SAN FRANCISCO — Oakland High star point guard Money Williams went to his first Warriors game when he was 10 years old.
He remembers being in awe when Stephen Curry hit a half-court shot. He had a bird’s eye view of the game, sitting all the way in the nose bleeds because that’s all his family could afford, he said.
Thinking back to that fond memory makes Tuesday all the more wild in Williams’ eyes.
Seven years later, Williams found himself at Chase Center alongside his high school teammates, who were invited by the Warriors to celebrate the Wildcats making history earlier this month when they won the program’s first state championship.
“It feels good,” a beaming Williams said.
The Oakland High team, which stunned Buena High School in the Division III title game March 10, was honored at center court Tuesday shortly before tip-off for the Warriors-Pelicans game.
The teens gathered stood as the Pelicans and Warriors finished warming up on each side of the group. They looked up to watch as the jumbotron played highlights from the team’s historic run before the group was greeted with a loud cheer from the home crowd.
“It’s big for these kids,” Oakland High coach Orlando Watkins said. “Half of these kids, the Warriors are their favorite team. Steph is their favorite player. And now to be here on the court where he’s playing at, seeing the game and then after the game, seeing Steve Kerr [and some players], that’s big.”
Before the game, Kerr discussed the importance of celebrating the success of local teams, noting Golden State has welcomed past champions. The Warriors plan to host the Oakland Tech girls basketball team on Friday.
“The game is connected from the youth level all the way through the NBA,” Kerr said. “You get a lot of young players who are NBA fans, Warriors fans… So I’m really excited that we’re doing that.”
Tuesday is a memory that will stick with Williams, a graduating senior who committed to play at the University of Montana next season.
“It feels good, we made history,” said Williams, who’s favorite player is Klay Thompson. “We’re putting on for the city and it feels good that the Golden State Warriors are acknowledging our accomplishments.”
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