New Warrior Anderson embraces ‘Slo Mo’ nickname, unique style originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Kyle Anderson has perhaps the most unflattering nickname in the NBA. In a league defined by movement and athleticism, this new member of the Warriors is, drum roll, Mr. Slow Motion.
Or, “Slo Mo,” for short.
“I feel like I’m moving fast out there sometime,” Anderson said Monday during his introductory news conference at Chase Center. “And then look at the tape, and I’m like . . .
“I watch guys like Nikola (Jokić) or Luka Dončič, and I’m like ‘Am I moving like that?’ And my teammates are like, ‘You’re moving slower.’ ”
He’s not wrong. Anderson tends to move deliberately about the court, like a barefoot man navigating an unfamiliar room the dark. Except he generally finds the doorknob. Or the rim. Or the open teammate.
Anderson, 30, embraces the nickname. He has been in the league for 10 seasons, playing for three different teams, so his relatively leisurely pace hasn’t hampered his ability to find employment.
“It’s just part of my style of play, really,” Anderson said. “I think it’s kind of deceptive. Changing speeds are a part of my game. Being a little crafty. It’s always worked for me.
“I was always told it wouldn’t work, and it’s been working. So, I go with it.”
Anderson’s broad skills keep him in the league. He uses his 6-foot-8 height and 7-foot-3 wingspan to play solid defense, and he literally can play any role, from point guard to center, on offense.
“I’m a pretty unselfish player, really, kind of a pass-first guy,” he said. “Get my teammates involved, really good at seeing the floor. I compete on the defensive end. I try my best. I think I’m a pretty good rebounder, a guy who can get a rebound, start the break, (pass) ahead or make a play in the front court.”
The Warriors were attracted to Anderson’s versatility. He’s a point forward on one possession, a power forward on the next, and then a shooting guard launching a corner 3-ball.
Yet watching Anderson dribble is spellbinding. There are shades of Donćić in that he plays at his own pace, regardless of what the other nine players are doing. And, somehow, he can make it work.
For that, he credits his father, also named Kyle.
“He always had me watching point guards,” Anderson said. “I grew up watching Jason Kidd play for the Nets in New Jersey. (My dad) really raised me to be a point guard. I just happened to grow to 6-8. I was able to keep my guard skills, my ballhandling skills, my ability to pass. It’s always stayed with me. That’s who I am as a player.
Anderson has played 653 NBA games, 304 of them as a starter. He’s 47.9-percent shooter from the field, 33.8 percent beyond the arc. In his last two seasons combined, both with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he shot 48.6 percent overall, including 35.3 from deep.
He’ll slotted as solid rotation player, often spelling Draymond Green.
They play at different speeds, but Anderson is proof that quickness matters – but not as much as skill.
