Every day, after exhausting himself with practice, Gary Payton would still play one-on-one with him, teaching him defense, hoping he would one day stand on his own.
It wasn't just him; Stephen Jackson and Jason Richardson tirelessly passed the ball to Monta during training matches, while Marcus and Dikembe would willingly set screens for him in games, ignoring his rookie status.
Erik had him play in the development league to stay in form while also training with the Warriors. Whenever there was a chance, he would immediately let Monta play.
As for me, I didn't do nearly as much as they did, but I was always there for him.
I helped him with his family's tickets, arranged a dedicated parking space. Whenever he needed, I would drop everything to guide him. I even gave him my trainer. The treatment he received was quite similar to that of Amar'e, and as you know, Amar'e was the No. 3 pick.
We all treated Monta like a younger brother, a member of the Golden State Gangsters family.
