http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jordan-Hill-1222/

NBA Draft Media Day Interview Transcripts (Part One)
June 25, 2009
Reporter: Milwaukee just made a trade where they acquired a power forward. Does that worry you that you may not have that as a fall back now?

JH: Not really, it’s a crazy draft so we just have to wait and see how it turns out.

Reporter: What was your reaction to the trade?

JH: I didn’t really hear much at all about it, they only one I heard about was Minnesota and Washington. I wasn’t really paying much attention to it.

DraftExpress: Jordan at this point how much of an idea do you have about where you’ll get drafted tomorrow night?

JH: I have no idea; it could be anywhere, two to ten. I’m just crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.

DX: Does it matter? Do you prefer to be closer to two rather than ten?

JH: It really doesn’t matter, I just want to be picked up and be on a team. Everybody would like to be top five but it doesn’t always work that way, so you just have to keep moving forward.

DX: We’re hearing that the New York coaching staff really likes you but that front office might be leaning more towards a guard. What do you think you were able to show in your workout that made Mike D’Antoni fall in love with you?

JH: I was able to show more athleticism, my quickness, how well I run the floor, my mid-range jumper; they say I’m like Amare. You know Coach D’Antoni coached him and I feel like any team would want to have Amare and that’s how they feel about me.

DX: Did he bring that up to you? Amare?

JH: Yes.

DX: You spent some time at Amare’s camp and played at Arizona, so you probably know him as a player pretty well.

JH: Yea, he’s a real good player. I’ve got a lot more work ahead of me to get up there, but I’m on my way up.

DX: Are you going to be able to get the guns that Amare has? How long is that going to take?

JH: I hope it doesn’t take that long; I’ve just got to stay in the weight room.

Reporter: What kinds of indication have the Knicks given that they might select you?

JH: I don’t really know anything; the draft is all up in the air right now. I just have to wait and see how the teams feel.

Reporter: Would you like to play in Mike D’Antoni’s system?

JH: Definitely; he’s an up-tempo coach and I love to run the floor. They’ve got Chris Duhon who is a pass-first guard and if I run the floor with him and I know he’ll be able to hit me with a pass for a dunk or whatever. It would definitely be a good fit for me.

DX: Talking to some of the teams that you interviewed with in Chicago there has been some thought that maybe you were a little bit too open with some of the things you said about nightlife and stuff like that. Is that something maybe you regret in hindsight, being so honest and straightforward?

JH: I definitely don’t regret it; they asked me to be honest. I don’t go out and party all night, I’m not like that, but I like to have a little fun. When I get my work done first, then I’ll go out and have a little time for myself. I don’t regret saying what I did, they wanted me to be honest and I was.

DX: So all the guys who were saying they like to drink apple juice and go to sleep at nine, is that what they wanted to hear you think?

JH: I don’t know; they told me to be honest about everything and I was being honest. I’m not a party guy like that or anything, but I do like to have fun on my days off.

DX: Is ten in Milwaukee where you think your floor is?

JH: It could be, we’ll see, I don’t know.

DX: Do you think Minnesota having two picks changes anything? Maybe they go big and small?

JH: Again like I said I don’t really know, we’re going to have to wait and see.

Reporter: Now that Washington has traded away their fifth pick are you saying to yourself why did I bother working out for them?

JH: No, I’m not saying that at all. Anything can happen in this draft, they could trade up and there’s nothing wrong with going and working out in front of different NBA teams.

DX: How often are you talking to your agent? Is it a once-an-hour update or is it just whatever happens, happens?

JH: It’s whatever happens, happens. He’s doing job and I’m just working hard and trying to get better.

Reporter: You have been rumored to go to the Wizards are you surprised they made that deal?

JH: Uh, what deal?

Reporter: The deal yesterday to trade their pick for Mike Miller and Randy Foye

JH: Oh. I was but I can’t do anything about it. They felt it was a good decision so it’s kind of hard to fault them on it.

Reporter: Were you given any assurances on your game by the Wizards while you were there?

JH: No not really basically they told me to just keep working.

Reporter: What kind of team are you hoping to go to?

JH: A team where I can come in and have a huge impact. Come in and get a lot of playing time and be an energy guy for the team and just go out and work hard.

Reporter: What’s more challenging the workouts or traveling from city to city?

JH: Probably the workouts by yourself. Going by yourself is real tough but I managed to fight through it and I had an incredible run of workouts.

Reporter: Will you miss Arizona?

JH: I love the campus, the people the school and the environment. It was a real good fit for me. I basically just wanted to get away from home and mature on my own. I don’t regret choosing Arizona. I really loved it.

Reporter: What areas of your game have you improved on the most in college?

JH: My mid-range game and my footwork. Defensively I grew up a lot just staying out of foul trouble. Those are basically the main focal points of my game.

Reporter: How did the yearly coaching changes at Arizona affect your game?

JH: I mean it prepared me more for the next level because I can definitely be traded to teams. Playing under different coaches in college prepared me to know what I expect when I get to the next level. But it really didn’t hurt me and it’s not my decision who’s going to be the next coach and the coach I was playing for. So I just kept my head on straight and just kept playing.

Reporter: Any idea of where you might be going tomorrow?

JH: This draft is getting kind of weird. I’m just nervous. It’s been a long process.

Reporter: What’s it going to be like to finally hear your name tomorrow night?

JH: Relief. Relief. Just to know that I worked hard to get here. And I know it ain’t over, so I’m trying to be one of the greatest so I just got to keep working.

when d'antoni was allowed to be gm of the suns for 2 months, he signed marcus banks for 4 years $20 mil and gave diaw a huge contract.

knicks fans should hope walsh makes the pick and not d'antoni...

[Edited by - djsunyc on 06-25-2009 12:35 PM]

Posted by djsunyc:

when d'antoni was allowed to be gm of the suns for 2 months, he signed marcus banks for 4 years $20 mil and gave diaw a huge contract.

knicks fans should hope walsh makes the pick and not d'antoni...

[Edited by - djsunyc on 06-25-2009 12:35 PM]

I am not sure those moves were that bad. Diaw played center when Amare went out and the Suns won 50+ games like that in a conference dominated by size.

MDA also saw realized he needed guys that could guard and went out and got Banks who was an athletic defender. Neither move really worked out but cant you see the reasoning behind them?

Diaw was 24 years old and averaged 13pts 7rebs 6assists and 1 block and shot 53%. Was that contract extension so bad for him at the time?

Pick another player Jordan - BJ Mullens already compared himself to Amare...

Posted by TMS:

Hill does have many elements in his game that are similar to Amare as are pointed out in this article... he just needs to bulk up & develop his footwork in the post, but i can see why MDA would see Amare in Hill's game.

Kidding aside, I can see it too. But he's got a lot of work to do...

He needs more upper body strength to be Amare like, but he has solid potential. This was a great value pick. He was extremely productive in a major conference. 18/11 is no joke.