NBA champion Juan Toscano-Anderson isn’t on the Warriors anymore, but they’ll have a special place in his heart forever.
The impending free agent and Oakland native has attended Golden State’s last two home games of their opening-round NBA playoff series against the Sacramento Kings, supporting his former teammates along with the rest of Dub Nation at Chase Center.
After spending the 2022-23 NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz, Toscano-Anderson explained his Warriors support during an interview with 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” on Monday.
“There’s two parts,” Toscano-Anderson began. “I mean, obviously I’m from there, so I was back home, caught some games. I’m a lifelong Warrior fan, so even though I’m not on the team there in the competition, I’m still a fan.”
The 30-year-old’s No. 95 jersey represents 95th Avenue in East Oakland, where he grew up a die-hard Warriors fan. He won an NBA title with his favorite childhood team in 2022, but then signed with the Lakers last offseason after the Warriors didn’t extend him a qualifying offer.
Once you’re a Warrior, however -- and especially a fan-favorite like Toscano-Anderson became in the Bay -- you’re family.
“Secondly, and probably most importantly, just the environment that [the Warriors] create,” Toscano-Anderson continued. “It’s like, once a Warrior, always a Warrior. They welcome me back with open arms … They hosted me very well. I have a lot of great things to say about my visit back home. It was a lot of fun.”
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors won Games 3 and 4 at Chase Center on Thursday and Sunday, evening the Western Conference series with the Kings at two wins apiece.
Toscano-Anderson had a feeling that would happen, as he explained to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Bonta Hill, Festus Ezeli and Chris Mullin after Game 1 on “Warriors Postgame Live.”
“I said, ‘[The Kings] are capable of running four off in a row. Now, is that going to happen? No. But they are very well capable,’ ” Toscano-Anderson recalled to “Willard and Dibs.” “[The Warriors are] kind of making me look good with my remarks, winning two at home.”
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Toscano-Anderson and the Warriors faced plenty of adversity last season en route to their 2022 NBA Finals win. Despite Golden State’s troublesome road record in 2022-23, he believes the team can take Game 5 on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center.
“They’ve just got to go on the road and handle business, but they’re very capable of doing that,” Toscano-Anderson said. “They’re a championship-caliber team and well coached, amongst many other things.”
As a lifelong Warriors fan, Toscano-Anderson just might be onto something. And with his NBA future in limbo ahead of free agency, who knows? Maybe he could wind up playing back in the Bay.
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