Brad Wanamaker: “Excited To Get Going" with Warriors

Just days after the 2020 NBA Draft, the league’s free agency frenzy began and the Warriors quickly inked guard Brand Wanamaker. The 31-year-old guard spent seven seasons playing overseas in Europe, earning multiple honors before signing his first NBA contract with the Boston Celtics at the start of the 2018-19 season.

Last season, the reserve guard helped the Celtics reach the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals, averaging 6.9 points, 2.5 assists and 2.0 rebounds over 71 games with the club. Moreover, Wanamaker was the league’s leading free throw shooter at 92.6 percent (126-of-136 FT) and 44.8 percent from the field.

In his first interview as a Warrior, Wanamaker spoke with media via video conference, discussing his decision to join the Dubs and how he envisions himself within the team’s ecosystem. The guard also shared that he will be wearing No. 10 for the 2020-21 season, as a representation of his tenth season playing professional basketball.

------------

On his decision to join the Warriors:
“A few teams actually did reach out but it’s all about the right situation and where you could see yourself fitting in at…But you know for me, there were a couple teams that I really liked a lot but Golden State fit the most.”

On how he looks to translate his overseas experience:
“The mindset of bringing it every day. And I carry that over to the NBA in which I play every day as if my job is in jeopardy...I keep that mindset with me to this day. Just going out there, grinding, and working hard just trying to be the best me out there on the floor.”

On the Warriors’ up-tempo style of play:
“Obviously, Golden State has had so much success in that style of play and I just want to be a small piece to that puzzle. Just bring to the table what I can. I definitely see myself fitting into the system and I’m excited to get going.”

What he envisions for the Dubs defensively:
“A really good defensive team. You just look down the roster, there’s a lot of guys (with) really long wingspans and able to deflect and make the floor a little bit more crowded. So we got to use our length and our strength and try to be a really good defensive team. Also, defense leads to easy offense and we want to play the up-tempo basketball (and) obviously it starts at the defensive end.”