Yesterday, Wednesday, June 22, the NBA hosted a media availability session with some of the players invited to attend the 2011 Draft. So while hordes of quote-hungry reporters circled, the potential lottery picks answered, deflected and ignored the questions hurled at them.
SLAM, of course, was present for the entire hour-long session—flip camera in tow. The video above is a collection of some of our favorite, Q’s, A’s and one-liners.
Just in case some of you are at work and can’t view the video, or if you’re just more of a reader than listener, below are a few of the funniest-slash-juiciest bits. And if you want to see complete, unedited interviews from yesterday (and much more), be sure to check SLAM’s YouTube channel.
Jimmer Fredette
On who he models his game after: “I watch Deron Williams a lot… and I think if I can be as good as a player as he is in the NBA, I’ll be OK.”
Brandon Knight
On biggest strength as a combo guard: “I’m not a combo guard. I’m a point guard.”
On if people have pegged him as a combo guard: “Nah, she (the reporter) was the first one (laughs).”
On what NBA player he models his game after: “I don’t really say that about any NBA player, to be honest with you. I look at a lot of guys and I admire what they do, but to be like, ‘I want to be exactly like him?’ I never really do that.”
Enes Kanter
On potentially playing in Washington, DC: “I would love to play in DC. It’s international city, and Obama loves basketball.”
Alec Burks
Top 3 favorite moves (mistook “moves” for “movies”): “House Party, House Party 3 and I like The Players Club a lot.”
On being underrated: “I like being underrated. It got me to sitting here at this table today. So I don’t got no problem being underrated.”
Kyrie Irving
On this being a weak Draft: “This Draft is really special, regardless of what people say.”
Tristan Thompson
On comfort level guarding centers: “I definitely feel comfortable. I’m a basketball player—I’ll guard anyone. Coach wants me to guard the point guard, coach wants me to guard Rondo, I’ll guard Rondo. It might be difficult, but I’ll guard him (laughs). I’ll try my best.”
On who he wants to dunk on next year: “If I say his name, he’s going to be looking out for me… I might want to dunk on Kyrie (smiles).”
Kawhi Leonard
On who he liked watching play as a kid: “Growing up I liked Iverson, Kobe, Tracy McGrady was good around that time, Steve Francis, Kevin Garnett. I used to watch all them.”
