CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kevon Looney isn’t the type of player to pack a box score with eye-popping numbers.

He averaged six points on 70% shooting while recording 5.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists through the first five games of this season.

But Looney remains a reliable force for the Warriors, doing all the little things well.

“You don’t always see it. He doesn’t jump off the screen,” coach Steve Kerr said Saturday of Looney, “but when you watch the tape, he just keeps making the right play over and over again, setting the right screen, executing on both ends, he’s rock solid. That’s why he’s such an important player for us.”

At 26, Looney, whom the Warriors picked 30th overall in the 2015 NBA draft, is in his prime and played his best and most complete season in the NBA last season and hopes to do it again this year. His 117 consecutive regular-season games is the third longest active streak in the league, only trailing Suns forward Mikal Bridges (314) and Pistons forward Saddiq Bey (141.)

The latest development with Looney, though, is that he’s stepped into a larger leadership position this season. He helped navigate conversations in the locker room in the aftermath of Draymond Green’s preseason punch. On the court, he’s more vocal and helps direct traffic at times. Looney is also serving as a mentor toward 21-year-old center James Wiseman. The two can often be seen at the ends of practice doing drills with one another, with Looney sometimes stopping Wiseman to feed him advice and encouragement.

“He’s done an amazing job behind the scenes making sure he’s bringing the young guys along the right way and advising them and when the older guys need support, he’s there for them,” Kerr said. “He’s a constant team leader.”

With the second unit underperforming in the first week of action, Kerr turned toward Looney and Andrew Wiggins to help stabilize it at the start of the second quarters.

“We solidified our defense, wasn’t perfect but it’s better,” Kerr said. “I think the blend of veteran and youth seems to make more sense. That’s why we went that route and we’ll keep going with that and see how it goes.”

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Looney joins Wiggins as being the bridge between the dueling timelines the Warriors have. He’s not quite old enough to be considered among the dynastic trio but he’s not young enough to fit in with the Gen Z players, such as Jordan Poole and Wiseman.

But Looney will be essential to helping lift up those young players, and the Warriors see his value in that hence why they re-signed him to a three-year deal this offseason.

Curry’s homecoming

Kerr doesn’t see a change in Stephen Curry when the superstar returns home for the Warriors’ lone regular-season game in Charlotte.

“Obviously he’s the hometown hero here but he seems to be a hero everywhere we go,” Kerr said.

The coach recalled a funny story a few years back when Curry was constantly being stopped in pregame warmups by friends and colleagues who wanted to say hi. Curry stopped and talked with each one, later telling another coach, “That’s my barber, my dentist, my teacher.

“I talked to Steph today about his ticket situation and obviously he has a ton of people coming to the game,” Kerr said. “The one night we’re here it’s a big night for him.”

Charlotte also provides Kerr with an opportunity to have a reunion with former teammate Michael Jordan, who owns the Hornets. But Kerr said he hasn’t seen MJ the last couple of visits, noting that the pandemic might’ve played a factor.