Kevon Looney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kevon Looney

Looney in 2016
No. 5 – Golden State Warriors
Center / power forward
Personal information
Born	(1996-02-06) February 6, 1996 (age 29) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
High school	Alexander Hamilton (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	222 lb (101 kg)
Career information
College	UCLA (2014–2015)
NBA Draft	2015 / Round: 1 / Pick: 30th overall
Selected by the Golden State Warriors
Pro career	2015–present
League	NBA
Career history
2015–present	Golden State Warriors
2016–2017	→Santa Cruz Warriors
Career highlights and awards
3× NBA champion (2017, 2018, 2022) Second-team All-Pac-12 (2015) Pac-12 All-Freshman team (2015) McDonald's All-American (2014) First-team Parade All-American (2014) Wisconsin Mr. Basketball (2014)

Kevon Grant Looney (born February 6, 1996) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a college freshman, he was named to the second-team Pac-12 in 2015.

After his first year of college, Looney entered the 2015 NBA draft. The Golden State Warriors picked him in the first round. He has helped the Warriors win three NBA championships.

Kevon Looney's Early Life and High School Career

Kevon Looney was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His father, Doug, coached him in basketball. Doug Looney was a great rebounder in college. Kevon also watched his older brother, Kevin, play basketball.

Kevon became a big fan of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant. He studied tapes of Bryant and copied his moves. His brother would only let him play if Kevon focused on getting rebounds and not just shooting.

Looney was the best player at Alexander Hamilton High in Milwaukee. Colleges started trying to recruit him when he was just a freshman. By his sophomore year in 2012, he was named Player of the Year in his conference. He averaged 20.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

As a junior, he averaged 26.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, 7.0 blocks, and 3.1 assists. He led his team to a great season.

Looney playing in the 2014 McDonald's All-American Game

In his final high school season, Looney averaged amazing numbers. He had 27.9 points, 12.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 8.0 blocks per game. People called his stats "nearly" a quadruple-double. Even though he was the tallest player, he was also the best passer. He often played as a point guard.

Looney could handle the ball and create his own shots. Videos on YouTube even called him "the next KD," referring to Kevin Durant. Hamilton High won their league title without losing a game. Looney won his second City Conference player of the year award.

He became a nationally recognized player. He was named a McDonald's All-American and a Parade All-American. He also won Wisconsin Mr. Basketball. Experts ranked him as one of the top high school players in the country.

In 2018, Hamilton High retired Looney's jersey number 5. His friend, Wati Majeed, convinced him to keep the number. He told Looney, "You're No. 5, that's who you are. You can play all five positions and guard all five positions."

College Career at UCLA

In 2013, Looney decided to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His decision was a secret, even to his parents. He loved California and thought UCLA had the "most beautiful campus." He was also impressed by coach Steve Alford's plans for the team.

UCLA told Looney he could play both inside and outside. This would let him show off his many skills.

Looney playing defense for UCLA against USC

Before his freshman season, Looney hurt his hip while playing in the gym. He rested for a few weeks but did not miss any games. However, the injury made it harder for him to move quickly. He played more like a big, strong player.

Looney was one of the best freshmen in the country during the 2014–15 season. In his first game, he scored 20 points and had nine rebounds. He then had four double-doubles in his next four games. A double-double means getting double-digit numbers in two stats, like points and rebounds. He was the first UCLA freshman to do this.

Many people thought Looney would be a top pick in the NBA draft. He had seven double-doubles in his first 10 games. Later, he helped UCLA end a losing streak. He scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in a double-overtime win.

UCLA did not often call plays for Looney to score. He usually scored from getting rebounds and putting the ball back in, or on fast breaks. His shooting improved as the season went on.

During a tournament game, Looney got hit in the face and had to wear a protective mask. Even with the mask, he kept playing. UCLA made it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

For the season, Looney averaged 11.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. He had 15 double-doubles, which was the most among all freshmen in the country. He was named to the second-team All-Pac-12 and the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.

Professional Career with the Golden State Warriors

Starting in the NBA: Hip Injuries and First Championship (2015–2017)

After one season at UCLA, Looney decided to enter the 2015 NBA draft. However, some teams were worried about his hip. Reports said he had hip surgery before his college season, but Looney denied it. Some teams also thought his college success might not carry over to the NBA.

Looney was picked 30th overall by the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors had just won the 2015 NBA Finals. They were not worried about his hip and felt he had great potential.

In August 2015, Looney had surgery on his right hip. He then spent time with the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State's minor league team. He played his first professional game in January 2016, getting 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Looney made his NBA debut on January 27, 2016. He scored two points and had two rebounds. The Warriors gave him the game ball. He continued to work on his fitness and played for both Golden State and Santa Cruz.

In March, Looney had another setback with his hip. The Warriors had a record-breaking season with 73 wins. In April 2016, he had surgery on his left hip. This meant he would miss four to six months. He only played five games for Golden State in his rookie year. The Warriors reached the NBA Finals but lost.

Looney missed the 2016 Summer League while recovering. He gained weight during this time. He worked hard to get back in shape. In November 2016, he made his first NBA start. However, his playing time was limited due to his hip issues. He missed most of April 2017 with a hip strain. The Warriors won their second championship in 2017, but Looney was inactive for all playoff games.

Becoming a Regular Player and Second Championship (2017–2018)

Finally healthy, Looney became a regular player in the 2017–18 season. He lost 30 pounds by hiring a trainer and changing his diet. The Warriors had many centers, but Looney stood out.

Coach Steve Kerr praised Looney's defense. He said Looney was "our best switching center." This means Looney could guard different types of players, even smaller, faster guards. On November 11, he played great defense against one of the league's top centers, Joel Embiid.

Looney's playing time increased. On January 4, 2018, he had seven points and eight rebounds against the Houston Rockets. He played the end of the game because he was better at guarding the Rockets' star guards. Kerr praised Looney for being a great professional.

On March 17, he scored a career-high 13 points and had six blocks. On March 27, he grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds.

Looney played in his first NBA playoffs in 2018. He impressed everyone with his defensive switching. He guarded star players well and became a key part of the team. He played more minutes than any other Warriors' big man.

The Warriors won their first two playoff series. Looney became the team's sixth man in the conference semifinals. He provided strong defense against the Rockets' guards. Looney started the last four games of the conference finals. The Warriors won and advanced to the Finals.

The Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers 4–0 to win their second straight championship. Looney played the sixth-most minutes on the team in the playoffs. The Warriors' defense was best when Looney was on the court.

Chasing a Third Title (2018–2019)

Looney re-signed with the Warriors for the 2018–19 season. The team also added star center DeMarcus Cousins, but he was injured. Looney started the season as a backup. However, the starting center, Damian Jones, got injured.

On December 3, 2018, Looney started and scored 14 points. He also had a career-high five assists. When Cousins returned in January 2019, Looney went back to the bench. On January 28, Looney scored a career-high 15 points.

Looney finished the regular season with career bests in points (6.3), shooting percentage (62.5%), rebounds (5.2), and minutes played (18.5). In the playoffs, Cousins got injured again. Looney stepped up, scoring a career-high 19 points in one game.

Looney became a crucial backup center. He was excellent on defense. In Game 5 against the Rockets, he had nine rebounds and a key block. Coach Kerr called him their "unsung hero." The Warriors advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

Looney continued to play great. He had 12 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in the final game of the series. Kerr called him a "foundational piece" of the team. In the NBA Finals, Looney got hurt again. He had a broken cartilage near his collarbone. He missed one game but returned to play the rest of the series. The Warriors lost the Finals in six games.

Overcoming Nerve Injuries and Recent Success (2019–Present)

After the 2019 season, Looney signed a new three-year contract with the Warriors. That summer, he started feeling pain in his hamstrings. He was diagnosed with neuropathy, a nerve problem. Looney had played through numbness in his hands and feet before. But now, it affected his hamstrings.

Looney played only 20 games in the 2019–20 season. In May 2020, he had surgery to fix a core muscle injury. He was expected to be ready for the next season.

In the 2020–21 season, Looney started as a backup. But the starting rookie center got injured. Looney became the Warriors' only true center. On April 19, 2021, he had a career-high 15 rebounds. He also played great defense against star player Joel Embiid.

For the 2021–22 season, Looney was the Warriors' starting center. He managed his nerve pain and played in all 82 regular season games. This was a career high for him. He also averaged career bests in minutes (21.1) and rebounds (7.3).

In the playoffs, Looney had an amazing performance in Game 6 against the Memphis Grizzlies. He grabbed a career-high 22 rebounds, helping the Warriors win the series. He had 11 rebounds in the first quarter alone!

In Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, Looney scored a career-high 21 points and had 12 rebounds. Fans chanted "MVP" for him. This was his first 20-point game since college. He helped the Warriors win the series and reach their sixth NBA Finals in eight years.

Looney won his third championship in 2022. The Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics in six games. He averaged 7.5 rebounds and 5.0 points in the Finals.

In July 2022, Looney signed a new contract with the Warriors. On January 2, 2023, he made a game-winning tip-in shot at the buzzer. He finished that game with a regular season career-high 20 rebounds. He played all 82 games again in the 2022–23 season. He averaged career highs in points (7.0) and rebounds (9.3).

In the 2023 playoffs, Looney averaged 15.1 rebounds per game in a series win. He became one of only three Warriors players ever to have three games with 20 or more rebounds in a single playoff series.

On March 7, 2024, Looney's streak of 290 straight games played ended. He was inactive for a game, which was the first time he had not played since March 2021.

Kevon Looney's Playing Style

Kevon Looney is 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m) tall. He is best suited to play power forward. He has a long wingspan of 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 m). This allows him to play as a center and guard all five positions on the court.

Looney moves well and can switch to guard smaller players. He is good at not falling for fake shots. He can also defend the basket.

After his hip surgeries, Looney worked hard to improve his movement. He became more athletic. He also practiced catching lob passes (passes thrown high towards the basket). He uses a special facility that gives him real-time feedback on his shooting. He likes to know if his shot was flat or what caused his misses.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Play-in

Playoffs

College

Personal Life

Kevon Looney has an older brother named Kevin and an older sister named Summer. His cousin, Nick Young, also played in the NBA. They were teammates on the Warriors in the 2017–18 season.

Images for kids

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  Looney scoring on a dunk against the Washington Wizards in 2019

See also

In Spanish: Kevon Looney para niños