Alex Toohey is entering his rookie season in the NBA with an open mind.
The learned and curious Australian almost has no choice. He was drafted by a Golden State Warriors franchise that has a handful of future Hall of Famers, and he has a direct line to a pair of Australian basketball legends who both have a unique connection to the organisation.
We're talking, of course, about Andrew Bogut, who played multiple successful seasons with the Warriors, and Luc Longley, who remains close with the team's head coach Steve Kerr, who he was teammates with on the Chicago Bulls teams in the 1990s. The pair of retired big-men are also both part owners of the Sydney Kings, the NBL team Toohey spent the last two seasons with, and didn't hesitate to offer congratulations and guidance once draft night came to a close.
"Both were quick to reach out," Toohey told ESPN, on Bogut and Longley.
"Luc basically just said [Kerr] was one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, and he obviously knows what he's talking about. He's one of those people Luc definitely stays in touch with. I know Luc's a guy of great character, so anyone he speaks to is going to be the same.
"Bogues just said I'm going to love the city, I'm going to love the organisation. He'll be easy to hit and ask questions about schemes. He played there recently and was part of the reason why they were so successful... He's just harped on how elite of an organisation they are, and how, from the head down to the bottom, everyone's willing to try and move the organisation forward to win. I think that's a testament to the culture of an organisation... you've got to have everyone on board and pushing the culture forward, and he said that's what it's like there. "I'm super lucky to have those supportive guys around me."
The 21-year-old Toohey is also naturally hoping to work his way into real minutes for the Warriors team that drafted him with the 52nd overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft. The 6'8 forward has confidence that he can be an impactful player for Kerr from day one. Toohey's play-type theoretically fits the way the Warriors like to operate, with his ability to stretch the floor, make high IQ plays, and guard multiple positions seemingly a perfect addition to Kerr's read-and-react system.
Still, notwithstanding the outcome of that goal, being around the likes of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler will provide Toohey with ample opportunity to expedite his development as a basketball player, and there's enough reason to believe he'll be eager and willing to learn.
Heading into the draft, NBA scouts and executives raved about Toohey's development from his first season in the NBL to his second. The native of Canberra - and son of parents who both served in the military - has also demonstrated a keen interest in absorbing philosophical teachings, often citing motivational quotes in interviews. Toohey's mind is the optimal breeding ground for learning from his new teammates, multiple of whom are either future Hall of Famers or widely considered greats of today's game.
Curry is obvious, as inarguably the greatest shooter of all time, and the face of the Warriors franchise for over a decade.
"The shooting is kind of an obvious one," Toohey said, when asked what he's hoping to absorb by being around Curry.
"[But] I'd say the composure. As a shooter, you can get phased by makes and misses. He'll have had games where he's made 10 threes in a row, and then he'll go 0-of-10. Just talking to him about that mindset, how to get ready game to game, and how to expect different things from different teams, different coverages."
Then, there's Green, who's one of the best defenders of this generation, and has the mould of a player - and role - that Toohey projects to eventually slide into.
So, what does Toohey want to learn from Green?
"Just the way he plugs every gap," he says.
"He fits every hole. On defence, he's always in the right spots. Talking to him about what he sees, and if he sees the on-ball defender beat a little bit, if he knows to help or if the scout says not to help; how he makes that read there.
"Offensively, just being able to know what the system is and how to fit into that. As you get older, you lose a bit of athleticism and speed, so [learning] how he's adjusted to that and found ways to influence with his three and being an elite passer."
Finally, there's Butler, who's a new addition to these Warriors but is a six-time All-Star who's known for his extraordinary playoff exploits.
"Jimmy, I think just his innovative ways to score," Toohey said.
"People call it a 'bag', but he basically just goes and gets a rebound, makes one move, and gets a layup. He just accumulates, keeps the scoreboard ticking. I think that's something that's cool, [he] just makes reads. He probably doesn't plan any moves. He just sees where the defenders are, and makes the right read."
Alex Toohey buries basket against Utah Jazz
Toohey is coming off his first NBA Summer League experience, and admitted he was up and down, though he did show enough glimpses of why the Warriors drafted him, eventually finding his groove offensively as the tournament progressed.
"It was tough," Toohey said of his Summer League experience.
"The athleticism is obviously another level, and the pace of the game. Especially the Warriors; we had one of the highest-paced offences. And it felt like that. We'd be pretty gassed after a few minutes of getting up and down. We felt that wore teams down, and that put us in some games we maybe shouldn't have been in. That's definitely one part of it.
"Then, figuring out that: I got drafted for a reason. They obviously see things in me, and believe in me, so it's just finding that internal confidence and being able to make a play in transition, or make a three when it comes your way."
So, what is Toohey planning to work on as training camp draws near?
"Conditioning," he said.
"You can never really be in the best shape. You can always be in better shape. I'm making sure I nail that before I get over there; making sure that, when you're playing, you can't get tired. I think that raises every level. It raises your decision-making, the longer you can stay fit and keep your mind engaged.
"Then, just shooting and finishing. Obviously, the Warriors like to shoot threes, and have a lot of players that are able to stretch the floor - one to five can shoot threes - so that, and finishing over length."
The basketball and personality fit for Toohey in Golden State feels like a match made in heaven - there's a reason why he said in his first post-draft media availability that the Warriors' style of play is " very Australian" - and he's ready to dive into the opportunity head first.
"The list of teams that were interested in me, I think I got the best of the lot," Toohey said.
"Obviously [there's] the Australian connection there, and the way they play, it's something I think I've learned a lot before even knowing I'm going to be a Warrior: learning how they play, studying their schemes, their offences and defences."