Stephen Curry Breaks Silence With 8-Word Reaction Amid Ex-Teammate’s Message to Joe Lacob & Steve Kerr

Ten years, three championships, 599 games, and one legacy that can’t be replicated. Kevon Looney’s time with the Golden State Warriors has come to an emotional close. From barely out of high school to becoming the league’s most underrated glue guy, “Loon” embodied what Dub Nation holds sacred: sacrifice, grit, loyalty, and buckets when it mattered most.

Now, Looney is packing his bags for the New Orleans Pelicans after inking a two-year, $16 million deal. The Bay is feeling that familiar bittersweet ache, the kind only real ones leave behind. But it’s not just the fans who are sentimental. Looney made sure the whole world knew what the last decade meant to him. He penned a raw and heartfelt farewell through The Players’ Tribune, titled “Thank You, Bay Areaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,” a love letter to the Warriors, their fans, and to the franchise that helped turn a 19-year-old rookie into one of the league’s most respected veterans. 

And while every word was filled with gratitude, emotion, and maturity, one name kept surfacing throughout, Stephen Curry. Looney didn’t hold back in expressing what Curry and Draymond Green meant to him. “Those were my first two calls,” he wrote, describing the emotional moment he had to tell them he was leaving. “Those guys, they’ve been my big brothers for the past 10 years — showing me the ropes, guiding me, helping me to grow up.”

Looney didn’t just respect Steph, he leaned on him. Following Looney’s farewell post, Curry took to Instagram, “I’m Bay Area for life, no matter where I go.” Steph’s response? Short, but powerful. “Forever a legend Toon!!!! ‘17 on the clock!’” That was it. Eight words. Pure gold.

Curry reposted a photo from Looney’s carousel, one that shows Loon in the middle of the court, in blue and yellow. The original caption from Looney? “I’m Bay Area for life, no matter where I go.” Steph didn’t need a whole essay. Sometimes, brotherhood speaks in shorthand. “17 on the clock” is a reference to Looney’s jersey number, a subtle nod, a loud salute. Curry’s message wasn’t just a reaction. It was an acknowledgment: Looney isn’t gone. He’s etched in Warriors lore.

“10 years in the Bay changed my life. Thank you, Dub Nation,” Looney tweeted, linking to a deeply personal essay. From the Oracle days to the Chase Center lights, Looney left it all out on the floor, and in his goodbye, he left none of his gratitude unsaid. He shouted out to the fans, his teammates, and the entire Warriors’ staff. And then, in one of the letter’s most poignant passages, he turned to the two men who helped shape his journey: head coach Steve Kerr and Warriors owner Joe Lacob. 

A message to the architects: Kerr and Lacob

“To Coach Kerr, to Joe Lacob — thank you guys for trusting in me, for believing in me, for seeing something in me that, honestly, even I didn’t always see in myself.” In Looney’s goodbye letter, his gratitude for Coach Kerr and Joe Lacob stood tall. This wasn’t about stats or game logs; it was about trust. A testament to the Warriors’ belief in their system and in their people.

Kevon Looney was the 30th pick in 2015. He battled through injuries early in his career, and truth be told, a lot of franchises might’ve cut bait. But not Golden State. They doubled down on Looney, and he repaid them tenfold. He became a walking masterclass in knowing your role and doing it brilliantly. The message wasn’t just a goodbye. It was a thank-you to the very foundation that built this dynasty, the decision-makers who backed a 19-year-old kid with heart and hustle. In an era of flashy trades and short leashes, the Warriors bet on character. And it paid off.

Kevon Looney’s departure may have left a gaping hole in the Warriors’ frontcourt, and, sure, names like Al Horford and Jarrett Allen are floating around the rumor mill. But you don’t just “replace” Kevon Looney. You pivot, rebuild, but remember. For ten years, he was the anchor behind the splash. Looney was there, setting bone-rattling screens, grabbing boards in traffic, keeping the engine running.

Now, as the Warriors look to retool and reload, Dub Nation has one less familiar face on the floor, but one more legend in the archives. Because like Curry said: “Forever a legend, Toon!!!!”