“The soul of our team comes from Oakland”

The Golden State Warriors now reside in San Francisco, but for many players and coaches who have brought championships to the Bay Area in recent years, the connection to Oakland – the city where the team has played for 47 years and is recently went to five in a row. NBA Finals in Oracle Arena – remains stronger than ever. Those roots were clear as Warriors staff discussed what it meant for them to wear their new “Oakland Forever” jerseys – with Oakland on the chest – which will debut in Wednesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs.

“It’s fire,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said during a video conference with reporters following Monday night’s win at the Los Angeles Lakers. “You know, I rock with Oakland; it’s my second home. The soul of our team comes from Oakland. It’s just kind of what it is. The soul of this organization is built in Oakland; it’s just reality. “

The jerseys, which the “We Believe” Warriors made famous in a 2007 playoff run, are blue with Oakland in gold lettering with an orange outline. They are part of the City Edition collection that Nike brings together every year throughout the league.

“I love jerseys,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after practice Tuesday. “I think they are really beautiful, and the fact that they say Oakland on them is just awesome. I will forever have five incredible memories of playing Oracle and practicing in Oakland every day at our facility,” living in the East Bay.

“These guys are right: Oakland will forever be an important part of who we are and where we are. We’re a Bay Area team. Obviously the team played in San Francisco before they played in Oakland, and so we’re very proud of that … representing the whole bay. But Oakland will always have a special place in our hearts. “

The Warriors have moved into their new home, Chase Center in San Francisco, ahead of the 2019-20 season. Although staff members understood the move, given the huge income possibilities in the sparkling new building that cost over $ 1 billion to build, it was difficult for many to leave East Bay due to their affinity. for the community they grew up calling home.

For Warriors star Stephen Curry, the jerseys are reminiscent of his NBA debut. The Warriors took the Davidson product with the seventh pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, making him the last player on the current roster to wear the “ We Believe ” jersey in his debut season in the league.

“They were on fire,” Curry said Monday night, referring in this case to the makeup of those united. “But that was the old material; they were heavy as hell. That’s the only thing I remember; you put them on, compared to how they make them now, it’s night and day. But the look, it’s so classic. When you think of the old school, you think of that franchise, Oakland, the expression of who we were, these jerseys are front and center, in the foreground. foreground. “

The Warriors wore the white version of the “We Believe” jerseys in the last regular season game at Oracle Arena in the 2018-19 season, but this will be the first time the squad will be able to wear a jersey that actually says Oakland.

“The last time we wore them, the last game of the regular season in 19 at Oracle, it was just an amazing time bringing them back,” said Curry. “Obviously having Oakland on your chest now is special. We have a lot of great memories there on this side of the [Bay] Bridge. Pay homage to this era of Warrior basketball. And that’s obviously special for me because my rookie year; I was the only one in this team to wear them, so it’s pretty special. “