What Lester Quiñones is experiencing this season in the NBA could be defined as a dream come true. Starting from the most unfavorable situation, having not been drafted, months later the Dominican managed to sign a permanent contract with the Golden State Warriors and share a locker room with his idol, Stephen Curry.
“You can contain Steph, but it is impossible to defend him well. He came very early to the preseason and also a couple of times to see us at the Summer League in Las Vegas. It means a lot to me: he was my favorite player when he was growing up. What is happening to me is impressive,” he said in an interview with Agencia EFE.
The sacrifice and effort of the 23-year-old Dominican have been rewarded: he is already part of the rotation of a team that has marked an era in the NBA with four rings and is under the command of a bench legend like Steve Kerr.
Ask: It’s been several months, but it must still be hard to believe where he is and who he’s surrounded by.
Answer: It’s impressive to be surrounded by legends like Stephen Curry, Draymond Green or Klay Thompson. I’m learning as much as I can from being here. I am very grateful for what is happening to me.
P: What are these legends like on a day-to-day basis?
R: They are very humble and very open. Especially Chris Paul. With everything he has done in these 18 years, he is open to teaching, to answering what is asked of him. They have already come a very long way, I have only been in this league for a year. I’m here like a sponge.
Every day I come I’m happy to see Steph and Klay throwing twenty more minutes after training. I try to learn everything I can from them.
Q: What does Steve Kerr ask of you?
A: It has given me a lot of confidence. I felt it that way. Even a couple of months ago when I came back into the rotation, it made me feel how prepared I was, and as soon as I heard my name I felt like I would do everything I could to be the best guy I could be, keep working, like I was in the institute again.
Q: You finally reached your big goal: achieving a permanent contract in the NBA. Not everyone in his situation gets it…
A: Sure, especially coming from where I come from. From the lowest. Coming here for a week last year, thinking about where I am now is just incredible.
Q: You followed the most difficult path: not being drafted and playing for the G League development team, doubling training sessions between Santa Cruz and San Francisco.
A: It’s about not skipping days, making each one of them consistent and precise. I feel that the whole process, from not being drafted and going to preseason training, is a different, harder path. But I’m doing it and I’m prepared.
Q: You play for the Dominican Republic national team, but you also have roots from El Salvador and Puerto Rico. At a time when the NBA does not have a large Hispanic representation, it must feel something special.
A: Of course, I always say it: I represent three countries at the same time. My blood from El Salvador, Dominican and Puerto Rican are the same. I had to choose to play for the Dominican Republic. My grandmother, my family there, were the ones who raised me, but I represent all three countries. I feel the same love for all of them.
Q: What do you feel when you put on the Dominican jersey?
A: It means everything. For my grandmother, my mother… Every time I put it on I feel that connection, I feel a country behind me. The time I spent there in the summers was awesome. The support I feel from my country, from the people, for what I do, makes me feel great every time I put on that shirt.
Q: What would be a dream for you with that shirt? The Paris Olympic Games are just around the corner…
A: Sure, one hundred percent. We still have to see what happens with the classification but I feel that in the future I will be playing something like this with my country.
Q: In the NBA you meet many teammates. Do you keep in touch with Al Horford, Karl-Anthony Towns or Chris Duarte?
A: Sure. I talked to Al when we played in Boston and it was a fantastic chat. He also did recently in Minnesota with Karl. We keep in touch. Right now I’m focused on my team, on the Warriors. But when the season ends I will be aware of my selection.
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2024-04-11 06:27:26