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Hello, welcome to the Hoop Collective podcast. We talk about the NBA, which we're doing on

Wednesday evening. I think this podcast may not be publishing until Friday and on television,

so just time stamping this on Wednesday. Just keep that in mind. We're not usually doing that,

but it's vacation season. What can I say? Okay, more important than that is my new colleague. He's not really new because I've known him for like 15 years, but he's our new ESPN colleague joining us from the athletic, from Northern California, where he will be based and has been based for many years, Anthony Slater.

Mr. Slater, how are you? I'm great. 15 years would put me like end of college. All right, I just ballparked it. Yeah, I don't want to age you. I don't want to age me for that matter. That's probably right, though. I would say probably 12.13. This will be coming up my 13th season covering the NBA. and I can imagine, I don't remember the, you know, moment I met you or the game I met you at, but I assume it

was very early in my beat writing career. So probably 13 years ago, 12. Is it possible that when

you started covering the thunder, because that's where your first NBA job was covering the

thunder for the Oklahoma. And is it possible that you could not grow the very beard that is now your trademark? It was probably a little bit scruffier, a little bit, you know. You were young, is my point. Yes, I was. I can't grow a beard to this day. I'm not looking down at you. At one point, I had like a goatee, but, you know, I felt like that was more time period. It

probably looks worse now. Yeah. Well, Slater is a legend on the Warriors beat covered a big

chunk of their run. I think three of their championships you covered. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, look, I came

over when Durant did. You know, I covered the last three Durant seasons in Oklahoma City. So the two Durant titles and then

the resurrection of, you know, or whatever you want to call the 22 title that shocked a lot of people.

So yes, three of the four titles. Well, you're in the Bay Area. I guess I'll extend it to where you

are, the Bay Area. Sure. And I am in Newark, New Jersey, which is the other city by the Bay, which is a reference to Sopranos. If you got the joke, congratulations. If you think it's weird, just move on. Okay. So I'd like to talk to you about the Warriors. You're going to be covering more than the Warriors for us, but this is your area of expertise,

which is important because it still remains one of the most relevant teams, one of the highest

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