Raised by The Bay

You really can’t tell my story without The Bay.

This place isn’t just somewhere I played. It’s part of how I grew up, how I move, how I see the world. It shaped me early. Sometimes that’s hard to explain, so let me tell you a quick story.

It’s 2002. I’m nine years old.

My pops grew up out here, so every summer after the season we would leave Seattle and come to The Bay. We had a place out in the San Ramon Valley, just east of Oakland. Normal neighborhood. Kids outside. Bikes everywhere.

The house next door belonged to our “Uncle” Earl.

Not blood, but that’s how it goes when families are close. We were at his house all the time. Hoopin’, runnin’ around, just being kids.

Only thing is, Unc was E-40.

To us he was just the neighbor. Super cool, always around, always welcoming. Some nights he would come over and play dominoes with my dad. Other nights we’d be in his living room playing Monopoly or Boggle like it was any other house.

Meanwhile this is peak 40. Legend status. And I’m just walking across the lawn ringing the doorbell like it’s nothing.

I’ll never forget … one day we’re outside riding bikes and the AND1 guys pull up. Hot Sauce, AO, all of them. Next thing you know they’re on the hoop throwing crazy passes, dunking everything. I was one of those kids watching mixtapes nonstop, and now it’s just happening in the neighborhood. CRAZY.

But that was normal summer life for me out here.

During the day, my dad would work out, and me and my siblings would be at our granny’s house in The East. A lot of it was just us on the living room floor watching The Price Is Right and her shows. When we got bored, we’d beg to go to our grandfather’s spot on 41st because we knew all our cousins would be there. In Oakland, family would be everywhere. Cousins running around. Bay legends around, too — B Shaw, J-Kidd, Greg Foster, a lot of people I didn’t even fully understand at the time.

We were outside nonstop. Freeze tag, pickup hoops, just running around. We’d hit Caspers for hot dogs. After church on weekends my grandfather would be on the grill — steaks, chicken, everything.

I used to love walking to the corner store with my cousins. Felt grown. I’d grab one of those big honey buns, the giant ones. Walk back, microwave it for five seconds. Not three, not ten. Five. Perfect every time.

One of my favorite memories is being at events at Oracle. I was there for Vince Carter’s legendary dunk contest in 2000, sitting near the court with my dad, just a kid watching something I didn’t even fully understand yet. I just knew I was seeing something special.

Being a kid in The Bay back then was different. In the best way. And as I got older, I realized not every kid gets that kind of childhood, and I never take that for granted.

I appreciate that upbringing more now than ever. When I got older, I realized my dad bringing us to Oakland every summer was not just because it was home. It was intentional. He wanted us to feel what he felt growing up. Leaving us at our granny’s for hours, having us outside with our cousins, that was by design. He wanted us to understand the Oakland grit, the toughness, the community.

The San Ramon Valley gave us comfort, stability, and great memories, and I’ll always have love for that. But Oakland is what shaped me.

It is the people. The personalities. The OG’s. I made friends for life out here. Now I run into people and they put their hand low like, “I remember you when you were this tall.”

It hits me every time. My whole journey really came full circle.

This season has been a grind. We all know that. But the fans here stick with us. And what I love about The Bay is I don’t have to be the leading scorer or do all the flashy stuff to feel that support. People respect the little things. Defense. Hustle. Doing your job.

I’ll be at the grocery store and someone will just say, “We appreciate how you play.” That’s real love. Especially after a lifetime of people doubting whether I was good enough for this league.

I’ve been in tons of NBA arenas, and one thing I have learned is fans will always show up for a team that plays hard. Tickets are expensive, and it’s never just the ticket. To attend a game, people are paying for babysitters, Ubers, gas, food. They’re giving their time and their hard-earned money for an experience.

So, for me, the least I can do is play as hard as I can and try to impact as many people as possible from the moment I get to the arena until the moment I leave. That part matters to me.

I just try to give that love back. Pictures, autographs, no problem. Community events through my foundation, which supports kids with dyslexia, mean a lot to me. Schools, churches, just talking with people, I genuinely enjoy it.

One thing I always notice out here is the diversity. Warrior fans come from everywhere, every background. That’s one of the best parts of this job.

It hits the hardest when I see what the Warriors and Kaiser Permanente have created with Thrive City, right outside Chase Center. That place has so much energy. And what I love most about it is just the mix of people you see hanging out and pregaming. We have TVs down in our weight room, and in our locker room, and lots of times they’ll have them tuned in to the cameras from Thrive City. (I see you all out there!) That place be packed! You really do get to see that diversity. It’s really The Bay in a nutshell. 

They’ll have live bands playing, they’ll be doing yoga out there, Christmas tree lightings. And it’s always a great mix of people. Kids are out there. Ladies’ night groups, Filipino grandmas, people from overseas, blue collar, white collar, every ethnicity. It’s everybody, man. And that’s beautiful to me. It’s a special part of the Bay Area that I never take for granted.

When I see that, it reminds me of being a kid in Oakland, running around with my cousins. Same feeling. Just people enjoying life together.

It still blows my mind that I get to build my own memories here now. And to do it with this franchise, with Steph, Dray, and a group of people I really respect, that means something.

This year has tested us, for sure. But until we’re out, we’re never out.

And one thing about this place….

The Bay is different.

Always has been.

Always will be.

Bay forever.

Love,
GPII

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Since 2019, Kaiser Permanente and the Warriors have helped anchor San Francisco’s Mission Bay as a leading hub for sports, health, and entertainment. With Chase Center and Thrive City driving year-round community engagement, and Kaiser Permanente’s state-of-the-art Sports Medicine Center and medical campus supporting the area’s wellness needs, the partnership continues to strengthen Mission Bay’s growth and long-term vitality.