As a nomad who bounced around the NBA for eight years while trying to overcome a serious knee injury that nearly ended his career at the age of 21, Shaun Livingston longed for a place where he could throw down. his suitcase, lose his shoes, pour a glass of wine and sit on a chair to call himself.
Livingston found a “home” in the Bay Area, specifically Oakland, with the Warriors. He is the only player in the modern NBA era to reach the Finals in each of the last five seasons of his career.
It wasn’t until his experience in Oakland that Livingston achieved symmetry with much satisfaction on the court but without.
Now four years into retirement, Livingston in a phone conversation with NBC Sports Bay Area gave a message for Oakland, with his permission to share with the rest of the Bay:
“Thank you.”
This simple expression of appreciation contrasts with the headlines that threaten to topple Oakland. Escalating crime issues is not uncommon in America. The Warriors are leaving in 2019. The hometown NFL team, the Raiders, are packing up and moving in 2020. The MLB A’s continue to lead the reinvention and reinvention efforts of moving to product investment.
Livingston had a different experience. Oakland is where his life is focused. He had a consistent role with the Warriors, won three championships, made friends and started a family. Memories of The Town will always warm his heart.
“The Bay!” Livingston said, raising his voice. “Being in Oakland, the fans, seeing the love that is in the Bay. The diversity. All of it is attractive. And they accepted me as one of them. It was good.
“The first thing that comes to my mind is, ‘Thank you!’ The fans, and I’m talking about the real ones, the people who were there before the Splash Brothers, before all the nicknames and brands. To the true fans and the people who support the team and the players, who invest their time and energy and money, I just want to say: ‘Thank you.’
Living in Oakland and with the Warriors as a player and member of the front office since 2014, Livingston – who spent nearly two years commuting between Oakland and Las Vegas – in June moved full-time in Vegas, joining his wife and their two young daughters.
Shaun and his wife Joanna, who grew up in Vegas, can be seen in the East Bay community, whether appearing at various civic functions or sipping and shopping at their favorite wine bar, Bay Grape, on Grand Avenue in Oakland.
“It was the timing,” Livingston, 37, said of his decision to leave Golden State’s front office. “It’s more about home and family, watching my kids grow up. Being there for the kids. They’re at an age where I want to be more involved. I don’t want to miss opportunities.
“It’s about doing what matters. I don’t want to look back and regret it. I’d rather regret not working with the Warriors than not being there with my kids.
Consider this another decision based on strength. After playing for eight different franchises before becoming a free agent and signing with Golden State, Livingston provided value in presence and permanence during his time with the Warriors.
Eligible for free agency in the summer of the 2015-16 season, after the Warriors posted a league-record 73 wins but lost in seven games in the NBA Finals, Livingston agreed to re-sign minutes after the time for negotiations will open.
“You can’t put a price on happiness,” he texted at that time.
The first two seasons were a launchpad for three more. General manager Bob Myers sighed. Head coach Steve Kerr and his assistants were delighted, as were the Livingston teammates.
The man called “Dot” heard everything and was forced to answer the call of Oakland, the whispers in the Oracle Arena.
“My life changed during those first two years,” he said. “Just because of the visibility and what we’ve done, playing at the highest level, on the biggest stage. It’s hard to replace that. But the people are what make it special. We have a great group of guys, and we did some amazing things. We came up short (in the Finals) and that was disappointing.
“The main three components with the decision to return are the people: Bob, Steve and the players, the friendships that have been made. We have something special. There is an element of family, and then wanting to come back better than before.
A few days after Livingston agreed to return, the Warriors persuaded free agent Kevin Durant to come to the Bay. The reconstructed roster raced to back-to-back championship seasons.
After Golden State’s pursuit of a three-peat ended with devastating injuries to Klay Thompson and Durant in the 2019 Finals, Livingston spent the first two months of the summer contemplating retirement before actually doing so. officially in September, his departure coincided with the departure of the Oracle team.
“I’m thankful that we have a lot of love in the Bay,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong; I know everyone loves a winner. That comes with the territory. However, it comes back to organic reliability. We feel a lot of love in the Bay. We feel it especially in the East Bay and Oakland. They support you and want to see you win.
“I’m just thankful that I can be a part of a team like that in a location like the Bay Area.”
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Even now, Livingston considers Oakland his second home, after Peoria, Ill., where he was born.
Vegas? This is a place to live. There he embraced the life of a husband and father. For now, nothing could be more satisfying.
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