De’Anthony Melton has always been something of an open book. The 28-year-old guard for the Golden State Warriors has long been regarded in the NBA as a solid fit for any roster, contributing at a high level in multiple facets of the game. However, that doesn’t mean he had an easy season last year, when injuries forced the San Francisco squad to switch plans again and again.
In a conversation with Lucas Evans of The San Francisco Chronicle, the guard highlights everything that happened during a season that ended in disappointment as they fell in the play-in, but he believes it helped him become a better player.
Returning to the court in December 2025 after recovering from an anterior ACL tear, Melton watched as, by February, he had become a starter due to the injuries to Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry, while in March he was asked to contribute more to the team’s playmaking. This is how he experienced it.
“It was hard trying to figure out what we needed as a team and what would benefit me the most as a player, but also having to do certain things… I spent a lot of energy trying to generate offense, create advantages, and so on. Also, I had to guard the top players on the other end of the floor,” he explains.
The Present for De’Anthony Melton, Similar
Golden State has tried to make a major turnaround for the team this summer, but it hasn’t succeeded, and the situation is very similar to how things ended last season. Butler might not return until February, and everything suggests they will tread carefully with Stephen Curry and his knee issues. Melton knows that he will again be required to push his own limits after signing a two-year extension.
“It’s tough, but it’s something I want to do. One should want to take on more responsibility, carry more weight on their shoulders. You know what I mean? That shows how valuable you are. If you can do it, go ahead, do it,” he declares.
