From nbl.com.au:
Brisbane Bullets star Will Magnay has set the record straight on the Golden State Warriors rumours surrounding him earlier this year.
It had been reported the Warriors had offered Magnay a 10-day contract and while a conversation took place and that deal was mentioned, the NBL20 Most Improved Player has revealed a contract was never officially offered.
“The Golden State Warriors had asked the Bullets if they had offered me a 10-day contract, would the Bullets release me,” Magnay said on the Gibbo Goes One-On-One podcast.
“That was the conversation that went down and somehow that news got out. There was never anything on paper, there was interest and whatnot but never anything on paper. It got out and runs away like it does in the media.”
While he didn’t join Golden State, there is still NBA interest in the 21-year-old. The COVID-19 pandemic has blocked Magnay from visiting NBA teams but he is still communicating with them via Zoom and is hopeful of a positive outcome.
“After the season finished, I had originally planned to visit about nine teams and do a tour and a workout and whatnot with all the teams that were on my list but COVID-19 shut that down pretty quickly,” Magnay said.
“I have had a few Zoom calls with GMs and VPs of some teams, so getting to know them and meet them. I’m trying to enjoy this experience as much as possible and we will see what happens at the end…just need to keep working.”
There is some intrigue about what is actually discussed between NBA hopefuls and teams on Zoom calls, as they can’t actually watch them play.
Magnay has lifted the lid on the conversations that take place, while also admitting he had a haircut before a call with a team this week.
“It’s just being open and honest and understanding what they’re like as an organisation and how they operate and how I would fit in their team,” Magnay said.
“It’s almost a little bit of a sales pitch from them as much as it is me letting them know who I am. We might get on a Zoom call and then they go, no, we don’t want a person like this in our organisation and that’s fine.
“Just be who I am and if it comes to me it comes to me, if not, I’ll keep working.”
If he doesn’t get into the NBA next season, Magnay will be back with Brisbane for NBL21. However, Magnay’s goal is clear and he hopes to reach it as soon as possible.
“The goal is to not be in the NBL this year, as much as I love the NBL, my goal is to be at the highest level,” Magnay said.
“It’s a bit of a wait and see kind of thing, who knows when the borders are going to open up, who knows if they will even let me in the country if I get an opportunity to go over there.
“There are so many what ifs up in the air. The plan for me moving forward is to stay in the best shape I can and play it as it comes.
“I’m playing in the NBL which is a pretty special league so I’m in a good spot and I can’t really complain too much about this pandemic because some people have it a lot worse than I do.”
