Juan Toscano-Anderson just signed a two-year deal with Golden State. The Oakland-native already considers himself a “Warrior for life.”
In a sports world increasingly dominated by strict business decisions on the part of organizations and players, there’s something extra special about finding someone who bucks the trend.
Juan Toscano-Anderson is one of those people.
The guard just signed a new two-year deal to stay with the Warriors after a solid 2021 on a two-way contract. As an Oakland native, the honor is not lost on him in the slightest.
“This is where my heart is. I’m an east Oakland kid. I’m a Warrior. I’m a Warrior for life,” Toscano-Anderson explained. “Regardless if I’m here for the rest of my career or I’m just here for another year, this is always going to be a part of my heart and a part of me, who I am.”
Juan Toscano-Anderson is all in on the Warriors
Toscano-Anderson grew up idolizing Larry Hughes, who played for Golden State from 2000 to 2002. Now he gets to play alongside Warriors legend Stephen Curry. That was more important than looking for opportunities elsewhere.
“It was a no-brainer for me. I don’t care about the money,” Toscano-Anderson said. “Somebody could have offered me a significant amount of money, but I think I would have still chose to be here. I love it here. I love the Bay. I love the Warriors and I love my teammates.”
Toscano-Anderson credited head coach Steve Kerr for never making him feel like a player on a two-way contract. Players like Draymond Green, Curry and Klay Thompson made him feel part of the team.
The 28-year-old has battled his way up the professional ladder since leaving Marquette in 2015. He went undrafted and landed in Mexico’s professional league. He also played in Venezuela before getting a gig with the Warriors affiliate in Santa Cruz in 2018.
After two seasons in the G-League and more contract uncertainty, he’s closer to being a true Warrior for life than ever.