 2022 championship run, where he fulfilled his prominent role inside, leading the playoffs in offensive rebounds (63) and ranking third in total rebounds.
Unfortunately, things went south during the 2025 postseason, as they suffered an early second-round exit, facing numerous adversities on the court.
“I wouldn’t say it like that, but it was anybody but me it seemed like at this point. It wasn’t no one moment,” Looney said on Warriors Plus/Minus podcast.
Even this year, probably the playoffs. We [are] going up against Steven Adams. This is what I do. They’re not really giving me the chance to really let me do what I do.:
“It’s like, ‘All right, y’all don’t trust me? I thought y’all trusted me.’ They put me at the end in Game 7, it’s like why’d we have to wait for that point?”
The three-time champion averaged 4.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 0.5 blocks, and 15 minutes per game during his stint with the Golden State.
