Theo Maledon | Exit Interview
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00:00 How's it going, everyone?
00:02 Good.
00:05 A lot of guys have talked about just kind of the environment
00:08 and the building that was created this year
00:10 leads to really great player development,
00:11 a lot of resilience to come back.
00:13 So just how did you feel like you were able to benefit
00:15 from the environment?
00:17 I think it's been a huge key for me, you know,
00:19 coming from France at first
00:22 and, like, getting acclimated to that environment.
00:25 It was a lot of great energy
00:27 and that always, like, strived me to want it to be great
00:31 and, like, improve and give my best every time I step here.
00:35 And you had a pretty different role this season
00:37 than last season.
00:38 Just how are you -- I guess how was playing
00:40 in those tighter minutes this season,
00:42 how did that help you in your development?
00:44 It's a great learning experience, for sure.
00:47 Learning to fit into a new role
00:50 and trying to make the best out of it.
00:52 I felt like it was up and down for sure,
00:55 but ultimately something that will help me moving forward
00:58 with a lot of experience learning from it.
01:01 You have to run the point of a lot of different lineups
01:03 this season.
01:05 When you have to be the, like, you know,
01:06 the force that makes sure that the offense is cohesive
01:09 no matter who you're playing with,
01:11 how difficult was that for you?
01:12 And do you think that that's just overall
01:14 going to help you carry over into the next season?
01:17 I think it was something where I felt
01:19 a little bit more comfortable
01:21 because of it being my natural position.
01:24 But obviously, there's still always improvement --
01:26 room for improvement, so something that I'll try
01:29 to carry over and improve, for sure.
01:32 This is going to be your first full offseason.
01:36 Is there something you're looking forward to working on,
01:39 and how much are you looking forward
01:40 to this being your first full offseason?
01:42 I think I'm just trying to be the best player I can be
01:45 and obviously working on every aspect of my game.
01:50 I think there's a lot of room of improvement
01:52 on so many areas, so I think the most important
01:57 would be being able to shoot,
01:59 playing off on the ball and off the ball,
02:02 and still working on my body.
02:05 But it's a lot of things to add I need to work on, for sure.
02:09 How do you plan to spend the offseason
02:11 and splitting it between staying here or going home?
02:15 So I'm probably going to try to go home
02:19 for a little bit, then come back.
02:22 And work here for sure.
02:24 I'll try to spend -- and play a national team,
02:27 so it's something I'll try to figure out,
02:29 and it's going to be an interesting summer, for sure.
02:32 Mark Dagnall has also talked about, you know,
02:35 how much he respects your work ethic,
02:37 and being in the environment you are with this team,
02:39 having the culture be so centered around
02:41 having that kind of work ethic,
02:43 what does it mean that your head coach notices that in you,
02:47 and he's impressed by that?
02:49 It means a lot, but at the end of the day,
02:51 I'm working for myself.
02:52 I mean, it's the result of me being me, you know,
02:54 so it's just something that I'm kind of not caring,
03:00 you know, in a sense where I'm just going to do what I do,
03:04 and I love to work, so obviously I'm going to do that, for sure.
03:08 You talked about how the organization helped you.
03:10 Was there any way, now that you were in your second season,
03:13 that you tried to help the guys that you --
03:15 they were in your position, that you were in your rookie year?
03:19 Yeah, for sure.
03:20 At the same time, I think the rookies
03:22 did an incredible job this season.
03:24 They were all tremendous, so obviously,
03:27 if there are little things that I could help for,
03:31 I would for sure try to do that,
03:32 but they were already super good this season.
03:35 Anybody else in the room?
03:39 All right, we got one on Zoom.
03:40 Cristos Saltas. Go ahead, Cristos.
03:43 Hey, Tael. Hope you're doing well.
03:45 The final stint of the season,
03:46 how big confidence booster for you
03:48 was to get better as a player going into the next season?
03:52 Yeah, it was good, for sure.
03:53 I think it gave me momentum to see the offseason and attack it
03:59 and try to carry the end of the season
04:03 to next season, for sure.