Santa Cruz Warriors Coaches Dish on James Michael McAdoo, Ian Clark

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Blue Man Hoop was on site for Media Day at Kaiser Permanente Arena, and there was nothing but good, positive vibes to kick off the NBA D-League season for the Santa Cruz Warriors organization and local media.

Unlike the busy atmosphere of the Golden State Warriors’ Media Day, media members were able to roam around freely and grab whatever empty seats in the house for which to conduct interviews with players and coaches. Add in a few Surf City sandwiches, the best lasagna you have ever tasted in your life, and some great California weather, and the feeling could not be more signature to Santa Cruz.

Casey Hill watches as his players take photographs

Those chill vibes were very much apparent with Santa Cruz Warriors Head Coach Casey Hill, who looked fresh and relaxed as he made his rounds around the arena. One would think there would be some added pressure to put on a repeat performance of their title win last season, but Coach Hill assured Blue Man Hoop that the team’s number one priority would be to do exactly what the NBA D-League is meant to do: develop players who are looking to make a major league roster.

“I think the D-League is different from the NBA in that every year it (the roster) resets, [but it keeps] the same kind of vision: first and foremost, we’re here to develop basketball players and provide guys with opportunities,” said Hill.

“There’s always pressure just from me and probably the community to be successful, but the first thing is to develop these guys,” he continued. “If you put yourself in the position to be successful and win a championship at the end of the season, then yeah that pressure really starts, but I don’t feel it right now.”

Now in his third successful season as head coach for the Santa Cruz Warriors, Hill notably had an in-depth look at Golden State Warriors player James Michael McAdoo, playing a pivotal part in the forward’s development. When asked whether he expected McAdoo to play more games in Santa Cruz, Hill stated he believed McAdoo had solidified his place in Golden State’s rotation enough not to warrant a D-League assignment.

“I think he’s found a home there (in Golden State),” Hill said. “The coaching staff loves him, he’s kind of the guy on the bench that they can go to for a spark, he plays hard, he’s proven he’s got the instincts to play at this level…I think he’s one heck of a D-League story.

“I don’t anticipate having him here, but if we do, it’d be pretty similar to last year I’m sure, because he’s just that kind of kid.”

Blue Man Hoop asked the same question about McAdoo to Coach James Andrisevic, who was recently promoted to Associate Head Coach after serving as an assistant to Hill the past two seasons. After saying he also didn’t feel there was any added pressure to win another D-League title, Andrisevic, like Hill, expressed the feeling that McAdoo had found a home in Golden State after serving much of last season with Santa Cruz.

“I hope he’s found a home,” Andrisevic said. “He’s a really great player, he’s an even better person, and it was great working with him last year. Our goal for him is to stick up there and have a long, successful career in the NBA.”

With McAdoo moving up in the rotation and Ognjen Kuzmic off to pursue other endeavors, however, the 15th roster spot notably opened up during the offseason and was eventually filled by former Warriors Summer League MVP, Ian Clark. When asked whether he expected Clark to spend some time on assignment from Golden State, Coach Hill said he didn’t expect to see him in Santa Cruz very much, “if at all.”

More from Blue Man Hoop

• 3x champion may come to regret forgoing Golden State Warriors reunion
• Golden State Warriors: History shows USA may need Stephen Curry for more than the Olympics
• 7 players Golden State Warriors might replace Klay Thompson with by the trade deadline
• Golden State Warriors villain pours on more pain to end USA’s World Cup
• Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry continues philanthropic efforts off the court

“He did a heck of a job for us three years ago in Summer League, won the MVP of the Finals game, and won a championship in Summer League,” said Hill. “The Golden State Warriors have always known about him and understood that he’s a good player and that if the timing is right and the fit is right, he would be good to get on our roster.

“I think they did a really good job of recognizing a need there, and he’s come in and done a heck of a job.”