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Draft workout #1: Q & A's
June 6, 2008 MILWAUKEE -- The Bucks held their first draft workout this afternoon at the team's Training Center. The session featured seven athletes and lasted for about an hour and half. After the workouts concluded, Bucks.com caught up the guys for some quick interviews, highlighted with some Bucks trivia.
Q: If you were drafted by Milwaukee, how would your abilities fit in with the Bucks roster? A: I think my skills would fit in very well with this roster because I can play the 3. I play hard and I think one of the skills that coach Skiles values is players who play physical, guys who are willing to be physical on defense, especially in the post and that’s what I do. Q: Draft Express.com has compared you to a “super athletic” Matt Harpring, what are your thoughts on that comparison? A: I like the comparison because I’ve always liked the way he plays. He seems like he fiends for contact and so do I… And yes I’m super athletic. (laughs) Q: How did Bob Huggins help your game at West Virginia A: He showed me how to play in the post, which I had never done before. I had been a guard all my life. He taught me a lot of the mental aspects of the game that I hadn’t known before. Q: Any chance that if you get into the NBA’s dunk contest as a rookie you can put something together with you head-butting the rim like you did recently at a workout? A: I already have some ridiculous dunks in store. (laughs) *Joe didn’t want to let too much out so we promised him that we’d start creating a buzz for him on Bucks.com. Q: You’ve lived in Taiwan, Beijing and Hong Kong – how have those experiences affected you and what are you looking for in your next basketball home? A: Those experiences have given me a more worldly view and I think I was forced to grow up a little faster than other kids, having moved around. If my next home is in Milwaukee, I’ll enjoy it here. Bucks Trivia: You wore #11 at West Virginia, who was the last Bucks player to wear that number? (Answer: Earl Boykins) A: Boykins* *We gave Joe the hint that it was a 5-5 player.
Q: If drafted by the Bucks, how do you see your skills fitting in with their roster? A: They’d fit in real well. It feels good to kind of have that release from school where you can show the things you can do besides playing defense. I can make plays, I can make shots, I kind of had the handcuffs on at Xavier where I was the defensive guy. It’s great to be free to show some of my skills on the offensive end. Hopefully, they like what they see. Q: How do you see your game translating to the NBA? A: Just being more of a playmaker and a guy who can make shots if the key players are being double teamed. Mainly just coming in every night and playing that consistent defense and being a good guy on and off the court with a high character. Q: Who would emerge in a one-on-one tournament out of the Xavier Atlantic 10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year winners – Stanley Burrell, James Posey or David West? D-West, he’s a legitimate all-star right now and he’s really making a name for himself. Posey is the quintessential guy off the bench for any team to come in and give good minutes. Those guys are already established and I’m still trying to make a name for myself so I can’t put my name up there like that. Q: Xavier ended West Virginia’s season in the tournament, did you get the opportunity to remind Joe Alexander about that? We talked about it today. He was talking about the final shot he made, I thought he was going to end our season. We gave up an “and one” to him. It was a great game and we were fortunate to come out on top. But we lost in the next round to (Luc Richard) Mbah a Moute and UCLA. (gesturing over to Luc Richard sitting behind him - Joe Alexander, sitting nearby, also added a few comments about the West Virginia/Xavier game) Q: Can you tell us a little about your electronic media major and what you’d do with that outside of basketball? A: That’s one of the best things about school was developing those connections and good relationships with other people. It would be great once basketball is over to be able to utilize some of those connections that I have and see if I can get on somewhere. A lot of the local news places offered me internships during the year but I wanted to focus on basketball and see how far I can go with that. Bucks Trivia: Three Xavier players have suited up for the Bucks, can you name any of them? (Answer: Tyrone Hill, Derek Strong, Aaron Williams) A: Derek Strong – was Aaron Williams here? Did Brian Grant play here? *Two out of three isn’t bad for Stanley. He didn’t remember Tyrone Hill playing here, but remembering Derek Strong and Aaron Williams’ time here is pretty good.
Q: If you were drafted by Milwaukee, how would your abilities fit in with the Bucks roster? A: My abilities would fit in great here. I feel like I could get a lot of open shots off of Michael Redd and he could get a couple more better looks by teams not being able to really key in on two shooters. Myself being on the perimeter with Michael Redd is definitely a plus. It also opens the floor for Andrew Bogut - allowing him to work more in the post and it also allows Yi to be more of a slasher. I would help everybody out on the team in general. Q: What was the USA Basketball U19 World Championships like and did it help your game? A: It was good preparation for college ball as well as for life after basketball. It’s tough over there playing overseas. To most of those players overseas it’s their life. We love the game but it has a whole different meaning to those guys. The game is definitely a lot more physical at times and can be faster. It definitely toughing me up and got me ready for college. Q: Who is your favorite NBA player to come out of Syracuse? A: The right thing for me to say is Carmelo Anthony, but I’m going with John Wallace or Derrick Coleman. Those guys were definitely strong forwards who lead their teams with great leadership. Carmelo is in there, but definitely John and Derrick. Q: You were born in Munich, how much time did you spend there and would you like to go back abroad? A: I spent altogether about four or five years, I was born there and lived there until I was three and then moved back between the ages of 12 and 13. It is defiantly different than the United States. Life over there is a lot slower and more laid back. I would love to go back to Germany. I have dual citizenship in Germany, so maybe after a couple of years in the league I will be able to go back over there a buy me a house. Q: What’s your can’t miss movie of the summer? A: Hannock starring Will Smith.
Q: If you were drafted by Milwaukee, how would your abilities fit in with the Bucks roster? A: I’d fit in perfect. I think they’re going to bring in some defensive minded players and I think I bring that to the table. I can defend at my position at a high level and I can rebound the ball well for my position. I come from a winning program, so I’d like to bring that mentality to the team and fit right in. Q: Do you think long runs in the NCAA tournament are the best preparation to transition to the NBA? A: I don’t think you can definitely make that transition, just going to 30-some games to 82 is hard. It’s more than double and the intensity and expectations are higher. But playing in the tournament and Final Four is definitely a help in getting there. Q: Your numbers seemed to go up in the final two months of the season, what was the reason for the increase? A: I had been hurt through the middle in the season and every time I’d come back I’d be up and down. When I’d get back to my level I’d get hurt again. Finally toward the end of the season and tournament I had to get it done and help my team win and I was finally getting healthy again. Q: We’ve read that you’re a prince in your village of Bafia in Cameroon, can you tell us more about that? A: My dad is the chief of my village, that makes me and my brothers and sisters princes and princesses. It’s kind of cool. Q: How often have you been back to Cameroon? A: I went back twice for the first time in four years last summer. I went once for vacation and another time to play with the national team. I miss it a lot, but I’m hoping to go back more often in the years to come. Bucks Trivia: UCLA alums are ranked first and fifth in scoring in Bucks history – can you name them? (Answer: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 14,211 and Marques Johnson, 10,980) A: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And I want to say (Dave) Myers. *When we told him it was Johnson he remembered it right away. He also noted that the Bucks have had a lot of UCLA players throughout the years (nine).
Q: If you were drafted by Milwaukee, how would your abilities fit in with the Bucks roster? A: I think it would work out good because Yi is a great shooter and a versatile player. It’s the same with Bogut, he’s a great passer. I think I’d fit in well with those guys. Q: The Bucks have lacked shot blocking in recent years, do you think a front line including Bogut, Yi and yourself could turn the club into a top shot blocking group? A: If you ask anybody, I love blocking shots. That’s my thing. If you watch my college film, I get hyped up to block shots. That’s what I think I’m best at right now. Q: How much time did you spend in Germany and have you gone back overseas? A: I was there for about a year and a half, I haven’t been back overseas. Q: You listed pool as one of your hobbies, would you be able to come in and be the top Bucks player straight out of the draft? A: Oh no. I’m good on certain days, you know sometimes the ball bounces right on the pool table, but not always. It depends on the day. Q: Are you sticking with Glen Davis and the Celtics in the finals or are you going with the Lakers? A: You’re always pulling for one of your fellow alumni, but with the Lakers, Kobe is a best. He’s on a mission. Bucks trivia: As a young player who was born overseas, can you tell us what foreign-born player was the youngest to play for the Bucks in the 2006-07 season? (Answer: Ersan Ilyasova) A: I couldn’t tell you. *Anthony remembered Ersan when we told him and he knew he’s about the same age as Ilyasova when he appeared with the Bucks.
Q: If you were drafted by Milwaukee, how would your abilities fit in with the Bucks roster? A: I think I would come in and do the little things to help the team anyway I can. They have a good backcourt here. I would want to fit in right away and learn as much as possible from guys like Mo Williams and Charlie Bell. Those would be the kind of guys I would look up to and mimic. Q: What was your experience with the Orlando draft camp like and can you talk about the competition between the players there? A: It was a great atmosphere to play in. Guys were out there battling and trying to impress every NBA team who was there. Competition was in the air. Guys were fighting and battling and it was a good week for me and I enjoyed it. Q: Do you agree with some analysts comparing you to Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson? A: I’ve heard that. His ability to shoot the ball is evident in his performance so far in his NBA career. I feel I can do some of those same things. He has a great fit in Cleveland being able to play off of Lebron and knock down shots. I’m just looking for some of those same opportunities. Q: Outside of basketball, what are your summer plans? Any summer movies you want to catch? A: To continue to workout and work hard – I’m training down at IMG right now. Hopefully I can get on a summer league team and perform as well as I can. And I'm really looking forward to the Hancock movie with Will Smith.
Q: If you were drafted by Milwaukee, how would your abilities fit in with the Bucks roster? A: I am a very unselfish player who loves to pass the ball. I think I would fit in great here. Q: How many workouts have you been to and what was today’s like? A: This was my first workout so far and it was pretty tough. It’s going to give me a better idea of what to expect in my future workouts. Q: What did you learn from Mike Davis at UAB? A: I learned how to play more of a slow pace game and the spread offense. I also learned how to play the post a little better. Q: In late November last season you had a stretch where you were nearly averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds – what were the keys to your success over that time? A: I worked on a lot of post moves and hook shots. Like I said, we played a spread offense, which gave me a chance to isolate and play my post game. |
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Joe Alexander - West Virginia
Stanley Burrell - Xavier
Donte Greene - Syracuse
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute – UCLA
Anthony Randolph - LSU
Brian Roberts - Dayton
Walter Sharpe - UAB
