Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 [inaudible]
00:13 I think I talked about it a little bit
00:14 at the end of last year.
00:16 I'm just using my time back with the Hornets
00:18 at the end of the year as some momentum
00:20 going into the summer and being able to use that
00:23 as something to build on to start this year.
00:26 [inaudible]
00:31 In terms of your game,
00:33 where do you feel like the biggest growth
00:35 there is for you?
00:36 One of the conflicts?
00:40 In terms of my game, I just think it's continuing
00:42 to work on a little bit of everything
00:44 on both sides of the basketball,
00:47 and including off the court mentally,
00:50 just continuing, like I said before,
00:52 just continuing to do the things
00:53 that helped me have success at the end of last year.
00:56 [inaudible]
01:10 I would say I've been getting up a lot of shots,
01:12 thousands of shots off the catch
01:15 and continuing to tighten up my handles
01:17 and working on my defense on the other end of the ball,
01:20 both on the ball and off,
01:23 just being able to pick things up faster.
01:26 I've always been someone that kind of picked up things fast
01:28 and didn't really, like, need extra time.
01:32 It was always catching me really quickly.
01:34 But, yeah, working on my jump shot
01:37 and dribbling the ball and passing the ball,
01:40 like, just a little bit of everything.
01:43 [inaudible]
01:47 [inaudible]
01:50 How would you, I guess, best describe how that changed?
01:56 [inaudible]
02:01 How much has it probably pushed back?
02:03 [inaudible]
02:07 For me, I think film is everything,
02:09 like watching myself on the court
02:10 and watching my movement and watching where I am
02:13 placement-wise on the court.
02:14 I think it means so much.
02:17 Even being able to watch film when I pick up
02:19 and just me working out, you know,
02:20 with coaches on the floor with me,
02:24 being able to see it, I think, is essential
02:27 to helping me grow as a player.
02:31 [inaudible]
02:34 How do you feel like you've gotten through the past year?
02:42 What was your, I guess, the carrot and stick
02:45 that you probably have to say,
02:46 "Okay, I want to get back and play."
02:49 [inaudible]
02:51 I think-- I definitely think starting the season off,
02:55 I was-- I think there were times when I was ready
02:59 and there were times where I wasn't ready to play.
03:04 No specific reason, just being young in the league
03:07 and not having much experience.
03:09 I just think that was the case.
03:11 I think going down to Greensboro,
03:12 I was able to, like I said, work on things
03:15 that needed to be worked on.
03:17 Towards the end of the year, I was starting to hit my stride
03:19 and starting to feel good mentally and physically
03:22 on the show, on the court.
03:25 And then I was able to use that momentum
03:27 going into this summer.
03:28 I was able to put together a great summer.
03:31 There were times that you feel like you were ready.
03:33 How jarring is that somebody who, again,
03:37 is trying to make himself a statement?
03:39 How jarring is that to you?
03:41 Oh, it's always tough.
03:43 I think not only for young guys,
03:44 for even old guys, veterans.
03:48 When you go on the court and you don't feel like you're ready
03:50 or you don't feel like you belong,
03:52 of course, it takes a toll on you.
03:55 But I know I belong.
03:56 I know I belong here in the league.
03:59 And it's just finding it.
04:01 [inaudible]
04:05 But you kind of find it as a blessing in disguise
04:08 to a certain extent,
04:09 being more able to kind of find some things
04:11 out about your game.
04:14 And also, obviously, some of these younger guys,
04:16 they've made extensive time down there.
04:18 There's one thing you're good at down there.
04:20 What's kind of your advice to them to keep themselves?
04:24 Oh, yeah, I think you could say that.
04:28 But I honestly think when you go down there,
04:29 you just can't take the time for granted.
04:31 It goes so fast.
04:32 I'm already in my third year, you know.
04:36 So what I would have for those young guys
04:37 is just go in there and just work
04:39 and just don't take that time for granted
04:42 and just try to enjoy it, try to have fun.
04:45 [inaudible]
04:50 [inaudible]
04:54 I'm sorry.
05:06 So when you're down there,
05:08 do you ever feel like a sense of pressure
05:10 to get back on the switch?
05:17 I don't think it's like a rush.
05:19 I mean, you're not going anywhere, right?
05:22 So I think it's more just being able to control your thoughts
05:26 and how you're feeling.
05:28 It's just -- that's how it was for me at least,
05:31 just being able to control my thoughts
05:32 and just be patient knowing that my time is going to come.
05:38 [inaudible]
05:41 Thank you.
05:43 [inaudible]
05:48 I'm sorry. Can you repeat the question?
05:50 [inaudible]
05:53 I think going into training camp,
06:03 I got to continue to do what I did this summer,
06:05 which is show coach that I belong,
06:08 play hard every day,
06:09 and let my talent do the talking.
06:13 All right.
06:15 Sir.
06:17 [BLANK_AUDIO]