![Setter Emma Lee (9) sets the ball to the middle during the match against Pinewood on Sept. 12. “[I’m looking forward to] getting more skilled, learning more about my position and also becoming better friends with all of my teammates, Emma said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DSC_4917-2-1200x795.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasnt been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but Ive had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. Theres so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesnt exist, you can build it yourself, Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“Animation just clicked in a way. I had been interested in art, but that felt different. [Animation] felt like it had something behind it, whereas previous things felt surface level. I wasnt making that crazy of things, but just the process of doing it was much more enjoyable, Carter Chadwick (22) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Screen-Shot-2022-08-16-at-9.44.08-AM-900x598.png)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and its played such a major role in who Ive become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something Im [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala (21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“Im not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that theres a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyones so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you arent going to get those championships if you arent fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
Sports Talk With Saurav: Trust the process
September 11, 2021
Five finals appearances. Four championships. In the last seven seasons, the Golden State Warriors went from the laughingstock of the NBA whose distant 1972 Championship was a distant glimmer of hope in the eyes of older fans, to one of the league’s top franchises.
No longer were they overshadowed by their “older brother” down south, the 20-time NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. But then, following the Warriors’ finals loss to the Toronto Raptors in 2019, came a flurry of devastating injuries – Klay Thompson tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), then a year later his achilles. Steph Curry broke his hand and sat out practically the entire 2019 – 2020 season. On top of all that, Kevin Durant left to join Kyrie Irving on the Brooklyn Nets.
The Warriors were a ghost of their former team, and their record showed it: a dismal 15-50, bottom of the Western Conference, lower than teams such as the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New Orleans Pelicans – teams who haven’t won a championship and won’t for the foreseeable future. Sorry, T-Wolves and Pelicans fans, you’ll get there eventually.
I believe the Warriors can still get back to being a solid Western Conference team, but their superteam, championship-contender hopes are over for the near future. Those words sting. I wanted to say a championship contender, but the NBA is not the same league it was a few years ago. Back in 2016, the Warriors were the superteam that everyone outside of the Bay hated – they were one of a kind. They had three explosive superstars, in Steph, Klay, and Durant, but perhaps more importantly, a stacked bench with players such as Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, who played their respective roles well and could deliver at the right times.
But now, “super-teams” have formed in Los Angeles and Brooklyn – teams that are without question more talented than the Warriors at this point from top to bottom. In Brooklyn, it’s the deadly trio of Durant, Irving, and Harden. In my eyes, the Nets were destined to win last year’s NBA Finals, but injuries came in their way. The Lakers had a similar story, with a quick first-round exit that sent shockwaves through the NBA community. However, their free agency included the signing of Russell Westbrook, further adding to their firepower. Both teams will come into the next season with a well-deserved break, which, fingers crossed, means that there won’t be so many injuries again.
Sorry if I dashed anyone’s hopes. However, looking on the bright side, the Warriors had a good off-season. The Warriors drafted Jonathan Kuminga with the seventh pick, who looks to be the guy who the Warriors wanted. He’s 6’8, 210 pounds, and teammates such as Draymond Green and Klay should help mold him into an impactful player on the offense and defense.
However, every rookie has holes in their game – Kuminga suffered from inconsistent shooting and communication problems. There were airballed jumpers (a shot where the basketball misses the net and the backboard) in his debut and he shot below 30% from three, but Steve Kerr and the coaching staff should be able to help him develop a reliable jumper.
The Warriors also drafted Moses Moody with the 14th pick, who fills in where Kuminga can’t, shooting nearly 37% from three point range. The Warriors are also rumored to be interested in forward Paul Millsap, who can play a reserve big man role for the team. But don’t be too excited for Millsap’s arrival. The Warriors are competing with the Nets and the Lakers, so Millsap might just be looking for one last dance, one last hurrah before retirement.
We just need to remember, Warriors fans, that we should look toward the bright future. The Durant era came to an end. Just like that, one day the Lakers and Nets “super-teams” will fall apart, and the Warriors will reach the upper echelons of the Western Conference again. Until then, let’s hope Steph can have another MVP-esque season, Klay can return by Christmas, and the youngsters can keep developing so that the Warriors can make the playoffs come March.
