Started from the bottom now we here – These are the very first words that come to mind when I think about my last past days in L.A.
Started from the bottom, and now we’re here. What am I referring to? The West? Teams we didn’t see coming at the beginning of the season? My own journey and the people around me who walk parts of the way with me?
Why is this phrase the first thought, that pops into my head when I think of the past week? On April 1st, I flew into L.A.
Photo Credit: Michael Ade Oje
Lakers vs. Warriors, next day vs. Pelicans, and Clippers vs. Mavs.
So many emotions, packed into three consecutive days. Six press conferences, six locker room visits, countless individual questions, two one-on-one interviews with a nine-hour time difference and way too little sleep.
LeBron vs. Steph: We started from the bottom now we here.
LeBron Raymone James; Akron, Ohio – St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.
Stephen Curry; (born in the same hospital as LeBron in Akron), Davidson College – North Carolina.
How many more chances do we have to see these two on the court together, proving once again what a privilege it is to watch these exceptional athletes go head-to-head.
If someone had told little 12-year-old Aurelia back in 2002, when the Lakers were just getting their three-peat… Started from the bottom – and now I’m sitting here, writing these lines for you, watched LeBron and Steph splash back-to-back threes in the fourth quarter up close.
People often ask me where I get the energy to make all this happen. With my two jobs, constantly bouncing between America and Germany, traveling back and forth multiple times a month, living in a body that never knows when it can rely on a routine or which time zone it’s in. I definitely don’t get it from sleep. My energy lies in joy and gratitude.
Gratitude for being able to witness things few people get to see, having conversations that open up new perspectives. In my opinion, life should be a collection of precious moments. Stories we write and later tell, that give us the chance to see more, to understand more.
It’s the story of Quinten Post and Jimmy Butler, pregame in the locker room. Lakers vs. Warriors, April 3rd.
Quinten, born in March 2000, raised in the Netherlands, Amsterdam.
He told me in our conversation (the interview will be shared here in the next few days) that he never thought he’d make it to the NBA.
All of this happened under the watchful eye of Jimmy Butler, as Quinten is Jimmy’s new protégé – and even I was surprised when Quinten suddenly started speaking German with me.
I had suspected that he might know a bit of German, since Dutch and German are linguistically close, and Quinten came to Germany in 2018 to play for Alba Berlin II and also for Lokomotive Bernau.
But the fact that his German was that good surprised quite a few people in the locker room.
Maybe I did okay in Jimmy’s eyes – he’s not exactly one of those players who’s made it easy for me to ask questions in the past, let alone get good answers from him.
But this time, postgame in the locker room, when I asked him something, he gave me a really beautiful response.
That meant a lot to me, because Jimmy is one of the few players I find really hard to read – but his life-story is so inspiring. I hope I get the chance one day, to write more about it, because I believe we need these kinds of stories and role models to remind us what we’re capable of – when we believe in ourselves and don’t give up.
Also to gain insights into the lives of others, what they’ve been through – to know we’re not alone with our burdens. Everyone has their own load to carry, but when we share experiences and tips, it can be easier to carry them together. That’s why it meant so much to me that Quinten so openly shared his journey with me in that moment. Way too often in these days, we don’t really open up anymore – for fear of being hurt.
But there is such beauty in showing vulnerability – something we also saw recently in the story surrounding Luka Dončić.
Just yesterday, was the game against the Mavs, where at the beginning we saw a deeply moved and tearful Luka as the Mavs played his tribute video. Luka could have tried to hide his emotions, but I’m convinced: only when we allow and name our emotions outwardly, can we transform them into strength and energy. If we bottle them up inside, they can make us bitter – and we risk walking around with anger or worry.
How important communication is can also be seen in the success of the Lakers. I think if we’ve learned one thing about JJ Redick through his public presence in recent years, it’s that he knows how to communicate well and share knowledge.
Every time I sit in a press conference with him, I watch how wisely he chooses his words. He analyzes the smallest details, constantly engages in one-on-one conversations with players and coaches, always stays open to improvement, but still draws a clear line so you know where you stand.
Identity is so important – and we’re seeing more and more of that with the Lakers, which I believe is making them very dangerous heading into the playoffs. They should no longer be underestimated.
The Lakers ended up losing 116 to 123 to the Warriors.
I could barely process what I had just witnessed – 48 minutes of action.
Seats with a perfect view of midcourt, 15 meters away in a straight line, and the two teams in front of me – where NO ONE at the beginning of the season could have predicted to have this starting lineup.
It was my first time seeing Jimmy live as a Warrior. Who would’ve thought that Jimmy would turn out to be the missing puzzle piece – and that we’d see Draymond again in this kind of a championship form.
All the Draymond haters out there blend his off-court comments and often impulsive on-court behavior with his actual performance. If we leave out all the noise and look at his game in a vacuum, what he’s doing is amazing – not to mention his basketball IQ. He’s like a mind reader who knows every player on every team and exactly how the opposing player moves in the offense, what their next step is going to be. Just incredibly impressive to me.
In the end, the Warriors deserved the win – and I’m curious to see whether they’ll secure a fixed playoff seed or have to go through the Play-In. Postgame, I had the joy of asking Steph a question.
In the final minute of the game, he stood at the free-throw line. Within seconds, the arena was filled with loud MVP chants. I was shocked – after all, we were in the Lakers’ home arena. And if there’s one franchise known for its overwhelming fan presence, it’s the Lakers. It took about four seconds for the first boos to start. And this shows just how loved and celebrated Stephen Curry is. If anyone can pull it off, it’s him – making you feel like you’re sitting in the Chase Center while actually being in the Crypto Arena.
Plus, it’s pretty unusual in the NBA to see so many away fans in one arena. And that’s exactly what my question to Steph was about: I asked him, I know that he is used of having fans supporting him and the team no matter which arena he’s in – but that this moment felt especially powerful. Whether he noticed it that way, if he even realizes it in that moment – and if so, what goes through his mind?
To my delight, he gave me a beautiful answer – one that I was able to follow up on
Stephen Curry: “I appreciate the way our fans travel. The Bay Area – Dub Nation. I think, like in every sport. It’s just a vibe. We love the competitiveness – on the court and in the stands.
I remember my first couple years, playing against the Lakers in Oracle Arena. But the Lakers fans were way louder when Kobe came on the floor. That was a weird dynamic.
Now I see the other side of it. It’s a sport, it’s fun – you take it all in.”
Aurelia Rieke: “In the NBA, this isn’t something you see that often. I’m from Germany – in European football it’s totally normal: two sides of fans, clear divisions.”
Stephen Curry: “There’s a lot of talk about that – I don’t even want to go too deep into it – about fan engagement, viewership in the league, all of that.
But when you’re in an arena like tonight, you just realize: basketball is in a really good place – partly because of exactly that. I love to play, I love this atmosphere. And looking at tonight’s game – hopefully it was entertaining for everyone. Basketball is in a really good place”
I was sitting way at the edge, right along the path the players take to leave the press room. Since it was the last question, Steph got up after his answer.
As he walked toward the exit, he looked at me and said: “Good question.” Which of course made me really happy.
Because I believe that for most players who’ve been in the business for a long time, there’s nothing more annoying than having to answer the same repetitive questions over and over again.
Also a good transition to the Clippers. Because that’s exactly what Steve Ballmer is trying to implement in Clippers fan culture: European-style fandom – with his “The Wall,” which impresses me more and more each time.
At first, I honestly thought it wouldn’t last – that the fans sitting in the “The Wall” section wouldn’t be able to maintain that level of energy and consistency.
But right now, it really looks like it’s taken hold. So my deepest respect goes to Ballmer for having the guts to do it.
Furthermore, all I can say about the Clippers is: if we finally get a healthy Kawhi in the playoffs again, and Norman Powell fully recovers and finds his old form – this could get very interesting. Right now, the Clippers have a solid chance at securing a fixed playoff spot without needing the Play-In.
And if they can use that one-week break that comes with it to their advantage, the Clippers could become a real threat to some teams.
Last Saturday, it was time for Clippers vs. Mavs – and the Clippers basically wiped the floor with the currently heavily depleted Mavs, 135 to 104.
The great thing about the blowout: Cam Christie got a full seven minutes of playing time at the end – which we wouldn’t have seen otherwise – so we had Cam and Max Christie on the court together. I just love these brother pairs. How cool must it be to stand on an NBA court with your brother and make your living like that?
Because of that, I asked Tyronn Lue about it in the postgame press conference – what his thoughts were seeing the two out there, and whether he had any idea why we’re seeing so many sets of brothers in the league right now.
His answer – first of all: “They must be rich!” – LOL, I loved it.
As for the rest, he said he had no idea how that’s happening – he’d probably have to ask the guys themselves what’s going on there. After that we went into the Clippers’ locker room – which continues to impress me every single time because it’s just huge. Steve Ballmer really spared no expense with the Intuit Dome.
There I also got to talk to Zubac and Kawhi – both players whose calm presence has such a positive impact on me. Players I’d be truly honored to have a longer conversation with someday about their careers. Zubac actually has a strong case this year to be Most Improved Player – which I’d be incredibly happy for him to win. But I think it’ll be tough for him. Stats are pointing more toward other players – but hey, you never know.
The nice thing for me: I actually get to have a say this year. I’ve been given the great honor of being part of this year’s voting committee. Maybe I’ll give him my vote. Who exactly I end up voting for – you’ll get to read in the next column right here.
I’d love to tell you a thousand more stories, but today’s column has already gone way over time.
So for now, all that’s left to say is:
Wishing you a beautiful weekend –
Until then,
Your Flight Girl
