Gold State Warriors’ Newly Assigned Player Mentor Coach Recalls His Iconic “Champions” Moment With the Team

The Golden State Warriors are far from what they were just a couple of years back. While they ended up with the worst record this season, before 2019, it was a whole other ball game.

Leandro Barbosa was recently announced as the new player mentor coach for the Golden State Warriors. He was with the Warriors when their glory years had begun, and he recently recalled his famous words that eventually sparked a fire in the Warriors to win championship after championship.

Leandro Barbosa’s golden words that changed the Golden State Warriors’ fortunes

“We gonna be championship!” are the prophetic words that Leandro spewed out in 2015 in a post-game interview. This was when they had just won the NBA title for the franchise for the first time since 1975 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Leandro had entered the Warriors family in 2014, but nobody knew the impact these four words would have on their future.

“It’s funny, but I knew what I was saying. I definitely knew,” Barbosa said on the “Runnin’ Plays” podcast. “A lot of people laughed when I did the interview and I said that in the middle of the season.

“After I said it, I came to the locker room and said, ‘Guys, I probably did a crazy thing but I said that we were going to be champions. Does anybody here believe or trust what I’m saying?’ And everybody said, ‘Yes, yes we’re with you.’ So I said, ‘Let’s make it happen.

“After we had that conversation in the locker room, right after I said that to the media, I was positive that was going to happen,” concluded Barbosa.

Following this began the Warriors’ unbelievable dynasty. They paved their way to two more championships consecutively in 2017 and 2018.

On entering as their new player mentor coach

Considering the impact his words can create, Barbosa will be perfect as their new player mentor coach. On his way to start his new job, a flight attendant asked, “We gonna be championship again, Leandro?”. To this, Barbosa gave a befitting reply and said, “Why not? I’m coming back!”.

Therefore, his return couldn’t have come at a better time. The warriors really need all the help they can to bring their groove back for the Playoffs next season.