NBA Media Day: Kyrie, KD hold court in Brooklyn
Follow along live as teams and their players — both new and old — meet with the media all day long….
If it seems like the NBA never went away this offseason, well … it didn’t. Not really. Among the draft, free agency, summer league and the FIBA World Cup, there was plenty to keep even the most avid NBA fans satisfied. But now the real fun begins. It’s time for training camp, followed very quickly by actual preseason games. Before you know it, the Raptors will be raising their championship banner, handing out rings and hosting Zion Williamson for his first NBA game Oct. 22.
But before that happens, players get to meet with the media. We’ll have you covered with all the best media day quotes, anecdotes and shenanigans across the NBA. Watch Media Day Streaming Live
Media day schedule
Friday, Sept. 27: Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings
Saturday, Sept. 28: Toronto Raptors
Sunday, Sept. 29: LA Clippers
Monday, Sept. 30: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
Friday, Sept. 27
Brooklyn Nets
Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant are teammates in Brooklyn now, and the two of them opened NBA Media Day on Friday.
On Durant’s injury in the Finals
Kyrie Irving: “First and foremost is our family, I think sometimes that can be confused in this league. About who we are as human beings. I’m always going to be an advocate for that. We are humans first and then we are basketball players.
“There isn’t going to be any pressure from any of us at any time and I will make sure of that, because I have been in that same position of being the guy that’s injured on the team and everyone looking at you like, ‘are you going to come back anytime soon. If you come back then this is going to be our championship caliber team. If you were playing then this would happen.’
“You have to go inside the mind of a competitor and realize that a lot of people have responsibilities for why that ended up happening the way it happened on a national scale. We all know K was not ready to play in that environment. We all know that, whether people want to admit it or not. He was out 31 days and we put him on a national stage in the Finals to end up selling a product that came before the person Kevin and now I’m here to protect that. And I’m going to be the protector of that all throughout the year and not allow people to infiltrate the circle.”
1:48
Kyrie Irving vows that he and the Nets will not put pressure KD to come back from injury too soon.
Kevin Durant: “When I went down it felt like everybody wanted to put their arms of protection around me. From people I didn’t know to my best friend Kyrie. So it felt like everybody grew protective of me at this time. And I feel like they will continue to be that way especially involving my health. But, I make my own decisions.”
0:23
Kevin Durant describes the support he received after his injury and how he will make the decision himself on when he is ready to come back.
Kevin Durant: ‘I wanted to be here’
“Just be a teammate. Come in, work hard in my rehab. Hopefully that sends a message out. Try to take it a day at a time.” –@KDTrey5
Watch KD live NOW | https://t.co/5rBsKOLsJA#NetsMediaDay pic.twitter.com/kIzJeg0cQh
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) September 27, 2019
Kevin Durant on why he chose the Nets: “It was really easy to see what these guys brought to the table. It’s not like I had to do any deep analysis of any player here.” Cited the continuity the Nets have had the last few years.
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) September 27, 2019
How seriously did Kevin Durant consider the Clippers, Warriors, and Knicks?
Durant: “I thought about it for a couple seconds and see how my life would look in all of those places for a minute but ultimately I wanted to be here.”— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) September 27, 2019
KD on his 4;16 am convo with Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan on teaming up in Brooklyn: “We was just like “Are we ready to do this?” And everyone was just like “Yeah.” ” #nets
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) September 27, 2019
Kyrie reflects on final season in Boston
Kyrie talked about struggling with the death of his grandfather and struggling with grief. “I didn’t take the necessary steps to get counseling or therapy.” He said he “failed” his teammates in Boston.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) September 27, 2019
Kyrie Irving on his grandfather dying last Oct. “After he passed, basketball was the last thing on my mind.” Didn’t seek the necessary counseling to cope & responded poorly. Added that, “I failed those guys” in Boston for not being the leader they needed him to be.
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) September 27, 2019
Houston Rockets
The new star duo in Houston
Mike D’Antoni: “We need Russell to be Russell. You don’t want to change him. He’s an MVP.”
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) September 27, 2019
#Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni on Russ and Harden. “One will be on the floor at all times, as usual.”
— Stefano Fusaro (@FusaroESPN) September 27, 2019
A changing of the gear?
PJ Tucker, considered the NBA’s sneaker king, walked into the Rockets’ media day wearing a pair of New Balance. He had previously been a Nike guy.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) September 27, 2019
• Kick Game Evolution: How PJ Tucker, others are changing the NBA sneakerhead world
Indiana Pacers
No Oladipo to start season
1:43
Victor Oladipo admits that he got smarter over the summer while he worked on his state of mind. He also talks about his injury and timeline for return.
Pacers coach Nate McMillan on Victor Oladipo (ruptured quad tendon in his right knee): “I know that he won’t start the season. I don’t anticipate Victor being available for a while.”
— Mike Wells (@MikeWellsNFL) September 27, 2019
.@VicOladipo on why he feels a special connection to Wolverine pic.twitter.com/yVrz2MtMTK
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) September 27, 2019
2019 NBA offseason guide
If you went to sleep after Adam Silver handed Kawhi Leonard the Finals MVP trophy and are just now waking up, you missed quite a lot in the NBA. Here’s everything you’ll need to know to get caught up before media day.
NBA Power Rankings | NBA summer forecast
2019 NBA draft
The Pelicans had the No. 1 overall pick for the second time in franchise history and selected Duke star Zion Williamson, whose college teammates RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish went third and 10th overall, to the Knicks and Hawks, respectively.
2019 NBA free agency
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving teamed up in Brooklyn, Kemba Walker replaced Irving in Boston, Terry Rozier replaced Walker in Charlotte and D’Angelo Russell somehow landed in the Bay Area. Then Kawhi Leonard sent shockwaves through the league by not only joining the Clippers, but by bringing Paul George with him. So, just your typical NBA free-agency season, really.
2019 NBA summer league
The NBA’s marquee summer event was a bit of a letdown this year, with many rookies either playing limited minutes or skipping the action entirely. Still, fans did get their first glimpse of Zion Williamson in a Pelicans uniform.
2019 FIBA World Cup
Team USA’s domination of international basketball came to an end. After multiple dropouts depleted the roster, the U.S. saw its 58-game win streak in international competition come to an end, then settled for a seventh-place finish, the worst ever for a U.S. squad. Led by recently crowned NBA champion Marc Gasol, Spain captured gold for the first time since 2006.
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