SAN FRANCISCO – Warriors guard Cory Joseph practiced Wednesday for the first time since sustaining a lower back strain in the summer that kept him from suiting up to represent Canada at the FIBA World Cup.
Joseph doesn’t know the exact cause of his injury, but he remembers feeling tight and uncomfortable in his lower back and that his back would spasm with certain movements. The Warriors had a light practice Wednesday and did not scrimmage, but Joseph was able to complete all shooting and defense drills as well as a 5-on-0 drill. Joseph participated in everything the Warriors did and was happy with his physical touch.
“It feels great to be back on the court,” Joseph said. “It’s going well and I’m happy. I just have to keep going.”
The veteran point guard is in his 13th NBA season and fits exactly what the Warriors were looking for in the offseason: a smart, high-IQ player.
Joseph, 32, ranked eighth in the NBA last season with a 3.9 assist-to-turnover ratio as a member of the Detroit Pistons. Joseph played in 62 games, averaging 3.5 assists and 0.9 turnovers in 19.8 minutes per game. He averaged 3.0 assists and just 1.0 turnovers per game during his career, never averaging more than 1.4 turnovers per game.
Joseph’s style has been welcomed by the Warriors for a team that led the league in not only assists per game but also turnovers per game last season. So is his leadership and career story.
The start of Joseph’s career mirrors that of Warriors rookie guard Brandin Podzemski. After just one year in college, Joseph was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft at the age of 20. Podzemski, 20, played one full season in college and was selected by the Warriors in the first round of the 2023 draft.
In San Antonio, Joseph was joined by Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich, Hall of Fame players Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, as well as star players Tony Parker and TJ Ford, who was in the final year of his career when Joseph arrived. You can also rely on it. in San Antonio. Podzemski is always available to ask questions and talk to coaches who will someday be in the Hall of Fame and coach Steve Kerr, who himself would win two rings under Popovich, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Chris Paul.
Joseph is also part of that leadership group.
“Corey is just a great person and a great teammate. He’s already been through what Brandin has been through. As a first-year rookie in San Antonio, he had a lot to learn. It was a great place,” Kerr said. ”
Joseph, wearing street clothes and watching from the bench, saw firsthand how Podzemskii was able to take lessons and translate them into action in his NBA preseason debut. Podzemski played 26 minutes off the bench in the Warriors’ 125-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, recording 11 points, six rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block.
“He’s had a great camp so far,” Joseph said. “He’s doing really well and doing everything he’s supposed to do plus more. I just talked to him through my experience and when I was in San Antonio it was similar to this program now. Masu.
“Whenever I see something, I just try to speak up and do the same. We’ve had an open dialogue. When he sees something, he talks to me. He had a great camp. I’m here.”
Joseph will play a key role in the Warriors’ success this season, especially if Curry or Paul need rest or if one misses time with an injury.
There will be some games where Joseph will be relegated to the bench for the entire game. Either way, Kerr knows Joseph’s influence will be felt by the Warriors.
Coach Kerr said, “Corey is rock solid both on the field and in a backup role. He’s always leading the team, so he’s going to be a really important member of the team.”
Neither Kerr nor Joseph could confirm whether they were scheduled to play in the Warriors’ second preseason game against the Lakers on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. A few more boxes needed to be checked, and Wednesday marked the big one.
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