Cole Aldrich Predraft Diary, No. 3


As a junior this season, Cole Aldrich helped the Kansas Jayhawks remain one of the most dominant teams throughout the course of the year. Despite Kansas’ disappointing second round loss, Cole still has plenty of basketball in his future. He announced in late March that he’d forgo his final season of eligibility and enter this June’s NBA Draft, where he landed in the lottery. In the time leading up to yesterday, Cole prepared diligently, while taking time to check in with us here and there. It’s been a minute since we last spoke, and much has developed in the process. Read what the big fella was up to the day he joined Kevin Durant on the OKC Thunder…

As told to Adam Fleischer


Since I last checked in I’ve worked out in New Orleans, Detroit, and Toronto. They went well. You know, I always kind of bring the same attitude into every workout. There’s going to be some days where I shoot the ball great, and there’s going to be some days where I just can’t make a shot. So I just try to go and control the things I can control, and do them well. That means give a lot of energy, rebound the ball, and just the little effort things that really win teams over on defense.

I saw Epke Udoh again one more time, which was when I was in Detroit. I went from New Orleans to Detroit with Patrick Patterson, too. It was just good to kind of hang out with those guys off the court.

I started and ended in Toronto, in terms of where I worked out. They had me mainly doing the same stuff in my second workout as my first. It was just pretty much bring me in, get to know me a little more, and just kind of keep looking at my game.NBA Draft Basketball

I got to New York City Tuesday night. That night I went and grabbed a bite to eat with a real good friend of mine, and then really just tried to get as much rest as I could because I knew it was going to be a busy few days. Yesterday my parents and all my family and everyone got into New York in the morning. I did a lot of media, a lot of photo shoots. All that sort of stuff. And last night I was able to have a nice dinner with everybody. They’re all staying in the same hotel as I am.

We never took any family vacations to New York when I was younger, so it’s nice to have everybody in one place now. I have spent a little bit of time in New York. It’s a fun time to be out here for me. Some of my family are doing some sight seeing, wanting to see a little bit of New York and all that.

Today I have some media stuff and we’ve had a few meetings. It’s been a good, busy day. I’m heading over to Madison Square Garden for the Draft probably at about 6 o’clock or so. We’re going to take a lot of pictures and have dinner and all that. Dinner with all the guys and their families. It’s going to be really cool. But it’s been another busy day.

I have no idea where I’m going to be drafted. It’s fine, though. It’s all about finding the right fit for me as a player in a way that I can help out the team.

I haven’t even thought about what I’m going to do after the draft. I’m guessing we’re probably just going to grab dinner as family and friends and just kind of enjoy the moment. And then tomorrow I’m going to head to whatever team drafts me and have a press conference and all that. Tomorrow morning I’ll be flying again. The traveling never ends.

Looking back, I just have to say that it was a fun process. Going and meeting with the different teams and just working out and traveling with some buddies. It was really fun.