Q: As a rookie, what do you bring to the team in terms of how they can best use your skills?

A: Playing low post, shooting from a distance, rebounds, playing defense.

Q: Have you moved to the area yet? How do you like it so far?

A: Yes. Really good, really good. Around here in Oakland and also San Francisco, it's a great area to live.

Q: What have you been doing to prepare for the way Don Nelson runs the team as far as the style of play?

A: I came here almost two months ago to work on my footwork and my quickness, strength. I think I made a step forward with my skills.

Q: What kind of hopes do you have going into the season with the Warriors?

A: I hope I'm going to help this team to come into the playoffs and maybe do something bigger than last year.

Q: What was it like, just looking back, the whole experience of playing and upsetting Dallas in the first round with everyone watching, everywhere?

A: I think it kind of shocked the world and really put the Warriors back on the map. We're here this season to show that wasn't a fluke and it wasn't luck. We are we as good as we showed we were and having everyone from the jump, from training camp to work with each other, hopefully everyone stays healthy and it's gonna be another good season for us.

Q: How good do you think Baron will be in a contract year?

A: I've known Baron since high school and know what he can do. As long as he stays healthy and now he's got this extra motivation, I'd even say a chip on his shoulder he'll come out and play with. If he stays healthy it's gonna be a fun season, a real fun season.

Q: What were some of the things you thought about when you found out the Warriors drafted you this year?

A: First thing, I was very excited that I got drafted. Second of all, I was surprised the Warriors actually drafted me. I hadn't talked to them much when I worked out. I didn't know they were going to pick me so I was surprised and happy. For me, from my point of view, that's the place to be. You want to be where it's exciting and a team on the rise.

Q: Were they a team you got a chance to watch much of in the playoffs?

A: When I studied in school I used to stay up very late at night so I'd catch games on the West Coast all the time. I watched all the Golden State games during the playoffs.

Q: Lately Don Nelson's been talking about some of the things he hopes for you to do as a defender. What do you see yourself doing to meet his expectations to be a "defensive stopper" and can you be that kind of player?

A: That's what I think I'm best at, defense. I think defense is something you can control all the time so I'm going to try to bring that to the table. I can stick with some guys.

Q: What kind of things have you been doing to prepare for playing in a system with a lot of running up and down the court?

A: I've basically been trying to prepare myself mentally to maintain my effort for a longer amount of time.

Q: What would you say your biggest strengths are right now?

A: I think my strengths are the things I can control, like defense and rebounds. Most people know me for blocking shots. I can bring that side.

Q: Now that you're away from that situation (Dallas) and you're here, what are the things you appreciate about Nelson and the way the team is run?

A: It's just a real open, freestyle way to play basketball. If you don't know the game well enough, it could seem like a bit of organized chaos almost, but when you really look at it and see the way guys fill the lane...there's a lot of teams in the NBA that really preach "We're gonna be an up-tempo team, we're gonna be in the best shape ever and we're gonna fast break," but Golden State and Phoenix are the only two teams that really seem like they're dedicated to it and not just at points of the game and then pull back. It's the whole game. They practice running, they practice the fast break. Other teams have the pieces to do it but they don't. I think it's hard for a lot of coaches to really just let the team go without calling a lot of set plays, especially when the other team goes on a 10-2 run or something like that, I think your instinct is "Hey, all right, we've gotta set plays and we know it's gonna work."

Q: What was the biggest attraction that brought you here?

A: Just their style of play. It seems like they have a lot of fun out there on the basketball court. Playing against them and watching them play last year, I mean it's my style of play since I've known how to play basketball. Even after I got bought out of Minnesota, if I could pick any place it'd be here or in Phoenix just because of their style of play. All summer long I didn't think I would ever be in Golden State even though I wanted to play here. A lot of other teams turned my services down and it seemed like it was just meant for me to be here. At the last minute the team I always wanted to come to called me up and I was ecstatic. I was excited about being here and coming in. My agent's like, "Golden State's looking at you" and I'm like, "That's good!"

Q: Why were some of the other teams turning you down?

A: I don't know the reasons. Maybe they thought I was still injured. You know I didn't play much last year and maybe they were concerned about my ankle. We even told them we'd pay our own way to come in and you can work me out and see that I'm fine, but they weren't getting back to us the way we'd have liked, so I think this is all part of God's plan that that did happen, because I felt like if I would've went in and shown what I could do I may have been in other places. That didn't happen and I'm where I want to be.

Q: The ankle's good?

A: The ankle's great.

Q: What are your expectations coming into the season?

A: My expectation is to have fun. I know Baron's the man at the point guard position. I want to relieve some of his minutes so he can stay fresh throughout the entire season. I can come in and provide some veteran leadership and just have fun. This is gonna be a fun year for me and that's what it's about. I've played ten seasons, I've made a lot of money in this league and for me not to be able to play the way I've wanted to play the last two years, it's been a humbling experience. To be put in a situation like this where everything's loose and everyone's having fun and enjoying themselves, it's like a dream come true.

Q: You mentioned you played for ten years. Some guys with that much experience would have a problem coming in and being partially an "insurance policy."

A: Like I said, not being able to play for two years...for two years it was health problems. Last year, whatever the problem was I didn't know, I just didn't play the amount of games and minutes I'd have liked. It wasn't up to me. Sometimes you have to look back like, "Man, I'm just happy to be playing again." You come into a situation like this where if you play ten minutes in this style of play it's fun. It's not about the minutes here. If you play ten minutes and do what you're supposed to do, Don Nelson's the type of coach who's gonna find minutes for you.

Q: With some of the roster changes that have been taking place in the offseason, especially Jason Richardson going to Charlotte, do you see yourself getting further into Don Nelson's plans?

A: Yeah. I think it leaves some open opportunities there so I want to take advantage of that and just be assertive. I'm definitely comfortable with Coach Nellie's offense so I think that's a big opportunity.

Q: Is where you are now compared to a year ago a surprise, or did you truly believe there'd be an opportunity in the NBA?

A: Yeah, yeah. I've always believed I belong in the NBA. It's just been a matter of really establishing myself and making a long career for myself. But yeah, even when I was in the D-League I knew I wasn't supposed to be there and that I belonged in the NBA.

Q: What are some of the things you've worked on this offseason or plan to work on in the preseason?

A: My post game, I've been working on my ball-handling. Shooting of course, my pull-up game. Just trying to read and be a better decision-maker. Basically everything.

Q: As a part of that, what part would you say you're most comfortable with now?

A: Shooting. I feel like my ball-handling is good too.