Last season was one to forget for Warriors center Kevon Looney.
“I played last season scared to move,” Looney, who played just 20 games last season due to various injuries, said after the second day of minicamp Thursday.
In May, Looney underwent surgery for a core muscle injury after he missed the final five games of the season with an abdominal strain. He was also sidelined most of his fifth season with a hip injury and a complicated neuropathic condition.
But Looney, 24, has been a full participant for the first two days of Golden State’s minicamp.
“The last time I felt this good was probably the start of my third season,” Looney said.
A bounce-back season for Looney would be helpful to the Warriors, who finished 26th in defensive rating last season.
After drafting him with the 30th pick in the 2015 draft, the Warriors have come to appreciate Looney’s hustle, rebounding and ability to switch of defense. Last summer, they signed Looney to a three-year, $15 million contract.
Looney’s performance in minicamp could determine how the Warriors approach the center position going into next season. Also returning is Marquese Chriss, who emerged as the Warriors’ starting center last season.Both Looney and Chriss will have the opportunity to earn minutes, but the Warriors are expected to add at least one more center this off-season.
Head coach Steve Kerr, who has referred to Looney as a franchise building block, has been encouraged by what he’s seen so far.
“He’s made great strides in the off-season,” Kerr said. “It was really exciting to see him ready to roll right from the beginning.”
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