Warriors won NBA title with an assist from Kansans

They will remember the Steph Curry jump shots, Andre Iguodala’s defense and David Lee’s unselfishness and so much more from the 2015 NBA Finals. Most of all, however, they will remember the parade.

“The parade was the highlight of the whole journey,” said Golden State vice president of communications Raymond Ridder. “That’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced.”

Ridder is one of three people with Kansas connections who work for the Warriors, who won their first NBA title since 1975 earlier this month with a 4-2 series victory over Cleveland.

Ridder attended elementary school for five years in Wichita and Goddard. He returned from California to attend Northwest High as a sophomore and junior. Assistant general manager Travis Schlenk grew up in the northwest Kansas town of Selden, attended Bethel College and earned his graduate degree at Wichita State.

Brandon Rush, a former Kansas Jayhawk, played in 33 games in his third season with the Warriors.

Friday’s two-mile parade in Oakland attracted crowds estimated from 500,000 to a million. The devotion touched Ridder and Schlenk, who watched fans pack Oracle Arena for years to watch a struggling franchise.

“The parade was extremely humbling,” Schlenk said. “We had over a million people turn out to cheer us on. To see how much it meant to those people, it was really a neat experience.”

Ridder is in his 17th season with the Warriors. They made the playoffs once from 1995-2012 and last made the Western Conference finals in 1976.

“There were some pretty lean years,” he said. “We’ve always had the best fans in the league.”

Golden State started to emerge from the bottom of the NBA with drafts that landed Curry (2009), Klay Thompson (2011), Draymond Green, Festus Ezeli and Harrison Barnes (2012). The Warriors returned to the playoffs in 2013 and won 51 games in 2014.

Golden State started this season 21-2. Green, a second-round draft pick, moved into the starting lineup and excelled as a defender and emotional leader. Former All-Stars Iguodala and Lee accepted reduced roles without complaint. Ridder and Schlenk knew something special looked realistic.

“We never really slowed down,” Schlenk said. “I think when you’re in the middle of it, you don’t have an opportunity to enjoy it because you’re always worried about what might happen next. Right after the buzzer goes off — that’s when it sinks in. You just walk around with a smile on your face for no reason.”

Schlenk joined the Warriors in 2004 and worked as a video scout and assistant coach before moving to the front office. He travels the nation to watch college basketball prospects and played a key role in assembling the roster.

Ridder spent Monday in Los Angeles at Jimmy Kimmel Live with Iguodala, the Finals MVP. Ridder’s job is to work with national and local media members covering the team and to direct Golden State’s communications with fans through its website and social media.

The Warriors came across as a likable, charismatic team and Ridder said that is no smokescreen. Curry sets the tone with his availability, professionalism and good humor. When Curry didn’t make the All-Star team in 2013, he sent Ridder a text thanking him for pushing the case, even in an unsuccessful attempt.

“That kind of sums up the kind of person he is,” Ridder said. “I’ve been doing this for 24 years and it’s the easiest group I’ve ever had to work with. Steph Curry might be the nicest human I’ve ever met in my life. He’s humble, sincere, All-American kid.”

This story was originally published June 23, 2015 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Warriors won NBA title with an assist from Kansans."