GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 15, 2025

Buddy Hield

Media Conference

Q. How much more could you guys gain by having a whole off-season with Jimmy and putting this all together in a more complete way going into next season?

BUDDY HIELD: I feel like everything was put together right. Adding Jimmy was very easy because he's a basketball player, he knows what it takes to win on both ends of the floor, connects with us off the court. He knows the ins and outs of the NBA.

I just feel that health was the downfall of what we had planned for the season. You never know what could happen if 30 is out there. I like our chances with him out there, and sometimes injuries are a part of the game.

What he does for this team is a lot. And you look at all five games we had, apart from Game 1, him being on the floor just changes a lot for us on this team.

Jimmy, adding Jimmy was a great addition, but I don't think there's much needed to connect with him. I think he understands the game already. He understands people. He understands as a basketball player. I thought him and Steph and Dray complemented each other really well.

I think health, Steph not being out there -- of course we wish we could have gotten another win to get back on Sunday to see if we could get a shot at it. But I feel like (indiscernible) a lot of things, probably might not be right here talking about this right now.

Q. How do you view your own season?

BUDDY HIELD: I mean, I can say this is the most happy I've ever been playing basketball. I tell the guys, man, the season went by so fast because that was how much fun I had. There was a lot of joy being around Steve and this group, being around the players and the training staff. They all made me feel welcome.

I feel like it went by so fast. Most seasons, teams I've been on I feel like it was very long getting out here, but this organization I never felt one day like I can't wait for summer. I'm really mad I have to go enjoy summer because basketball was so fun, preparing every day for a playoff game was fun, and I really enjoy being here.

Q. How do you view your future here?

BUDDY HIELD: I mean, keeping it real, you understand, you see the value of spacing for this team. You just keep it real. You know you can't be Steph going out there, and how they played me in the Minnesota series when he was not out there. The value of spacing and shooting is much needed in this league and for this team.

I want to be around here forever. I mean, like until I'm not needed. But I know that this is a business. But I love being here, man. I think that with Mike and Steve and the whole coaching staff and training staff, I feel like I created a fair relationship with everybody and the players and I love being around there and they love me being around here. I understand this is a business but I want to be here.

Q. You obviously were attracted to this place last summer, and they hadn't played as well as they did this season. I know you like everyone on your roster, but there's always changes. Do you sense that players around the league would be very interested in joining what's going on here?

BUDDY HIELD: I don't know, man. I mean, this is a great place to be at. Off the court, on the court, that's a conversation in the NBA by far. I mean like, I don't understand why guys don't want to play with a guy like Steph that grab so much attention and all-defensive player like Draymond that can clean up a lot for your defense and knowing him understanding him playing chess back there.

I don't see why guys don't want to come here and be part of a championship organization because like I said earlier, 30 didn't go down, you never know what could happen. You can't dwell on that and you've just got to move on.

But I don't see why players around here, around the league don't want to come here and play. But it's a fun deal, man. It's a lot of sacrifice, but it's a fun sacrifice.

Q. This is the largest role you've played in the Playoffs. I think in one game you had more shots than you had the last time you were in the Playoffs total. What did you learn about your game and where you need to grow as a player from this team?

BUDDY HIELD: Yeah, I think what I do as a player is probably simple. I'm in my 10th season. I already know what I do. There's nothing I need to do different. Yes, you can try to add to your game, but I know what I'm needed for, and it's spacing, true spacing. When the ball comes to me, have a wide open shot, knock it, move it, and let's play defense, keep guys in front of me and be solid.

I think this Playoffs I made a tremendous step on the defensive end and just trusting myself and I know playing meaningful basketball and how important it is that if I want to be on the court I've got to keep somebody in front of me and of course make shots. That helps, too.

But you don't want to be a liability on defense where every opponent feel like they've got to come attack you every time. I feel like I stand my ground and showed everybody like that I'm just not like a teddy bear out there. It's going to be a tough matchup.

And it's me just making shots and trying to keep us in games and just keep the spacing -- keeping them very on us so Steph and Jimmy can be able to work.

Q. You and Jimmy created quite a few viral moments. Were you guys friends before he got here, and what was the friendship that blossomed out of the last few months?

BUDDY HIELD: Going back over this season, it just shows, no, me and Jimmy was not friends. I knew him from Miami. Just was always a big fan of him. But it shows how much he's a connector as a basketball player. He understands life. He understands how to connect with people. I just know that we're a perfect match. His personalities, his charisma. He plays with a lot of joy. He brings a lot of energy to this team. You can tell the difference when he came to this team, that he was a perfect puzzle piece because he knows how to connect.

Man, Jimmy is fun to be around. It's just fun to be able to experience this with him this short time, and hopefully we can have a lot more memories coming this summer and next season.

Q. What did you see from Podziemski? You know him well. He obviously had a tough series, tough Playoffs, and then he starts hitting shots, starts doing what he did last night. What did you learn about him?

BUDDY HIELD: He's an annoying little brother. No, BP, man, this NBA thing, everybody wants you to play so perfect. They want you to be perfect every time you go on the court. That's not it. These schemes are hard. This situation you're put in is hard. Second year player that's coming under fire being a point guard and running the show and score, it's a lot. Everybody goes through learning curves, learning periods. I think with BP, he works so hard, I know he's going to overcome everything, and you saw last night, it takes time and it takes rhythm and it takes feel and you've got to grow your confidence.

Of course if we had another game he probably would have showed his -- the confidence built up because he's a confident guy. But at the start of the season, he's one of those guys, he's an intangible guy, he does everything well. He rebounds well.

He's a guy that's going to take charges. He does all the little things better than everybody, and that's why he's out there, and he makes shot. He knows how to run the offense. He just knows how to play basketball, and having a guy that he's a great intangible guy you need on your team, and he's been that intangible guy for us all season. He does it at a high level.