Oakland celebrates champion Warriors
OAKLAND, Calif. — Even from six rows back, 9- and 10-year-old brothers William and Rizal Cahambing were not going to miss a chance to see their favorite Golden State Warriors player, Stephen Curry, as he rode atop a double-decker bus during Thursday’s parade to celebrate the team’s latest championship.
The brothers took turns climbing on top of a water cooler to see over the crowd and jumped with delight as Curry’s bus went by.
With talk of the team being an NBA power for years to come, the brothers and other kids may grow up in an era of Warriors dominance that could make this year’s celebration a regular occurrence — although not one that takes place in Oakland much longer.
The Warriors are headed to San Francisco, where they broke ground this year on a new arena slated to open in 2019.
Oakland is also losing one of its other beloved teams, the Raiders, to Las Vegas, and the city is still reeling from a police scandal and mourning a deadly warehouse fire.
So Thursday was a rare chance for the city to celebrate.
William and Rizal’s father, Ray Cahambing, said it was unfortunate Oakland was losing the Warriors, “but the diehard fans” would make the trip across the Bay to San Francisco to see the team.
Curry rode with his wife and kids beside him. He got off his bus and hopped and shouted as he gave high-fives to the crowd. NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant rode on a different bus with his mom.
“I was expecting more,” coach Steve Kerr told KTVU-TV, joking about the size of the crowd.
Kerr said he was proud that the team “came back
West heading to Clippers Clippers explore Inglewood arena
for Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, whom he calls “a winner.”
West said he would like to help Doc Rivers, the coach and president of basketball operations, and general manager Lawrence Frank. The Clippers are focused on retaining key free agents this summer, including Chris Paul.
West has been with the Warriors since 2011. The team has won two NBA titles during his time in the Bay Area. from the heartbreak of last year.”
The Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in the Finals last year and lost the title to the Cleveland Cavaliers after posting the best regularseason record in NBA history.
“I remember exactly where I was this time last year, and it wasn’t a great feeling,” Curry told the crowd at a rally after the parade. “But everything that we went through as a team, individually, as an organization makes this day so much sweeter.”
Warriors forward Draymond Green appeared to take some shots at the Cavs.
Green wore a T-shirt that read “Quickie,” with the “Q” styled to mimic the logo on the Cavs’ Quicken Loans Arena, which is referred to as The Q. Green told NBC Bay Area that the shirt reflected the Warriors’ quick win over the Cavs.
Sheldon Glasgow, who has been living in Oakland for 10 years, said he wasn’t angry the Warriors were moving.
“It’s still in the Bay,” he said. “No matter where they go, it’s still in the Golden State.”
The Inglewood City Council unanimously approved an exclusive negotiating agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday that could lead to the construction of an arena for the NBA team across the street from the future home of the NFL’s Chargers and Rams.
The arena would be privately funded, and no public money would be used for the project, said Gillian Zucker, Clippers president of business operations.
“I have said from day one that we need to plan for the future,” team owner Steve Ballmer wrote in a letter to Clippers fans. “This agreement helps us do that by expanding our options.”
Ballmer said the Clippers won’t be leaving Staples Center any time soon. The team’s lease at the arena in downtown Los Angeles expires in June 2024, and he said the team wouldn’t leave there before then. He called Staples Center owner AEG “our valued partner.”
Hall of Famer Jerry West is leaving his job as an executive board member with the NBA champion Golden State Warriors and is expected to take a similar role with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Warriors general manager Bob Myers said to NBC Sports Bay Area during Thursday’s victory parade festivities, “Jerry West, gone.” Myers had said last week he would have a discussion with West after the season, which ended with Monday’s Game 5 against Cleveland.
The 79-year-old West told ESPN he is intrigued at the prospect of working