Brook Lopez Introductory Media Availability | LA Clippers

Brook Lopez Introductory Media Availability | LA Clippers

What made you decide to join the Clippers? Why is it? Um, you know, uh, when free agency came, uh, everything happened pretty fast, but, uh, looking at my options, I was just, uh, thrilled the Clippers reached out and were one of them. You know, uh, they’ve, uh, they’ve been a great team for, uh, uh, quite a while now. Uh they have a lot ton of great players, you know, obviously Hall of Famers, all stars, some great young players, my guy Zubie. Um you know, and there’s just, you know, a great chance to win a championship here. You mentioned, you mentioned Zoo, obviously his bet. Just what have you seen from him since you were with him? Just his growth and outsider. Uh I mean, he he’s continued to grow each and every season, each and every time he steps on the court. And the sky’s is still the limit for him. I think uh there’s so much more he can do, so much more he’s capable of, and he he’s only just now scratching the surface. You maintain that connection with Lawrence from the I believe he was the coach, unfortunately. Yeah, he somehow that still worked out, but no, I I love El Frank. Yeah, he was my coach. He was my coach way back when in like 2008 with the New Jersey Nets. Yeah. So, it’s definitely a full circle moment. Athletic. Nice to meet you, man. Nice meeting you. You got besides who there’s Clippers drafted. He’s a rookie first round pick. What have you seen from him so far and how do you feel like you can be kind of like a mentor but also push him to be the best pick? Oh, I’m I’m absolutely here ready to do both those things. Uh I was fortunate to play with a lot of great players, you know, throughout my career. uh you know uh Kevin Garnett, uh Paul Pierce, uh Giannis, just Vince Carter. I keep going down the line, you know, but uh you know uh particularly KG was someone uh I was fortunate fortunate to uh play with when I was a younger player in this league and he helped m mold me the player I’m in today. Uh and so, you know, I think it’s only right to uh pass on the things he taught me. Uh helped the younger guys the same way he helped me. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him. uh you know, so I’m I’m absolutely ready to to get on the court, help him out and and uh help him adjust and become a great player in this league. when you reflect on your Milwaukee tenure, just what what are you most proud of there and just the connections you built as a Yeah, I’m obviously proud of winning the championship, but uh you know, I’m thankful to all the uh players, uh you know, I played with uh coaches and staff, uh PTs, uh strength and conditioning people, all all the people that helped put me in the position to be successful. you know, those those guys took care of me and we have such a special bond uh beyond the basketball court that’s never going to go away and I’m just very thankful. How do you envision your role here with the Clippers? Will it be similar to what you did at Milwaukee? Um, we we’ll see. You know, um I’m capable of a lot of stuff. Uh obviously, I’m comfortable spreading the floor. I’m com comfortable being in the post. Uh uh I love defending. I love being anchor on defense. Uh, bottom line, I just want to help the team win. You know, whatever they need me to do, whatever they see fit for my role. Uh, I’m going to be working as hard as possible to be great at that. You know, even if it’s something that I haven’t done yet or I may not be great at, you know, I’m going to put my best foot forward, put the work in. I’m going to be great at it and I’m going to help the team win. What’s it about Tai as a coach? You know, you played against someone quite a bit throughout your years in the league. Just what about him as coaching? So, are you excited for him? uh you know, he’s clearly a players coach. Uh he’s played on great teams, played on championship winning teams. Uh uh so he has that understanding of what it’s like for us to to go through the grind, what it takes to win a championship from a players perspective. Uh and obviously he’s a super high IQ coach as well. So, you know, he’s I I think he’s really uh obviously the perfect uh guy to to be leading the team. What would you be looking forward to in lineups where you shared a floor with Z? I know that happened a little bit with the Lakers. Mhm. 10 years later, like what would that look like today? Yeah, I I think we compleiment each other extremely well. Obviously, we’ll be very big. Uh I think we’d be great defensively, you know, just dominating the paint, sealing the paint off. And then offensively, we complent each other uh uh there as well. You know, spread the floor for him, give him all the room in the paint for him to go wild. you started your entire career this looks like that you would be a reserve this six man in the game I guess but what are your thoughts on what your role might be I’m just trying to come in and help the team win you know whatever that may look like uh that’s what I’m here to do uh you know uh wherever my minutes may come from when I’m on the court beginning of the game you know middle of the game end of the game I’m trying to be out there trying to help my team win beat the other team on the court 17 What motivates you to keep playing basketball other than the money? That’s good. The money’s the money’s nice. It’s it’s that’s not what it’s about for me, you know. I I love I love playing. I love hooping. I’ve loved it since I was a little kid. I watched my older brothers play. Uh I just always been around it, you know, and I I love winning just as much and I just I want to keep winning. I got got a great taste for it in Milwaukee and and you know, these guys are all about that here and I’m all about it. So, it’s it’s a perfect fit. I think this is the closest I’ve ever been to a Disney in the NBA. What are you looking forward to as far as being I’m looking forward to it as much uh as I can while still being responsible, you know, and keeping the keeping the important things in check, right? You know, we know what we’re here for. Crypto obviously now visited this past season. Oh man, absolutely. I was blown away, you know, their their worldass facility. Well, more than world class. It’s, you know, it’s the best in the world. Uh uh again, I was absolutely blown away by what I saw. Uh seeing uh what Mr. Bombers’s done with the team, the the money he’s put in, which shows how much he trusts and believes in the franchise and just his passion for it, you know, above everything else. It’s it’s exciting and it’s contagious. You know, he he texts me right away how excited he was to have me on the team. I told him the same thing back, you know, and I’m I’m excited to win, you know. I think that’s what we’re all here for and it’s just it’s going to be so much fun. You’ve been in the league really long time able to do this organization. What are your overall thoughts where the Clippers were when you first entered the league to where they are now? It’s it’s it’s crazy to see, but it’s very cool, you know, the seeing the seeing the climb, the ascent. Um, you know, uh, I’m a Cali boy, so, you know, I grew up, uh, I I grew up in the valley in North Hollywood. You know, uh, obviously things were very different back then. Uh, and to see where the Clippers come have come now, it’s just it’s astonishing. It’s beautiful. I’m glad to be a part of it and hopefully I can help take them even further up. You played against John in the conference finals few years back with the Hawks. The Hawks now. What are your thoughts on up against him in such high stakes and helping his team. Yeah, I mean he he’s someone else who can absolutely help us win. He he’s very talented, competitive. Um and I think, you know, getting him, it’s such a coup and he he gives us um even more creativity in the front court. I think we can have a front court that can dominate in so many different ways with so many different lineups. It’s just scary. You play with a lot of good playmakers in your career, but James is probably on a different level. Seems like what are you excited about getting with just I’m going to get as many pick and rolls with him as possible. Just get in that pocket because I know I know either he’s going to make something good happen. Good things.

LA Clippers center Brook Lopez spoke with media at his introductory media availability on July 14, 2025.

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