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Golden State Warriors GM: “We won’t always be here.”

By Angelo Mendoza

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Golden State Warriors General Manager Bob Myers reminds fans of the journey the organization took to becoming champions.

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For many people across the globe, the holiday season is a time of celebration and a time to relax. It’s one of those rare times during the year we’re able to take some time out of our daily struggle to just be with our family, to be with our friends, and to just be. For my family in particular, we also make it a point to emphasize two things: giving to others, and cherishing time spent.

The Golden State Warriors are no stranger to giving. With a league-leading 28.8 assists per game, not only are we as fans able to witness their willingness to give on the court, but we are also lucky to be witness to a group of people so heavily involved in the local community that there’s no questioning the character of this team.

Whether it’s Stephen Curry hosting 10 Make-a-Wish children during shootaround, the heartbeat of the Warriors dressing up as Santa Claus to hand out gifts to the less fortunate, or Warriors season ticket holders teaming up with players, coaches, and staff members to make 20,000 lunch bags for individuals and families in need, the Warriors organization’s selflessness knows no bounds.

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

In terms of cherishing time spent, it’s no secret that the team enjoys reaching out to the community and providing what aid they can give. It’s also no secret that they’re enjoying this championship window as best they can, pushing themselves past their limits as to ensure a repeat performance of their memorable championship run last season.

And as a team, they’ve put together a string of victories supported by their mind-boggling statistical dominance, making them one of the best squads in NBA history.

Although he may not believe he deserves a great deal of credit for putting this roster together, Bob Myers has been absolutely phenomenal in the three-and-a-half years he’s been heading the front office of this team. The 6-foot-7 NCAA champion went from 14-year sports agent to NBA champion general manager in a story worth telling, and he did just that last Saturday on The Vertical Podcast with Yahoo Sports columnist, Adrian Wojnarowski.

But there was one anecdote in particular that stood out to me.

As profound as Myers’ life reflection proved to be, it was his personal perspective on Steph Curry’s former ankle woes that really caught my attention, giving me a new appreciation for the championship run the Warriors are currently enjoying.

"“It’s not that one moment when the buzzer goes off and you realize you’re champions…it’s everything it took to get there,” Myers said.“It’s like the movie where they show your whole life in one minute, all these snapshots of your life leading up to that moment. And for Steph Curry, that’s a vivid snapshot in a doctor’s office, or spraining his ankle when nobody touched him, making an outlet pass and limping off the floor.”"

Myers, who grew up in Danville, CA and played college basketball at UCLA, later recalled the time during his sophomore year in college (1995) when his team — the number one seed in the country — was down 74-73 to Missouri with 4.8 seconds left in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

No one — least of all Myers — expected point guard Tyus Edney to go coast-to-coast, hitting a buzzer-beating, off-balanced layup to win the game. Myers reflected on how he felt prior to the game winning play, relating it to how he felt when contemplating Curry’s future in the NBA.

"“I know life doesn’t always go how we want it go. I certainly know that, more important than any basketball game,” Myers said. “But I remember sitting there thinking, ‘This can’t be how our season ends.'”“Fast forward to Steph Curry, sitting there with him, thinking, ‘This guy is too unique. This can’t be his life story. It can’t be ending on ankle injuries that we can’t figure out.'”“Thank God we’re getting to see a Steph Curry that we get to see today.”"

Backtracking in their conversation prior to the Curry anecdote, Myers spoke to Wojnarowski about how he wished there was more camaraderie among NBA general managers. He talked about how difficult of a job it is being a general manager in the NBA, saying there should be a common empathy despite it being so competitive.

In speaking on the matter, Myers unintentionally framed the perfect state of mind for every Golden State Warriors fan:

"“We weren’t always in this place when I started with the Warriors. We won’t always be here.” said Myers. “So I understand what it’s like, to try to climb that mountain. To try to stay there is what we’re trying to do now.”"

Golden State could have been in an entirely different place right now, a place where longtime Warriors fans are all too familiar.

Curry could have been playing for a different team, possibly even retired had he not found a team so invested in seeing him healthy. And without Curry, Klay Thompson possibly wouldn’t be known as a Splash Brother, Andre Iguodala would have never been Finals MVP, and Draymond Green would have never grown to be the All-Star caliber player he is today.

Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

For the Golden State Warriors, it’s to everyone’s surprise that the perfect storm of events spanning over the course of the past seven years have worked out in their favor, and it’s absolutely amazing to think that every single decision over those seven years has led exactly to this very moment.

As fans, it’s in our best interest to appreciate this championship window as much as the team is enjoying it, and to stay humble.

Because we weren’t always in this place, and we won’t always be. But we’re here now.

And life may not always go the way we want it to go. That’s why it’s so important that we as humans beings take time to cherish the good times we’re so lucky to have, and that we do what we can to give our time to others so that they may also experience the gift of just being alive today.

The Golden State Warriors organization is a prime example of these ideals, and we would all be so lucky for them to continue representing greatness both on and off the court. They give us a blueprint for the right way to live our lives every day, and it’s a tribute to the character of the franchise that we as fans act as team ambassadors and do what we can to follow in their footsteps.

That said, Happy Holidays, everyone.

Next: Reflecting On the Decision to Not Trade Klay Thompson

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