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GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 24, 2018

Shaun Livingston

Oakland, California

Q. Draymond was saying that after the championship this time, he kind of just needed to get away, didn't even look at the trophy, he just wanted to get away from everything. Did you have any similar experience, or was this like the other, I guess, previous two?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Yeah, I think -- you know, you try to just like relish in the moment, you know. The biggest thing is like try not to take these things for granted. That's how I look at it with my history, kind of being in and out of the NBA, understanding these things don't happen, understanding that it took so long just to smell the Playoffs again for me. You know, I definitely took some time away. Off-season is getting shorter and shorter for sure, but it was a good break, though. It was a good break.

Q. Along those lines, it seems like kind of the general theme from everybody that comes in here is kind of like, hey, we're going to enjoy this season because we're not really sure what's ahead. Last year there was a lot of talk about how tough it was going to be and how tiring it was going to be, and it seems like everybody is kind of making a concerted effort to not do that. Is part of that because there is so much uncertainty about the future, and rather than focus on that or worry about it, you can just kind of play this year out and see what happens?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Definitely. I think all of us, like our theme is kind of staying in the moment, right, knowing that anything could happen, right, knowing -- we want to try to enjoy this window that we're in, that we're all in, regardless of our -- we all have personal journeys that we've been through that are different than other guys, but being in this moment, how many teams go to The Finals four straight times in a row? It just doesn't happen, you know? And so with the savvy group of guys, Steve, Bob, guys that are able to get that message across to us, you know, and also the fact that we're going to have a better preseason schedule this year I think is going to help us. It felt like we came back from China, and it was like, game 30. That was rough.

Q. Obviously with your story and a team like this, what is it like obviously with the conversation with your teammates, obviously with so much surrounding the addition of Boogie, contract conversations, but for you individually, what's your conversation like with the teammates?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: It's the same as it has been, to be honest with you. You know, again, I think the message for me, not to keep sounding clichÃ© or whatever, but it's just about staying in the moment. We're talking about everyday events like this happening, NFL Sunday, Tiger Woods winning, first time, like we're talking about things that's actually happening, normal, everyday things with the teammates. Some of the new guys, you just try to introduce and build kind of relationship or whatever, but nothing has changed.

Q. What do you think about LeBron James' addition to the Lakers, and does his addition take some pressure and spotlight away from you guys that you typically would have?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Definitely. Definitely takes some of that spotlight away. But it's good, it's great for the league, it's great for the Lakers, even better for the Western Conference, with obviously LA being more competitive now with a guy like LeBron coming to play. You know, so I think it's positive. It's only positives. Talked to my guy Mook, wished him the best, incredible opportunity for all those guys down there. It should be fun. Definitely should be fun this year.

Q. DeMarcus Cousins talked about not only the physical hurdles that he has to go through but the mental things he has to go through in the rehab. Can you having gone through something similar relate to that at all?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Yeah, I can. Just, again, it's like -- it's incredibly frustrating because as a player, we all want things right now. It's instant gratification, we want things to happen right away. We're impatient. Patience is not really a strong asset of a lot of guys, especially when you're young. And so it's like, for him, his season started in the summer. His season started a lot sooner than our season started because that's the mentality. Those are the mind games that you have to get ready for, approaching your rehab like it's a game, like it's an actual game, being on the court, being in the weight room. When you don't have 20,000 people around you, when you don't have your teammates pushing you, you're not in the game setting, it's just very difficult to simulate. But it's just as important for him to be able to try to make it back this season to hit his target dates, and then also, too, it's frustrating because you have a way that you want it to go in your mind. He probably wants to come back and be ready for training camp or be ready whatever date it is, and there's a chance that it may not happen. You know, you've got good days, you've got bad days, and you've got to just kind of roll with the punches.

Whatever I could share with him, with my journey, you know, we've had a little bit of conversation so far, but I'm sure I'll be talking with him just about whatever I've gone through, whatever maybe could help him in his shoes. But he's definitely just got to put the work in, and from everything I've been hearing, he's been doing a good job of doing that.

Q. A lot has been said about how difficult last year was, how tough it was, the challenges you guys faced on and off the court. What are the things you think you guys can take from last year and grow from it and be maybe better this year, make you stronger?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Good question. First, I think, again, just the complacency thing. You know, the complacency factor of trying to get ourselves ready. I think we're going to start out even more refreshed this year because of our schedule, because of what's going on. And then I think just from last year, it was just such a grind. It was such a grind, again, having the same team two years in a row, three years in a row, and some of us have been here even longer. It's hard. It's hard. But I think going through that, it prepares us. It prepares us to be able to, I think, roll with the punches, knowing that every day is not going to be a good day. We're not going to have -- we're not going to feel like we did our first year, in practice, in January. It's just not going to happen. Mentally understanding that and knowing that we've just got to roll with it, we've got to roll with the punches, and hopefully come refreshed that next day. Hopefully have a little bit more energy. And then also I think the coaching staff, I think they've been preparing for this, as well, being able to give us some ideas about how we can hit the reset button throughout times of the season.

Q. Everyone seems to know their roles on this team; do you attribute that to the right mix of guys or do what Steve brings or something even higher up in the organization? And then how do you see your role and fitting in some of the new guys into that fabric?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Yeah, I think it definitely plays with personality, you know, like who guys are. And then the skill set that they brings on the court I think it just a good fit. It's obviously been shown to be a good fit. But it starts -- I think it starts more so off the court. We've just got a really good group of guys that are genuine, you know, that's just who they are. What you see is what you get. Obviously the skill set on the court complements each other, so I think it's a balance of both.

As far as my role, I think it's about really helping out the younger guys this year, bringing them up to speed. This is the youngest team that I've been on since I've been here with the group of young guys that we have. Being able to provide some experience or some knowledge to guys like Quinn Cook, obviously Jordan, Kevon has been great, all the rooks, just bringing them up to speed and giving them that confidence that they need to be able to perform in situations where we definitely can use those guys, in a playoff type situation.

Q. Have you thought how special it might be for Kevin playing that preseason game in Seattle, and also for Rick Welts, who has quite a history up there, and what it also might mean for Seattle basketball and that scene and going forward?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Seattle is a great city. I wish -- I hope that they get a team again. I think a lot of guys -- there's not too many guys left that know that the Supersonics where Seattle was a great city, great place to play. But it should be a special homecoming for Kevin. I think he had a year there. And I know we're all looking forward to it, as well.

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