New Warrior Anderson Adopts ‘Slo Mo’ Nickname and Unique Style Originally appeared in NBC Bay Area Sports
SAN FRANCISCO – Kyle Anderson He has perhaps the most unflattering nickname in the NBA. In a league defined by movement and athleticism, this New member of the Warriors I mean, drum roll, Mr. Slow Motion.
Or, “Slo Mo” for short.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m moving fast,” Anderson said Monday during his introductory news conference at Chase Center. “And then I look at the tape and I’m like…”
“I see players like Nikola (Jokić) or Luka Dončič and I ask myself: ‘Am I moving like that? ’ And my teammates say: ‘You’re moving slower. ’”
He’s not wrong. Anderson tends to move deliberately around the court, like a barefoot man moving through a darkened room. Except he usually finds the doorknob. Or the rim. Or the open teammate.
Anderson, 30, is fine with the nickname. He has been in the league for 10 seasons and has played for three different teams, so his relatively easy pace hasn’t affected his ability to find work.
“It’s just part of my style of play, really,” Anderson said. “I think it’s a little bit tricky. Changing speeds is part of my game. Being a little bit sneaky. It’s always worked for me.”
“I was always told it wouldn’t work, and it has worked. So I accept it.”
Anderson’s wide-ranging skillset keeps him in the league. He uses his 6-foot-8 height and 7-foot-3 wingspan to play solid defense and can literally play any role, from point guard to center, on offense.
“I’m a pretty selfless player, really, a pass-first guy,” he said. “I get my teammates involved, I’m very good at seeing the floor. I compete on defense. I do my best. I think I’m a good rebounder, a guy who can get a rebound, start the fast break, (pass) in front or make a play in the frontcourt.”
He The Warriors were drawn to Anderson’s versatility.He’s a small forward on one possession, a power forward on the next, and then a shooting guard who shoots a three-pointer from the corner.
Watching Anderson dribble, though, is fascinating. He has shades of Donćić in that he plays at his own pace, regardless of what the other nine players are doing. And somehow, he makes it work.
That’s why he attributes this to his father, also named Kyle.
“He always made me watch point guards,” Anderson said. “I grew up watching Jason Kidd play for the Nets in New Jersey. (My dad) really raised me to be a point guard. I just grew up to be 6’3” tall. I was able to keep my point guard skills, my ball-handling skills, my passing ability. It always stayed with me. That’s who I am as a player.”
Anderson has played in 653 NBA games, starting 304 of them. He is shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from beyond the arc. In his last two seasons combined, both with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he shot 48.6 percent from the free throw line, including 35.3 percent from 3-point range.
He will be a solid rotation player, often replacing Draymond Green.
They play at different speeds, but Anderson is proof that speed matters, although not as much as skill.