Warriors GM, Santa Cruz Mayor Singing Same Song

Proud.

In one word, that sums up the feelings of Kirk Lacob on the Santa Cruz Warriors recently-completed first season in Surf City.

Lacob, the 24-year-old general manager of the Warriors, is extremely pleased with what transpired both on the court and with the Warriors' relationship with the city and community.

"We're proud of what we accomplished from the top on down ... what we did as a representative of Santa Cruz and the interaction as a basketball community," Lacob said in assessing the coming together of the two entities. "We created an incredible culture with the city and the fans ... We're proud of the phenomenal job we established with the community. It was so positive ...

"We're proud of how well we played during the regular season, proud we made it to the Finals and proud we got three players to go to the NBA," added the young GM, who is running his first NBA Development League team, a direct affiliation of the Golden State Warriors.

"We're proud of everything ... but we will continue to work for improvement both on the court and working with the community. And making the game operation even better for the fans."

Those fans who flocked to the new Kaiser Permanente Arena -- built in three months (September to December 2012) after the team announced its move from Bismarck, N.D, to Santa Cruz -- drew special mention. "The crowds were absolutely great," Lacob said. "They provided the team with a tremendous lift, and the energy they generated seemed to work both ways.

"But I wouldn't say we were particularly surprised. We believed we could get this kind of reception and that's why we tried to make it happen (the move to Santa Cruz). At the same time, seeing it come true for the city ... and the fact that we all seized the moment made it well worthwhile."

The Warriors drew more than 65,000 fans for the 27 home games (24 regular season -- one more was played in Reno -- and three playoff games, one in each of the three postseason series). They had 22 total sellouts and averaged more than 4,400 fans in the 2,505-seat arena, where they posted a 21-6 record (19-5 regular season, 2-1 playoffs). Overall they went 32-19 in the regular season to finish second in the Western Division (to the Bakersfield Jam), ousted the Fort Wayne Mad Ants 2-0 in the first round and the Austin Toros 2-0 in the semifinals before  losing two straight in the Finals to the champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

Four of those fans turned out to be Santa Cruz Mayor Hilary Bryant and her family -- husband David Schuman, son Quintin, 9, and daughter Maddie, 7. The Mayor is just as proud of her city's reception and particularly delighted with her family's reaction.

"I think it's been great," Mayor Bryant said. "I didn't really know what to expect. This has been even more than what we could have hoped for. The Warriors have given something extra to the city and have been accepted by the community. It's a real win for everybody. A successful merger ... in a lot of different ways.  They have been a great addition to the city."

Bryant didn't even expect what happened with her own family.

"I thought Quintin and Maddie would want to go to a couple of games, and the novelty would wear off," she said. "But I could not believe how excited they were. They couldn't wait to go to all the games. I never expected this from my own kids. They just were drawn to the players and they felt they had their own team. It has given our family something else to share together ... something we would never have expected. 

"Just today Quintin was reading stats from last night's Golden State Warriors (playoff) game (Wednesday's stunning 100-91 win over the Spurs in San Antonio).  And when our Warriors went to Texas (to play the Vipers in the playoffs), Maddie wrote a note for Lance Goulbourne with her pink pen on her pink paper and gave it to our friend Fred Kelley (who went to the away games) to take it with him when he went. She wanted to wish Mr. Goulbourne good luck in Texas." 

Besides the excitement the team created on the basketball court, the Mayor has even more praise for what the Warriors have done for Santa Cruz.

"On game nights, they drew fans that have helped downtown business. The extra people contributed a big boost to the money we collect from sales taxes," said Bryant, who wanted it known "the credit belongs to city manager Martin Bernal" for getting the Warriors to town.

"But the biggest thing," she said, "has been the Warriors' devotion to the community. They (both players and management) have contributed to over 80 community events and were wildly successful in getting game tickets to our young people." 

Mayor Bryant pointed out the Warriors raised $23,000 for Grind Out Hunger, a non-profit organization devoted to supporting youth and empowering them to make a difference in the world through their passions; that they have been instrumental in the Read to Achieve program, the centerpiece of the D-League's community relations platform that promotes the love of reading and online literacy and encourages families and adults to read regularly with young children; that they have helped out the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz, United Way, Special Olympics and the Sanctuary Exploration Center near the beach that highlights the Monterey Bay's natural and cultural resources.  

The profits the Warriors made from the overwhelming attendance helped the team pay back more money than expected. The Warriors said their average ticket revenue per game was more than $52,000, the highest in the 16-team league.

"Since we keep the gate revenue, it's already helping pay off the building," Lacob said. "We're well ahead of schedule (they have seven years to pay the $4 million debt off). It was low risk from the start in case our attendance was bad, but it wasn't. And we just want to keep it up ... it just adds to our strong  relationship and  positive direction in working with the city."

Lacob pointed out that the progress wasn't the result of just the work he's done, and was quick to praise others. "As I said, it started at the top with Jim (Weyermann)," Lacob reiterated. "It was a team effort throughout ... It was an amazing job by the staff ... Andrew Loomis, Jonnie West, Sammy Gelfand ... they did an amazing job working with the team and the city."

The management part of the team is made up of president Weyermann, Lacob, assistant general manager Loomis, director of player personnel Gelfand, their chief scout West, director of ticket sales Dana Knops, director of marketing Erika Beutler, ticket operations manager Josie Pappas, operations manager Brad Brown, marketing assistant John Bickle, executive assistant to the president and office manager Leonie Mendoza, facilities manager Tyler Weyermann and public and community relations manager Matt de Nesnera.

On the court, head coach Nate Bjorkgren was in charge and assisted by Vitaly Potapenko and Casey Hill. Head athletic trainer Michael Douglas kept the players in shape and able to perform.

Lacob is especially fond of his relationship with Bjorkgren, who was hired two years ago before the franchise's last season in Bismarck, and recalls the hiring in the summer of 2011.

"While I was returning from one of my trips, Nate was meeting with the rest of Golden State's management team," Lacob said. "I had just left the airport and missed Nate as he was was arriving their from the meeting. I got him on the cell phone and drove back to the airport to meet him. And the rest was history. So we basically got him to coach after a meeting in the lobby at the airport. 

"Nate impressed me with his basketball savvy. He's got good basketball sense and is great for the D-League," added Lacob who said they were in touch daily during the season. "He molded a tight unit where the players were  team-oriented, and he got his players to stick together and run and believe in his system, and he put together one of the best defenses the league has ever seen -- they set a best defensive record for lowest field goal percentage by a large  margin."

Indeed, the Warriors led the D-League by allowing opponents only 40.8 percent field-goal shooting in surrendering 96.8 points per game. They also led the league in steals per game (10.1).

Although their bid for the D-League title fell short, Bjorkgren and Lacob are still in touch daily as both "have been called up" by the parent Golden State Warriors, who are on their own quest for an NBA title. Lacob is also an assistant general manager with the Warriors, who are owned by Joe Lacob, the father of the Santa Cruz GM, and Peter Guber.

Bjorkgren is now helping Warriors coach Mark Jackson while Lacob is assisting general manager Bob Myers. Both are on hand on the road and at home, where Game 3 will be played Friday night before the raucous fans at Oracle Arena in Oakland who hope to see the Warriors break a 1-1 tie in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals.

"We're immensely proud of the Golden State Warriors, too," Kirk Lacob said. "It was a great season and a step in the right direction ... I mean it's the second time in 19 years we made it to the playoffs, and we made it to the second round ... we just want to continue the journey.

'We're one of few teams with direct operation between the major and minor league level," Lacob added. "We stick together and try to make it so that the teams mirror each other ... we try for stability which is good going forward. It's important that the NBA-mandated players develop together."

After the Big W's season is over, Lacob will turn his attention to next year's Santa Cruz team.

"Generally we keep three or four players from the previous year although we had six players carryover this season," said Lacob who added they will start making player plans about a month before next season starts.

"It's up to the players whether they want to come back or not ... you have the rights to every one for two years, but some move on to Europe or other NBA teams or decide they'd rather play elsewhere. We do get first claim on NBA players if they don't make it again next year,  like Chris Johnson (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Warriors' Scott Machado and Kent Bazemore and any other players cut by the Warriors. We can keep up to three of them." 

The Santa Cruz Warriors will also have  local tryouts like they did last year.

"That's how we got Daniel Nwaelele," Lacob said about the guard who contributed during the course of the year with his 3-point shooting. "It was the first time he played professional basketball in five years because he spent that time in the Air Force. 

"Looking at everything, it was a great first season. We can't wait for it to start all over again. And I'll say it again, I'm proud of everything."