LIVE: Pelicans Media Day 2025-26 | New Orleans Pelicans

LIVE: Pelicans Media Day 2025-26 | New Orleans Pelicans

and the players. And so we’re actually going to listen in on right now. I will stop talking. Take it away, coach. Um good morning to everybody. Thank you guys for for being here. Um per usual. Uh I am super excited about um the opportunity to represent this organization. Uh I’m grateful for uh to be under the leadership of Miss Benson and the addition of Joe D. Um which you guys spoke to him yesterday and um we’re all eager to to you know with our team to get on the floor with our coaching staff um to get going tomorrow. Training camp starts tomorrow. So we’re all excited about that. And um with that, you know, open it up for questions. Uh Drew talked about yesterday just amount by the time that y’all spent together this summer. Uh kind of figuring out how you want this team to look and what’s what’s it been like just kind of developing that relationship, getting to know him and figure out his vision? It’s been great. Um we’ve already had a rapport uh from my time growing up in Detroit, obviously watching him um win championships and uh represent that city well, even going into the NBA. Um so that rapport has, you know, helped you know, kind of give us a a a boost, so to speak. And, you know, he’s right. We just we just continue to talk every day, talk about, you know, what the team should look like, continue to bounce ideas off each other, and um you know, it’s been it’s been great so far. What have you kind of like about what what you heard from him just did? Um it’s really aligned with, you know, my thinking as well. um you know to to put a competitive team on the floor um for guys to continue to work hard and uh every day show up and put forth the effort um to to hold each other accountable um and so those are the things that I’ve always spoken about and and it’s great to align with Joe D and and he’s thinking the same way. Does he have a different kind of leadership style than than Rift did? And what are some of the main differences between the two you’ve seen so far, if any? Yeah, I think, you know, all leaders are going to lead a little differently and um you know, the thing that I love about Jod D is is um I can pop in his office. You know, we continue to have open discussions. Uh our our our streamline of communication has been really good. Um, and he’s been a leader everywhere he’s gone. You know, you you look at him in college, you look at him in the NBA in in the NBA front office. And so for me, it’s really about um an opportunity to learn to learn from him um to continue to grow as a coach and uh uh he’s been extremely helpful thus far in that. In past years, you talked about how you dissected over the summer, the previous season. So, how did you look at last season? How you spend this summer? What do you think about? Yeah, last season uh was definitely uh uh a difficult season, you know, with all the injuries um um you know, the losses and uh it left a a bad taste in in our mouth, so to speak. So, the first thing I do is try to evaluate myself. Um try to hold myself accountable to what’s some things that I could have done better. Um you know, what’s what’s some things that we did do well? Try to continue to do those. Um the biggest thing is when you go through a season like that is, you know, continue to be disciplined, continue to walk into the gym, um practice court, uh and be consistent. Uh but the the improvement for me is is um you know, continue to communicate with our my players as I go through different situations, communicating with front office and keep the streamline of communication open. Uh but then realizing that everybody on your team is is extremely important. So, uh, the development piece, uh, will be important as we move forward. Joe’s modified the roster pretty significantly in a short period of time. How does the collection that y’all have now fit with what you’ve been wanting to build here? I I I like our roster. I like the guys that we’ve added. um adding Sadi Bay, Jordan P, uh being able to acquire Looney, um you know, along with, you know, our our rookies who’ve been here uh for a while this summer. Um so, it’s it’s a combination of, you know, guys that are still young but are veterans and and then, you know, we got some young um first year players as well that will be uh instrumental in in our success. So, I like the group. Um, you know, we just got to get on the floor and continue to work and and then go from there. Specifically to the veterans, especially like Looney and P who have won NBA championships, like how valuable do you think that will be to the locker room? It’s extremely valuable. Um, I had the, you know, pleasure and opportunity to coach Looney and Golden State for three seasons. Uh, so I’ve watched his growth from being a um sort of a rookie coming in and, you know, developing into a consmate pro. Uh, his approach to the game, learning from other guys, you know, he learned from Draymond, he learned from Egodala, he learned from David West and Steph Curry and Clay. And now he he can step into that role for our group as a guy that continue to he can step on the floor and help you, but he’ll also mentor some of these some of our younger bigs, some of our younger players uh on how to to do it the right way. Same thing with Jordan Pool. Those guys have done it at an extremely high level. They’ve won championships. Um and so when you have guys like that on your team, uh it’s really helpful for the whole group. And when Joe talked about um his conversations with Zion and being accountable and responsive, have you had those conversations with him as well? If so, how they Yeah, for sure. Uh we we’ve both been aligned with with that communication with Z. Uh number one, I think, you know, just from watching him, he he’s uh he’s done a really good job of, you know, getting himself ready to play this this season. Uh and so that’s something that, you know, I want to commend him for. Uh, but the accountability and responsibility part for Zion, especially stepping into this role, you know, it’s going to be important for him and and you know, I think Joe D kind of touched on that, but that’s for all of our players, but definitely uh it’s going to be huge for him. Do you think the fact that Joe played in the league does that kind of help get that message across better? It does. It does. He’s He’s done it. He’s there’s no there’s no way to go around him with that. He’s done it at an extremely high level and he’s had multiple roles in the NBA. Um so he knows what he knows when he sees something. He knows when something’s going right. He knows when we need to to make some adjustments. A lot of times rookies uh take a few months or you know a while to become impactful at the NBA level. So, as a coach, how do you balance giving them the runway they need to also grow and fail, but also winning the game in front of you like on a night-to-ight basis? Yeah, I think it’s just that. It is a balance. It’s a balance of um allowing them to to to be on the floor and play through a few mistakes. I think they they have to do that. That’s how young players are able to grow. Um, it’s also a balance of when to kind of pull them out of games or, you know, talk to them during practice and and teach moments and then get them back in. And and that’s the balance with rookies. That’s the balance with younger players as they become um as they get more experience in the NBA. And you got some older teams when you’ve been hitting up. This this team is probably closer to that first team you had with the amount of young guys on the roster. Does that kind of change your approach when you have more younger players, more unproven guys on the roster and knowing you’ll have some of those veteran voices like CJ or BI, some of the guys you’ve been able to lean on in the past? I think we, you know, the standard is the standard no matter who you have on your team. Uh who we have, uh we want to step out on the floor right away and establish that. Um you know, being a good defensive team will be important. uh being able to play um with space and speed. Uh but ultimately it’s it’s the accountability of going out each and every night and and competing at a high level. When you say the standards to standard, is there a number on that? Is it 40 wins? Is it 50 wins? What is the standard look like? Again, I I um I know Joe spoke to you guys yesterday about this, but you know, our mindset going into the season is competing. Um and if we look back at last season and how we can improve, that’s that’s the number one step for us is moving forward to being a competitive team, our guys having fun doing it, supporting each other. We believe when we do that, you know, the wins will take care of itself. Hey, coach. Uh, what have you seen from Herb and from Trey in their recoveries and what are reasonable expectations for them this season? I like what I’ve seen from both guys. Um, they did a a fantastic job of attacking their rehab all summer. Uh, they’re cleared to go, so they’re back on the floor, uh, playing five on five, uh, bumping and getting up and down the floor, getting a feel for their bodies. Um, they’re going to be huge for us this season. And um you know having guys like Trey and Herb, the character that they bring to our team, the leadership that they bring to our team, um they’re really pillars uh of our group and and we’re going to rely heavily on them. Trey made a big jump last year and you know more opportunities on the ball. Yeah. What are your expectations from him this year as he kind of steps into that role full time? I think the beauty in Trey is um he’s he has a personality that he he he wants it like he wants more opportunities to showcase his skill set. Um and you know we’ll do our our best as we always do to try to put him in positions to be successful. I love the fact that he has a combination of all. He can play a little off the ball. He’s a great cutter, great finisher. We know that he he shoots the ball in an extremely high level. um so he can attack close outs. Uh and then we start to see him play in a little bit more pick and roll situations, handling the ball, bringing it up the floor. Um and so as long as he continues to work like he does, um sky’s is the limit. I really believe that. Coach, you got two first round rookies. Um can you talk about I mean they seem to have big personalities. They seem ultra competitive. Can you talk about where you feel like they are fitting, where they’re going to fit right away with this team? Well, the the first fit is the character piece. Uh, and both uh Derek Queen and and Jeremiah Fierce uh extremely extremely, you know, great young men and um that’s what we’re always seeking. and and then the competitive piece, you know, watching him, you know, from the draft process to summer league to now being able to play in the summer, uh, once we’ve gotten back here in August, at least with Jeremiah. Uh, they’re both ultra competitors. I think I think for our group, that’s what we that’s what we want to have. We want to have guys that step on the floor every night, every practice, every shoot around, every film session, and they’re bringing it. And those two guys, they they exemplify that. Outside of Derek and Dejante, is there anyone limited heading into camp? No, not at this moment. No, just those two guys. And with Dejante ailing, Jeremiah Pierce being a rookie lot going to be put on Jordan F’s shoulders. Have you had discussions about that with him this season? What he should expect? For sure. Uh he he and I have been having some text messages, some talks lately about what’s to what’s expected. Um, but he understands that, you know, he’s a guy that, you know, you look at his path in Golden State. Um, probably wasn’t playing a lot his first season, more playing time, become a champion, a lot on his shoulders in Washington. So, we believe we’re getting Jordan at just the right opportunity, just the right time in his career, and he he’s he’s again, he’s a guy that wants it. Works extremely hard. He’s in the gym night in and night out. And so, um, you know, it’s still going to be a collective effort. You know, we’ll need some guys to step up, but it’s going to be collectively. It won’t be just one guy that is going to carry the load. Kind of going off that, Jordan’s a guy who his career’s taken, you know, a couple different turns. You know, he’s in Golden State. They don’t win that title without him. He gets a max contract and then traded now just trying to kind of, you know, find his next place and kind of bounce back from that, I guess. Have you kind of talked to him at all about his path at all and and what he’s trying to achieve here and what have those conversations been like? Yeah, we have. We’ve had some good discussions about that. He’s excited, man. He’s excited um about the talent that he’s he gets to play with. Uh he’s excited about the character um in our locker room. Uh he knows that uh this is a great opportunity for himself. Uh and he’s about winning. That’s the biggest thing about him. He’s a worker. He’s about winning. He has a winning attitude. Uh, and you know, he’s another one of our players that is high character, hard worker, competitor. Uh, so we’re looking forward to it. What is this trip to Austral? Um, we’re excited about it. You know, it’s it’s a long flight, but once you get past that and once you you get on ground, um, you know, we’re excited to engage with the fans there. I think this is a really good time uh for team building, for bonding uh with our group. So, we’ll spend a lot of time together in Australia. Yeah. For Jordan Hawkins um just where he is timeline wise contractually and everything. Um what is a reasonable pathway for him to uh take the next step um this coming season? Well, I think he he was trending in the right direction. And you know, he had some injuries last season that that kind of hurt him, but you know, we we all play an intricate role in wanting to see him do well. Um, and it’s my responsibility along with my staff um to try to put him in situations that give him an opportunity to be at his best. He is a hooper. He loves to play. Uh he’s he’s another hard worker. Uh he’s been in the weight room this summer kind of, you know, putting on some putting on some pounds. Um, so he’s eager to get on the floor. He it’s it’s going to be a good year for him. We anticipate and and um having some good discussions with him about um just going out playing hard, playing free, being competitive, and when he’s playing like that, he he’s very dangerous. He put up some big numbers last year despite being on a miss restriction, a big chunk of it. How do you like what do you like about how he finished last season and how are you looking on him to to build on that going into this season? Yeah, Will, to your point, he he finished the season strong with his um his playmaking ability, his, you know, conditioning was at a high level. Um and we just want to see more of that. We want to see him be consistent in that role. Um the ball in his hands, attacking, finding his teammates. I thought he took a huge step forward defensively, and um that’s going to be required for all of our guys. So, just continue along that process. Be consistent with it. Bringing in a veteran like who’s a champion in the league. How can that help develop even in his second year coming in this season? Well, the fact that Eve is going to watch Lon uh Lon in practice, he’s going to be watching him in the wait room. Uh watch his approach. When you have good examples in front of you, um in any capacity, uh you take hold of that. And and I’ve watched Lon already. Obviously, I was with him early in his career. He’s talking a lot way more uh than he used to. And so, he’s pouring into some of our young guys already. You know, he’ll take a few bigs down to the basket. They’ll work on things. I think it’s huge growth uh for Ees and Carlo. You’ve had some turnover on your staff. What can you tell us about the additions that uh you’ve made to practice? Yeah, we we’ve uh added uh Mike Hopkins, um you know, former Syracuse assistant, head coach at UDub, uh and then he came over from the Phoenix Suns. Uh so, great energy, uh really knowledgeable, a ton of experience. We’re excited to have him. We elevated Greg Monroe um to a full-time uh you know, kind of player development, assistant coach, player development role. Uh he’s another uh guy that again had a had a really good NBA career. Um we believe that helps our group when we have coaches that have played the game um that are now transitioning to coaching because they they they can see the game from a you know sort of a different lens uh if that makes sense. And so he’s really been been key with helping our bigs with Zion between the end of last season and him now. Um, are there any specific things you’ve seen that you could site or highlight that might illustrate the next step in his evolution as both a player and a professional? Anything different that you saw about him um in that period? I saw his um his work this summer. Um his attention to uh you know his body, his conditioning. Uh he understands that um he wants to be available uh for his teammates and and when he’s available, when he can step out on the floor and be accountable to that, you know, he’s one of the best players in the NBA. Uh and so that’s something that I saw this summer that he’s working towards. I’m sure you have an idea of what this team is going to look like when all the pieces come together, but what are you looking for out of training camp and actually seeing how they fit? You know, we have an idea. You always walk in with an idea of how you want to play. Um, but just from my experience, your team also teaches you um, you know, what what works, what doesn’t work. And for me is is quickly understanding that identifying what our guys are great at doing, what doesn’t work. You know, we’ll we’ll go away from some of those things, but you know, our main principles will be the same. You know, we we’ll be a team that competes on the defensive end. Uh we want to be a team that rebounds the ball um on both ends of the floor. Uh we want to play fast and and share the basketball, have fun doing it. And I think when we keep those concepts in mind, you know, that always is helpful. What speaking of like playing fast, what what kind of uh traits in Jordan P’s game do you think can add to this offense? Well, he’s he’s he’s learned from one of the best and and that’s Steph Curry. um he’s learned from Klay Thompson and um Andre Gadala and so he brings that level of competition but also the speed in which he plays in um he can get going pretty quickly and so his ability to shoot the ball, drive, finish at the basket, um you know, competing on the defensive end, he understands what championship level basketball looks like. Uh so he’s going to bring that um to our team right away. and having him on the floor with Trey and Jordan Hawkins at times with Zion, I think, can be some some matchup problems for teams. Coach, correct me if I’m wrong, but in 2006, did you play did y’all play with the Sixers? Did y’all play in Europe? We did. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So, you talked about that bonding experience going to Australia and stuff like that. How was that for y’all in 2006 and everything like that in terms of building? You I I got to think back to 2006. That was that was a while ago. you’re making me feel old. Um, but I’ve had a number of these experiences with um with teams that we take a trip um to a different country and you know it’s always I think it’s always great to just spend time with your teammates. um you know, you’re eating dinner together, you’re going to practices, you’re you’re just having fun learning about each other, and a lot of times you come out of those trips, you know, with a better understanding for each other off the floor. Um and that helps you, you know, during the highs and lows of a long NBA season. Willie, most teams that have two lottery picks us are considered rebuilding teams, but as we know, that’s not the case here. How do you expect to navigate that situation trying to get those guys acclimated but give them a decent amount of time development and run? Yeah, I think we we have a tremendous staff in place. Uh we all collectively work together to you know continue to look at our team. Um look at our young guys and again it comes down to the balance of it. You know what’s what’s the balance and making sure our guys are growing uh getting opportunities to play on the floor. They got to earn it. Um, that’s a big part of it. They got to earn the opportunity to earn the right to step on the floor and compete. And then at the same time, how do I allow them to make mistakes and play through them? Uh, that’ll be important for our for our group. How do uh how do I, you know, sometimes I got to pull guys uh talk to them, teach them, and then get them back out on the floor. And so that’s the balance for the coaching staff and I. has the balance uh for for our front office that you know we continue to have talks about. Coach Jody Mars referenced him yesterday referenced the Oklahoma City Thunder. Uh you’re your own coach with your own team, but there are some parallels. Small market, young team, young coach with a very clear superstar. Um is there anything about watching their journey in the playoffs yesterday that made you kind of go that’s what we want to shoot for? Obviously do it your own way, but is there anything about that journey that you thought that’s kind of where I want to go with this? It it is it’s definitely something that you watch that you watch their team and um you can’t help but to try to pull some some some nuances, some concepts that you want to apply to your group. I think it it started with their connectivity. if you watch them, you know, we all joked about their interviews, but those guys were together uh every time you look, you know, to they’re together in commercials, they’re together on the floor, they’re celebrating. Um that camaraderie, I believe, allows them to have each other’s backs and support each other on the floor when it’s game time. Uh they they were one of the best historically uh defensive teams that we’ve seen. Um, so again that connectivity connectivity on the defensive end uh to look to the left, look to the right and know that your brother’s there. And so there’s some similarities with, you know, how they uh built their team and where we are now. And and we definitely we’ll pull, you know, a few concepts, but again, we you know, we we want to establish our own identity as well. Last year the team struggled a little bit on the defensive glass. Um, sometimes there’s going to be units that are less strong in that area that you have to put out there for offense or for spacing for for whatever reason. Just how can you bridge the the gap when it comes to possession battle um if you’re not able to be like a top five, you know, defensive rebounding team or just that unit isn’t that particularly strong at it? Yeah, it’s just work at it. We we definitely identified last season that, you know, we were getting stops and teams were getting second chance opportunities on us. Um, so identifying the issue and then the solution is, you know, continue to watch it, continue to teach it, go on the floor and let’s continue to work on it. Let’s look at groups. You know, we have to continue to look at which groups are are uh better at rebounding, better at finishing possessions. Um, and how can we stay extremely competitive on that side of the ball? One of the big talking points in the finals was or just throughout the playoffs was how far teams are pressing ball handlers. um you know after they inbound the ball after May basket just I know you guys have traditionally been a team with a pretty high pick up point but is there an even greater emphasis on that you know this season especially you know as Joe talked about yesterday you obviously want to play 10 11 12 deep you know kind of throwing bodies at at people um pressing them throughout the game. Yeah, there there’s definitely an emphasis on being a team that picks up 94 fleet. Um we believe that, you know, not allowing teams to play comfortable, not allowing them to bring the ball down the floor and get into their offense, and then more importantly, um they get to several different options of their offense um for the teams that don’t pressure. So, it’s something that we’re always looking at. We’re we’re looking at opportunities that, you know, we can be really aggressive in those moments. And um you know, when you have a deep team, you can continue to put pressure on the ball. Thank you, coach. All right. Thank you. Thank you all. just starting off just how are you feeling physically? I know Joe said you’ve been already, you know, participating in scrimmages and stuff like that. Just how close are you to feeling like yourself? I feel like I’m there. Yeah, I feel like I’m there obviously just continue to keep playing, keep getting my touch back, keep getting my rhythm back. I mean, I haven’t played since March 17th before last Thursday. So, um, takes a little time, but that’s what preseason training camp and all that is for. How tough was that for you just not? It was tough, but I think it helped me because it it made me, you know, sit down and just like actually give my body some rest, like give myself some time from basketball, maybe miss it a little bit more. And um it gave me a new little hungry hunger to the next season. Trey, what do you think of the team around you now that Joe’s put together? There’s a lot of new faces. Uh depth, young depth, and um I think that’s going to be a big help for us, especially, you know, in the Western Conference is a it’s a tough conference and we have a lot of people there. We have a lot of different teams that are going to be competing, but I think what separates us is our youth and our speed. And I really feel like uh we’re going to do really well this year based on, you know, the guys that we’ve added and, you know, just the way that we all fit as a as a collective. And unfortunately, it’s kind of been a a thing for you for the past couple years being limited during the summers. Uh just how how was your approach this summer, not being able to take contact for a lot of it, but still finding ways to get better? I mean, I just I think really what changed was just that, you know, I had to work on different things earlier in the summer because I wasn’t really able to, you know, shoot threes until like like middle of July or so. Like it was hard to shoot threes. So, I worked a lot on, you know, mid-range shots and getting to that second level. Um the contact portion obviously I wanted to you know play but I think it was just you know it gave me time to slow down and really just like work on things I really need to work on. Do you have a different sense of confidence heading into camp this season just knowing that you didn’t have to go through any of the contract stuff. All that’s taken care of your you know your future’s pretty locked in. Not necessarily. Um, I would say that obviously having a contract locked in and not really having to think about that is, you know, it’s a way off your shoulders, but I don’t think it really affected me basketball-wise too much because, you know, I knew I was going to be I was going to be fine. Like whether that was last year or this year, like I I knew I was going to be fine. And so I think the biggest thing is just trusting my work and preparing for the season and getting ready to lead my team. With CJ being gone, does that more opportunity to take on more leadership role. You feel like? Um, even if he was here, I probably still would have taken the same leadership role. I just think as I’ve grown and, you know, this is my fifth year in the building. And as crazy as that sounds to me, like I feel like you have to step into those roles. You have to step into, you know, being a leader, especially for the goals that I have for myself. I have to be a leader for this team in order for us to win games and, you know, make it far. What can you say about the addition of Jordan P? Seems like you guys already had a relationship. Uh, now he’s been added to the team. Kind of replaces CJ. Um, what can you say about his game and what he’s going to bring to the game? Yeah, super dynamic and um, good dude. Really, it brings a good dynamic to the locker room. I soon as he got traded, first of all, I was I was shocked kind of. I wasn’t I thought it was kind of fake actually when I saw the news, but um, you know, it was cool. I called him that day and we talked for like two hours about different stuff about the team and then just like how we want to, you know, get things done this year. So really excited to have him on the team. You went up in a huge jump in points per game last season. You also went up in rebounds and assists per game. Um, a lot there was an injury bug issue. You got a lot of opportunities because of that. Now people coming back healthy. How do you keep maintain that production while also obviously playing team basketball? Yeah, I mean that’s what the summer work is for. or you just tighten up your skills, get better. You know, I think there’s different ways that I’m going to be able to, you know, showcase my game that I wasn’t able to last year because of, you know, just confidence in my work. And I know this summer I put in a lot of work. And, you know, I feel like our team is just structured in a way where I can help these guys a lot with, you know, my scoring ability, my gravity, and then also my added playmaking. What have you noticed from the work that you’ve been putting in this summer? He looks good. Yeah, he looks good right now. He’s been He’s slimmer than I’ve ever seen him during the summertime, which is always a really good sign. And, you know, I just feel like he’s in a really good place mentally. Can you talk about Joe talked about hanging out with Zion, watching games with him? What have your interactions been with him and maybe talking about what he did in Detroit and how you get to a place like that? Yeah. You know, we’ve had a lot of conversations. Me and me and Joe, we’ve when I got to summer league, me and him had a a almost a 2-hour conversation and just talked about a lot of different things. His expectations, you know, what I what I expect, you know, different things that, you know, we feel about the team, you know, our outlook on winning mindset, but just a bunch of different things. And so it’s good to talk to him, especially because he was a player and he was a winner. Like that’s where I want to be as a player, as a winner. And so, you know, hearing him picking his brain on that aspect is um it’s not something that you’re able to get a lot throughout the NBA. So, you know, it’s very valuable to have him on the as the president. How familiar are you guys of your generation with the bad boys that he was a part of? I mean, have any has any have any of you gone back and looked at old highlights or you know I mean I am I’m not that young like like I’m young but not that young so I know I mean I know even before he was the GM I knew who they were. I’ve watched them, you know, not watch them live play obviously, but u watch back on highlights and stuff like that. So, I’m very aware of, you know, how they played, what their mindset was, their philosophies and stuff like that. So, I know he’s probably thinking about bringing some of that championship DNA here. Talk about uh Jordan’s obsession with the game and being in the gym and everything like that. Have you really seen that? And how much do you need that type of mindset on this team this year? Say that one more time for me. I’m sorry. Joe had talked about Jordan’s u obsession with the game and the mindset and everything like that. How much have you seen that and how much do you need that that mindset in his team? Uh I’ll give you an example. He I heard a ball bouncing this morning when I was coming in for physicals and JP was working out on the court already. So, I think it just shows you what type of guy he is when it comes to working out and taking his game seriously. When we were in Lagouna after everybody was done, me and him worked out once again. So, I I know he really takes it seriously. And, you know, you love seeing guys do stuff like that because then it makes me think, all right, now I have to work harder or I’m going to make sure I’m still working because I know he’s going to be right behind me. What’s it like giving fears and queen? What do you think those guys add to this team? Those little dudes are funny, man. Uh they are something else. They’re really characters and they most of the time rookies come in, they’re a little shy, like they don’t they try to step on anybody’s toes. They try to just, you know, be within themselves. They have not been that at all. Maybe have to dial him back a little bit, but um yeah, Fierce, he seems like he’s a quiet kid, but he also is very outgoing. He competes at a really high level. Queen is goofy, like really goofy. And um he has a really good spirit about himself. Like people really gravitate towards him because of his spirit. And then Micah, he’s a good kid. Really good kid. And he’s been really outgoing, asking a lot of questions, wants to learn. And so, you know, you have a good a good group of young guys that really want to learn and aren’t, you know, uh dismissive or just standoffish, which is a really good thing. You talked about the playmaking, adding guys like Jordan and Jeremiah can add an explosive dynamic to this offense. How do guys like that on the court help best complement you offensively? Uh I mean one they can play off the ball or on the ball. Uh because I know for sure I’ll have on ball reps and so they’ll have to space out and be ready for me to find them or you know if they’re on the ball then I’ll space out for them. But the biggest thing is that we all have to play for each other. So I I think both of them can do that. old college kids. And low key I do in all honesty. Like because I think Jeremiah’s 18 or 19. He’s 18. Like I’m 20. I’m seven years older than him. That doesn’t even make any sense. Like I I was always a young guy on the team and now I got kids on this team. So yeah, it’s crazy. What were your impressions of as an opponent just going against him and what he can bring here? Uh hated playing against him. So, I’m going to love having him on the team. Very excited for um what he brings, especially at the basketball IQ standpoint and somebody that can pass the ball, somebody that knows how to play basketball, somebody’s going to screen hard, rebound really hard. Something that I think we’ve missed, you know, a lot within the last probably two years for sure. So, I think he’ll add a big dynamic for that. How much do you talk to her after you guys both have sustained those shoulder s or shoulder injuries and stuff talking about this season what you guys wanted to do? You know, everybody mistakes us for this the same person for some reason. And then uh we had surgery on the same shoulder and our surgeries were both on Wednesdays. So like our days kind of coincided. So it’s like all right like at this point like like I I understand where people are coming from. But um during the summer on Wednesdays we check in on each other because those were like our benchmarks and stuff like that. And I mean as it got to like week 20 we stopped checking in. But we actually got cleared at the exact same time too. So it’s it’s crazy how it happens. But you know I guess we just have to embrace it this point. Did you know you be back when the season over? I mean were you pretty determined to get back? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I wasn’t that’s been the biggest thing is I just want to make sure I’m there for the start of the season ready to play and you know obviously you don’t have any control over like you know the recovery process a lot of times you just try to do the best that you can but I knew I was going to put my best foot forward into attacking this rehab process. Is it a goal to be a allar this year? Absolutely. I know some of this is based on the end of last season but the projections are like 30 wins 32 wins for this team. Do you pay attention to that? And can you use maybe some of that as fuel? I have a photo album in my phone that has every slight against the Pelicans or myself. So, I think that can answer your question. Thanks. Appreciate it. Thanks. I heard just how are you feeling physically and what’s the summer been like for you just trying to rehab that shoulder? I’m feeling great. Ready to get training camp started. Uh, but I mean the summer was great. You know, I think June was probably the toughest month just trying to, you know, get the strength back in into the shoulder. But I mean, overall, it was a great summer. How much did you just miss playing basketball? I missed it, but at the same time, that was that was probably my first break from basketball since 8th grade, maybe, you know. So, it was good to kind of reset and get my mind, you know, focus on the things that I needed to focus on to get back to to being heard. Seems like a lot of the the messaging for this the new regime running things, it fits off court fits your personality on court. How do you feel like you fit in with this new like Joe De Mars and all that? What you mean? It just mean like how do you think you fit in in their like mindset? How do you agree or what? I mean, I I do think we have similar or similarities um in the ways that, you know, he sees the game and how he wants the game to be played. Um and I feel like I’ve kind of been that my whole life, just playing hard regardless of the score or record. So, and I think that, you know, will would take us a long way. What’s the biggest difference that you’ve noticed with I mean, his his energy is different. Um, you could tell he played, you know, he understands. I mean, he gets it, you know, so he’s kind of easy. He’s super easy to talk to. You talk about having that uh mental reset. How do you think that kind of helped you the most? I mean, it was just refreshing, you know, to to be able to kind of break my game down. Um, give my body some time to rest. and then just attack the rehab, you know, to try to get the most out of it, you know, that I could. And I feel like, you know, I maximized my time off um to get ready for the season. Were you able to get some fishing done? Sure. I didn’t get to fish a lot because of the shoulder of course, but you know, once they cleared me to be able to fish, I was I was back in Alabama probably the next weekend. Herb, you didn’t get a lot of time to play with Eve Miy last season, but to me, he does a lot of things kind of like you that don’t always show up on the stat sheet. A lot of good defensive uh mental knowing what to do on defense a lot. Obviously, obviously, you have Jos Alvarado and you know, fans were begging to have you be first team all defense. Uh you got that under your belt. Do you do you are you going to try to go for defensive player of the year this year? I mean, I know the obvious answer, but how important is that to you to get that accolade also? it’s not as important as winning. Um, so if I if I don’t get the trophy and we, you know, we win a championship, I’m perfectly fine with that. It’s not a goal I just set out to try and achieve. I just try to show up and be there for my teammates. And, you know, sometimes that that may end up in a, you know, a highlight block that you guys may cons, you know, considered a highlight or, you know, a steal, but I just try to show up for my teammates. to that point. Um the projection, some of it’s based on the way that the season finished last year, but like that be like 30 wins for this team or 32 wins. Do you pay attention to any of that? And can you use that as fuel maybe some of those low expectations? I think some people can, but I try not to pay attention to anything anybody says about the Pelicans. Um just to keep a clear mind, you know, coming in to work. I don’t want to be worried about, you know, what somebody said we may finish or, you know, how many wins we might get. We just time will tell. You know, if we show up and do the work, I’m I’m confident in our team. Are you are you Joe said yesterday one of the reasons why they like Jordan was because of his age and the fact that he fits the timeline with you and Trey and Zion. Are you all cognizant or talk about the fact that you are entering the prime of your career when other players have historically won championships and this may be the best opportunity at success? No, I mean I I’ve kind of been a dayby-day guy. um I come in and talk to him, you know, about certain things defensively that we that we might try to do, but the age thing I I haven’t really had conversations about all of us being I think we all know, you know, so it’s not a conversation we need had just talked about young. How do you feel about that perspective and you know, you guys still being young but in a sense still vets too? Yeah, it is crazy uh that they’re considering me a a vet. I thought it was year seven when you become a vet, but um I mean they’ve kind of been calling me a vet just because of how you know I move and the way I go about my work. Um but I mean it’s an honor you know to be around especially in the same organization for five years and to get that title. I mean, we just got to show up and, you know, be professional and and kind of lead the way for the younger guys. To that point, too, you know, I consider you a vet, consider one of the best defensive players in the NBA. Do you what you do on the court is obviously you have your own mentality, the own way that you approach the game. You have somebody now as a vet put an arm around a guy like a Jeremiah Fierce or even Jordan Hawkins. uh from the defensive standpoint, what sort of advice would you give those guys to mimic your style to because that style of defense is something that not a lot of players have? I mean, I think it’s all effort. And I tell guys, you don’t have to be first team defense. You just have to give an effort and I think that’ll take care of itself if you try. You know, you can’t no no one can say you didn’t. And that’s all I ask of any of my teammates. You signed a contract this summer. How’d that conversation come about and why was it important for you to uh secure a long-term future here in New Orleans? Yeah, I mean, I wanted to be in New Orleans. Um, and I know a lot of people, you know, they probably had a lot to say about the amount or, you know, the the years, but my family is taken care of. You know, I love New Orleans. Um, and they gave me a chance to sign a contract to stay here. Um, and I took that chance. you know, uh it’s nothing like, you know, being able to take care of your family, especially coming from, you know, where I come from in Alabama. Um I kind of looked at it as a once in a lifetime thing, you know, so I mean, it was it was definitely a blessing to get that done. I mean, I was just ready to get to work. What do you love about New Orleans? The people. Uh I’m close to home. I’m four four hours away from home, so my family get gets to come down and watch me play. They don’t have to hop on a a plane every time, you know, to come see me play. So, that that that’s huge. There’s been a lot of changes in the organization since you got here, but through it all, you’ve had the same head coach. How big is having that continuity and familiarity with Willie? It’s definitely great, you know, especially to be here, you know, the same amount of time coming in with coach, then still being here, you know, despite the things that have happened in the past. Um, that shows that, you know, the city of New Orleans, you know, they believe in him and trust him. We believe in him and trust him. And like I said, I think we just we just ready to kind of get back out in Get to work. I’m sorry. Oh, damn. My bad, bro. Joe highlighted guys like Jeremiah and Jordan talked about their obsession with basketball. You being a gym writer yourself, what have you seen from those guys this summer in their dedication to the game? Uh, they didn’t lie about, you know, being in the gym. Um, and they’re extremely hard workers. So, it’s that’s nothing that I I wouldn’t like I wouldn’t I wouldn’t uh expect anything else from from them but being in the gym. What did you notice from Zion this summer? What you mean? Like just as far as like Trey said, he come in he’s come in his slimmest maybe since uh since he’s been here and there’s been obviously a lot of talk of like maybe being more dedicated or just putting in extra work this summer. I I mean I was in uh out doing my rehab for majority of the summer. Uh, so I wasn’t here to see it, you know, and I don’t ask about anybody when I go back to especially in the summers. Like I try to give guys their space and time to, you know, work on their games. But I mean, from what I know, you know, Z’s been working hard, uh, coming I’m sure he’s been coming back in at nights, you know, to work out. Um, but I’m excited to see, you know, what he’s improved on once training camp starts. Herb, what do you know about Kavan Looney and have you guys had any discussions? He of course takes pride in the defensive end and talking as well. Yeah, we we haven’t talked much about, you know, any defensive schemes. U, I’m just trying to get to know him as a person so that, you know, once we build that relationship, it’s easier to do the basketball side of things. Trey talked about y’all regularly checking in on each other during the summer as y’all went through the rehab and you know the Wednesdays he’s all having surgery on the same day. Uh just what was that like kind of having somebody that you can relate to going through the same rehab, same shoulder, all that kind of stuff. Yeah, it was it was crazy that you know his injury happened. I think the day that I got my stitches out. Um but it was I think it was it was tougher on us just because we love the game so much. Um, but I think in hindsight it was probably a blessing for us to, you know, go through that season of, um, you know, just being still, having to sit down and really just pay attention and watch, you know, and try to grow from the sidelines. Um, and I think both of us took a took a step in leadership and in our games. What was your u impression of Jordan P going against him as an opponent in terms of how much of a threat he is, where you had to match up against him and what he’s going to break here? I mean, he just ran it just felt like he ran around a lot, you know, like it was always a pain to have to guard him because he never stopped moving. Um, but I knew he was a great dude. Um, I had some mutual friends that uh went to school with him. I mean, I kind of met him before, you know, the trade happened. So, you know, when the trade happened, it was it was kind of seamless for us to, you know, jail. You’re not known as a very flashy guy off the court. Um, I think I always joke about remember you walking through a game just wearing the same Pelicans gear that they give you. Other people always come up like it’s, you know, fashion. It’s that kind of thing. With the new contract and the time off, did you go treat yourself at all? Nothing changed. Nothing changed. Why not? I mean, if my family is good, I’m cool. I know I probably said that the last time they asked about it, but I don’t really care about what anybody says about clothes. So, like it’s kind of especially going to a basketball game, you know, you probably keep I mean, no, I get it. You know, to each his own, but I just it was just never instilled to dress up to go to a basketball game. That was always a guy to, you know, we just need to get to the gym because I mean, you taking you’re putting your uniform on five minutes into the, you know, once you get in the locker room. So, but I get it, though. Are you excited for this trip to Australia? Yeah, I’m excited. I’m excited. It’s my first time. You know, it’s probably the longest flight, but uh I think it’ll be it’ll be interesting trip. You going to get a chance to see any of the uh exotic and dangerous wildlife in Australia. No, I probably won’t take that. I probably won’t take that chance. Go out there, play basketball, go back, maybe get some food. But what about I noticed we mentioned clothes. What about hairstyle? Like you and Trey seem to have a similar one right now. I don’t know if that’s coincidence or if that’s a thing or I I mean I just did it uh during rehab. Just something to do. And then Deonte told me, he was like, “You know, you’re not going to keep him. You going you’re going to go back to your fro.” So I kind of did it to prove him wrong. All right. Thank you guys. I appreciate Yep. Yep. Appreciate you. Uh just what’s the rehab process been like and how are you feeling? Man, it’s been great. Uh you know, just taking it one day at a time and you know making sure the mental’s there and uh obviously all the physical things and really just attacking it like no other. And with a lot of people going through that particular injury, they talk about the mental to What’s that been like trying to get through that part of it as much as the physical part? I mean, it’s really nothing. It’s really just, you know, uh you got to make sure the body and the mind’s on the same page and uh that’s really the importance of it, you know, uh the work for me is just something I love to do. But I think the most important was just the mental part, you know, uh just understanding you got to go through it to get to it. And you know, at the end of the day, stay sharp, stay focused, and you know, make sure you handle your business. Are you a little ahead of where you thought you would be or about where No, for sure. I mean, since what, since April to today, I’ve been going six days a week, you know, twice a day and just alternating uh, you know, pool and and on court, you know, but in the the the the training room and the weight room every single day and just taking my time, man, but having fun with it, trying to, you know, turn a negative into a positive and it’s been just that. So, you know, I just I’ve been having fun just seeing the progression, you know, knowing that day that it all happened and you know, I just couldn’t walk and couldn’t feel my cal and you know, just it was a new thing and it was a challenge but you know I accepted it and you know I’m just continue to stay on the right road. Turn negative to a positive that’s kind of been your whole story I guess. How much has what you went through helped you with this with this? I mean it’s beautiful. I mean everything just my whole life even you know just the past recently like just reflecting on everything uh you know I just feel like when you go through so much and and you know a man like myself that believe in God everything happens for a reason and you know everything I went through you know was for a reason and I just think you know I’m going to come out on top and it would all make sense you know later down the road. Can you give us a window into where you are in your rehab process? Like what you’re at and what’s lays ahead still for you to do like what challenges what you have to get past hurdles and stuff? I mean, what you mean by that? I just mean in the process, right, Kayle’s injury, any kind of severe injury, there’s so many hurdles you got to take one step at a time. But I was just curious like where you are in that rehab process. Like are you running, jumping? I mean, what kind of restrictions are still on you? I could run 10 down and backs in probably 57 seconds. Uh, and this just from all the work, you know what I’m saying? Uh, I think I could beat a lot of guys oneonone right now if I’m just being honest with you. And that’s just the confidence. That’s the work I’ve been doing. Like I said, six days a week, twice a day. But the beauty of it is, you know, you you’re not there’s no rush. I don’t feel rushed by nobody. you know, everybody’s on board and like I said, I’m just having fun. I found that joy, that happiness, you know, in life and then also, you know, most importantly, what I love to do, which is basketball. So, you know, for me, I’m really just having fun each and every day in the weight room, on the table, and and obviously on the court. Dante, happy belated. Uh, what did you learn from being 28? What I learned from being 28, first of all, thank you. Appreciate you. Uh, man, I’m somebody that just openminded, you I feel like I can learn from people younger than me, older than me, the same age as me. You know, I’m not that guy that think I know everything. So, you know, I’m always just trying to be a sponge to learning and growing and maturing as a person, a father and basketball player and all those sorts of things. So, uh I can’t just say one thing. You know, every day I’m trying to just be better each and every day. You bring a leadership quality to the court that I think was sorely missed last season. Uh, how important is being that leader on the court, being that veteran, especially with the young rookies coming in, first round rookies with a ton of confidence, and without CJ now with him being gone, how important is that to really be the vocal guy, be the leader on the court, not just physically playing the game, but keeping everybody in line? Uh, I think it’s just who I am as a person, you know, no matter what room I go in. uh you know, but for the younger guys, older guys, like I said, we’re going to teach each other. We’re going to learn each other. And just me as an individual, you know, I’m here, you know, obviously I I have a goal for myself to continue to get healthy and get back to, you know, basketball shape where I’m healthy and ready to go, you know, but besides that, you know, I’m here to support the guys, you know, training camp, uh, practices, games, film, and just being that support system for them, you know, showing seeing telling them what I see and where they could be better and, you know, even them helping me, you know, because like I said, I’m around, I’m going to be here, and I’m going be supporting them. So, you know, you just got to go through it. Attack each day. Don’t look in the past. Don’t look ahead. You know, just try to attack today and that’s about it. That point, um, adding veterans like Jordan Pool, like Looney, guys that have won championship, how valuable do you think that is and how needed do you feel like that was from seeing what it was last year? Uh, I mean, you don’t focus on the past, man. Obviously, those are, you know, two great guys. you know, you got to add in a guy like Sadique Bay as well. You know, a great guy. I was teammates with him in Atlanta. And uh, you know, professionalism is everything. And, you know, when you define that, you know, for us in this sport, you know, I think it’s just showing up on time, you know, being a great person, uh, you know, handling your work and just being a sponge to learning. So, you know, it’s great to have, you know, new guys, but the character thing means the most, I feel like, and all three of those guys are high character guys. uh three guys you hear about that they work, you know, and they don’t come with no type of baggage. So, it’s great to, you know, be able to add some guys like that and, you know, just got to let time allow everything to, you know, be revealed. Young say with that, sticking um excuse me, with the age, say that again. I think sticking with that that the leadership role despite uh the age of course with you those guys you got Trey Herb you know other guys y’all are already considered vets as well. Does that surprise you any and how do you really take on that role? I really don’t try to fall into that. Uh you know I just try to fall into what’s right and what’s wrong and how can we grow together? How can we you know teach each other? Like I said, uh you know, you got rookies that came in and you know, we’re going to be able to see things from them whether they’re playing or not playing right away. You know, they’re going to be able to see the game a different level. They’re going to be able to see things in practice and you know, just them feeling comfortable knowing they can go talk to the guys you say like the vets and you know, the vets coming down out of the game or out of practice like, “Hey, what’ you see?” You know, it’s just really communication. So, you know, I don’t like to put an age thing on it. You know, obviously you got guys with the experience and the experience is going to help the younger guys with the knowledge of having that experience, but you know, at the end of the day, you know, we all together and we all share the same goal and that’s to get better and win. What do you think Joe’s leadership? Uh, I think his resume and, you know, him as a person speaks for, you know, uh, who he is. Uh, you know, I’ve been knowing Joe, you know, since I came in the league. Uh obviously we’re going to get to know each other more. You know, being in the same building every day, but uh you know, our talk’s been great. Uh you know, just his vision, you know, no BS. Uh I think he’s he’s coming here with a mindset that you know, just hey, handle your business, do your job, and you know, just mainly having high character guys around uh and just everybody part of organization and uh you know, so it’s great to have somebody like that around. You say no. some things he’s some examples that that you’ve seen that that you know he’s not I mean it’s from the conversations you know obviously you got to allow the season to play out obviously we start camp tomorrow so you know you look at today’s a beautiful day to be able to be around all you guys and you know us take photos and stuff but you know the real stuff start tomorrow and you know moving forward and you know you just let things plan out you know but like I said his resume speaks for itself you know he won as a player he won as a GM so he know what it takes and uh that’s what I mean you know, BS. So, you know, now you just got to see, you got to let everything just, you know, fall in place. You talked about the difficulties of last season, injuries, family stuff. Uh, what did it take to kind of get through that and what were some of the lessons you took from that experience? Uh, I mean, I think it was just hard. Uh, it’s crazy you say that. Like, I had these conversations with, you know, some family friends the last couple days and, you know, I never really put myself first. Uh so you know I was just bottling up so much things and you know it could be good or bad. Uh you know but for me just from the life stuff you know I was putting everybody in front of myself and then obviously getting traded here last year there was just this this thing in me that’s it’s a prideful thing. You know what I’m saying? Like I want to show I always want to prove each and every day and and just you know I wanted to show not only the New Orleans fan base but the organization like you guys traded for me and I want to show you why you traded for me. So, it was just so much on my shoulders. And, you know, at the end of the day, I’m I’m built for any challenge. Uh, I want nothing easy. I want to get it all out the mud. So, you know, at the end of the day, I think what I what I got to learn about myself and tell myself is, you know, sometimes it’s okay to put yourself first. And me putting myself first allowed me to do great things on and off the floor. We watched you develop a really good relationship with Zion last year. What have you seen from him since the season ended, his work this summer? what kind of steps he’s taken to improve his game both on and off the court. Uh I mean, you know, at the end of the day, I think Z’s a great person, you know, uh misunderstood, uh you know, but far as the summer, you know, I was in Vegas rehabbing, you know, I was keeping in contact with the guys and they was keeping contact with me, but you know, far as seeing each other, we didn’t really see each other, you know, but at the end of the day, great person and you know, uh you know, time will just show. You know, the work’s going to show for all of us. You know, what you did, did you get better? and uh you know hopefully handled his business and he’s ready to go. You know he looks good. I seen him in our mini camp when we all met in Cali and uh that was the first thing I told him like your body looks good you know just seeing him run up and down the floor and just you know the way that his shape was. So I’m excited just to see you know not only Z but everybody say he’s misunderstood. Uh I mean you know that’s somebody he doesn’t speak a lot you know and obviously I don’t think it’s a guy that wants to just you know be hurt and not play games. Uh, so, you know, at the end of the day, you just you just got to see. Hopefully, he’s, you know, healthy to be able to play a whole season, but I feel that way for everybody. And, uh, you know, that’s the only way you get to really, you know, see what you got and see who he could be. You’ve spoken about him a lot publicly throughout your career, but he’s officially retired now. Um, Coach Pop. What do you want to say about Coach Pop and, you know, kind of like what he’s brought to the game of basketball, you specifically? Uh, man, he’s great. Like I said, that’s somebody that’s been a father figure to me. uh you know really close. We talk all the time, you know, even recently just hearing how he’s back working and he’s doing really well for himself. And uh, you know, cuz health is important, you know, health is wealth. And, uh, that’s my guy. I love him. You know, uh, I wish him the best in his next chapter. I know he’s still going to be a part of the Spurs and, you know, he can’t just get away from basketball. So, you know, that’s it. Speaking of health, um, Sadique is another guy that’s coming off some missing extended time. just what have you been able to discuss with him about how he’s looking forward to attacking this evening? Man, just attacking each and every day. You know, that’s a guy that works though. You know, he he loved the process. I feel like when you’re around guys or you see guys that, you know, they they they love the game before the game rewarded them. And uh what I mean by that is just you just fell in love with the game. You fell in love with just working and earning everything. And you know, Sadique Bay is a guy that stands for that. And you know, when you say his name, you know, that’s the definition of that. So, you know, I’m just excited because I I remember when he, you know, tore his ACL vers the Pelicans when we was in Atlanta and uh I was so hurt for him, you know, because it was a big year, contract year. He was playing well and he just was in a great space and uh you know, like I said, you know, that time when it happened, you know, I was by his side from then to now and I’m just like, you know, just attack it. It’s nothing but no work. Take care of your mental. You already work. So, you know, I’m excited to see him just get that confidence back and go out and do what he love to do. What has developing a relationship with with Jeremiah been like so far? Great kid. Uh full of energy, full of life, works hard, uh confidence out the roof. So, I’m just excited to watch him grow. Like, everybody askked me about him, whether it’s in the building, out the building, and you know, I say the same thing, man. I just hope, you know, everybody, you know, in organization takes his development serious and allow him to be as great as he can be because he’s already shown that he’s a high character guy. He’s a guy that want to work and get everything. Like just even hearing the stories that you know I know his story about he was supposed to go to Illinois and you know and he’s supposed to even be in college this year and like just hearing stuff like that. He went and took the opportunity in Oklahoma and he ran with it and he made something out of nothing. So you know just excited for him and you know want to push him and want to help him as much as I can. You had a um we heard from Jones a second ago. He’s obviously one of the best defensive guards in the NBA. Having him back, um, we just saw the best defense in the NBA win the win the title last season. Yeah. How important is defense? What’s your defensive mentality going in here? I mean, you got a great wingspan, Trey’s wingspan, Herb’s wingspan. Like, how how important is setting the tone on defense? I mean, it’s really important. Uh, you know, all the great players that won at a high level, no matter, you know, where it was, uh, they’ll tell you that, you know, defense is something that it’s got to be in you. It got to be something you want to do. You know, there’s some guys that are, you know, able to have more than the other guy has. And I think the effort’s everything. If you show effort, you know, you you don’t have to like defense, but I feel like if you show effort, you’ll do things that you will shock yourself. And then, you know, there’s guys like myself that I take pride in it. You know, I I was young playing my uncle. So, being that young guy, you had to get a stop to get the ball. So, that’s just in me. It’s installed in me. And, you know, defense win championships. Obviously, you got to put the ball in the hole, but you know, defense is as important. Do you feel like you and the order are on the same page regarding your needs? I know this summer you talked about maybe some miscommunication regards to your rehab or whatever you may have needed. You feel like you’ve had those conversations and you’re you’re working in the same direction now. I mean, even that, you know, like that was just me sharing my experience, you know, and at the end of the day, we’re professional athletes and we deserve the best, but we also got to put the work in and be professionals. you know, the professionalism word that I just said. And, you know, even on that, there’s a lot of great people around this building. I think it was so much going on and it’s okay. You know what I’m saying? Like, people got to understand that everything’s not going to be peaches and cream. And, uh, you know, just being on the same page and everybody getting what they need is the only way to allow you to grow and go in the right direction. So, you know, everything’s been great. You know, uh, everybody’s been a part of my rehab. You know, I’m excited to be here and, you know, show up every day and work and just be a part of the team. So, you know, we move forward and at the end of the day, I think the most important is being on the same page. Everybody, you have a big mind where you want to commit. I’m working, man. I’m working. Yes, sir. In terms of being on the same page, when so when one front office moves aggressively, bring you in, make your centerpiece, sees you as their solution, and then one season later they’re gone as a new front office. Is there anything that you have to do to get on the same page with them? Is there anything that you need to hear from them? Does it cause uncertainty or software or anything like that? I mean, you can’t really go off of hearing things and I think that’s in all the fields we’re in. You know what I’m saying? Anybody could tell us anything, but it means nothing if the actions don’t match it. You know, actions speak louder than words. So, you know, for myself, my job is to continue to show up. You know, be the leader I am and and just work my tail off and like I said, help the guys that want to be helped and allow people to help me. And uh, you know, that’s going to speak for itself and everything else will just take care of itself. See you guys. What’s the summer been like for you getting to play summer league play overseas stuff and just what are your expectations going to uh summer been good uh work a lot on my body uh to lift more uh the national team was good even though we lost it was tough ending, but I have the opportunity to just play a lot, get some game in, and I think that’s the best part of it. I feel like the more you get on the court, the the better you get. So, that was a big part for me. And improvement. I mean, I would say uh one focus for me was the defensive rebounding. Uh this year fle on offensive glass I’m up there but fle on defensive ending I need to just probably like box look more just different technique I tried to implement for this year so super excited about it you work with much you kind of learn from him uh so we play a lot recently so he just recently got back so we play a lot of pickups so I didn’t have time to work out with him yet but we talk a lot since we just doing encore thing uh during the the pickup game. Some I just have like questions for him and he just answer me explain to me after after the day or we did some shooting some touches together but you haven’t like did like a full workout so I can’t wait for that actually. Your physique looks noticeably stronger, bigger. How much weight have you put on? Do you know like how much strength or anything like that? Not really. I mean uh all I know is we’ve been lifting all summer. I can tell you that. But uh I can’t tell you exactly how much weight I put in. But I know I feel much stronger even whenever I was speaking for national team. I just feel a little stronger. So you feel like when you’ve been banging around in scrimmages, you feel stronger like in terms of just boxing out being able to handle your own against bigger guys? Yeah, for sure. I mean there’s still a long way to go, but yeah, it feels stronger. You came in, you came in last season as a rookie, but a lot of the things you did, you kind of let the ball come to you. You didn’t try to do too much. you really played team ball kind of like you you didn’t play like a rookie I guess is what I’m saying. Now you’re in your second year. Uh what did you learn from that rookie season? Now your two years as a professional basketball player. What did you learn last season that you can apply to this season? Uh I would say last year was very different from regular season. Uh just by how it went. So I would say now I understand like the up and down of the league. I feel like we’ve been pretty down. So I feel like we this year we trying to get we take it to another level try to be better and even like um experience talked to so many guys uh even tires from last year just different different guys how to talk to Da Muba when they came in and just them giving me some advice about the game how the season goes how the NBA works helped me and um feel like even going to year two uh still learning from Looney now or even P won championship, those type of guys. I mean, you’re no longer the new guy. What is it like now transitioning into a role where you have the experience of you’re seeing these two young uh those couple of young rookies come in and now you’re having to beat them? It’s good having people of my age, like pretty close to my age. It’s pretty good. So, uh no, this extremely goofy, just good teammates to be around. Uh they love I mean, they’re always in the gym as well. So, they also push you to get in the gym to get some extra rep because they’re always here. So, it’s just good having them. Uh, good addition for the team for sure. Offensively, what’s been the focus for you this off seasonason? What have you spent time uh working on skill-wise? Uh, finishing around the basket. Uh, those on the my focus whenever I went to national team uh be more sharp uh around the basket, be more uh powerful whenever I go up. Uh those main focus for me. Also, the free throw percentage was a a part of it as well. you got to spend time with uh Eric on the summer team. How much do you uh what do you kind of see in him in his game and how much do you think y’all able to compliment each other? Uh I mean he’s a great passer uh great playmaker. So I think not only me, just everyone to be honest, he’ll be able to help them out. Um, and I feel like him uh getting on the court with open and the floor in general and get involved and I feel like with all the offensive weapon that we have, he’s a good addition having him as well. What’s it been like getting to know Joe? What kind of discussions have you had about him and did you know anything about him when he was a player? Well, great discussion. Uh I feel like he’s he’s someone who tell you things straight up in the face and uh that’s good about him. Uh we talk about how his last season was, how he trying to get better, his uh his vision for the team and the organization in general. And uh as a player, I didn’t have opportunity to watch him as much. Uh also wasn’t I wasn’t for my for my defense. I wasn’t watching basketball like that. So to be honest, I watch some clip uh because whenever we sign him, I knew I knew the name, but I never like actually watch some clip. So had opportunity to watch some clip and see see the toughness he love talking about. So yeah, you said that having a lot of bigs was by design. How much uh how much value do you see in that? I mean I feel like having a lot of bigs that do different thing is pretty good. Uh you can tell like even based on the roster each has like a particular set of skills and I feel like all combined we stronger. So I like that. Last year you started a lot of games. Do you know if that’s going to continue to be your role this season? Uh, I don’t know. I mean, we’ll just see. We have the training camp coming up. So, I think that’s where team will get set up. A lot of a lot of bigs, a lot of centers will try to pick up the three-point game. You’ve been working on your threes at all. I feel like uh need to be able to do like the stuff around the basket first to be able to expand the game. uh whenever I I’ll be D excellent at it, I’ll probably try other stuff, but for now, just the focus is around the paint, finishing to contact and uh be focused on that. Is there a specific part of your game that you really wanted to work on this off season and and be better at? Like I said, the finishing was the main part for me and also getting stronger. I feel like if I’m bigger, it’ll be harder for them to push me around. And you know whenever you’re out there with these guys to show my position uh you need to be stronger to hold them and even on defensive end on the on the on the rebounding all this type of stuff. So do you think the experience in the national team really helped you? Uh yeah is different type of basketball. Uh the best rule is whenever the the ball hit the ring can hit it out. I wish you had in the NBA is a is a great rule but uh yeah he definitely helped me uh give me some experience. uh never play with national team national team before. So it was great uh playing against other guys that play in Europe uh even in uh in Asia was it was great last year I mean you talked about last season you know a lot of downs a tough season with injuries things like that. One of the few things that I know fans did get to cheer for last year was that you were kind of flirting with the rookie of the year award. You were kind of on that ladder up and down. You know you were competing with the rookies to possibly win that that award. Were you aware of any of that? Do you care about any of that? Do you pay attention to those types of things at all? I’m terrible with social media. I’m no lie to you. Most even like the the rookie of the month thing. There’s a lot of thing I didn’t even know. Uh to be honest, I just play basketball and whenever I open my phone usually to talk to my family to be honest. So, but uh yeah, obviously they talk to me about it. So, it was great having the opportunity to even compete with those guys. So, it was good. Good. Appreciate it. Hey J, what’s the summer been like after summer league? Just kind of getting ready, getting to know people in the organization and just kind of getting to know the world. Man, it’s been great. Um, every we actually didn’t really have a break, so that was kind of crazy to me, but I mean, we’ve been getting after it every single day. Um, the older guys end up coming back a little bit earlier than they were supposed to, so they was able to kind of get out there with us as well. Um, and we just really been continuing to kind of learn our concepts and learn our defensive scheme and just continuing to learn. Joe said, you’ve been working a lot with with Jordan. What is what have you learned from him so far? Uh really just the way he’s appro he approached the game. Uh I think he approached the game and with a serious mindset almost every time he step on the court and um everything he do is kind of detailed and is broken down kind of so he know like what he’s basically getting better at and what he’s trying to get better at and work on. So I mean that’s something to take away and just continuing to pick his brain, ask him questions and he played with some really good point guards. Deonte also gave you a lot of praise too. What is developing a relationship with him like man it’s amazing. Um, Desante been around this league for a pretty long time. So, I mean, he knows a lot and he’s been around some great players and great coaches. So, trying to ask some questions and um hopefully when you get back being able to compete against him as well. Jeremy, everybody says that you’ve been in the gym a lot to the point where I think Joe even said they had to get you out of the gym because you’ve been in here so much. Where does that come from and how long have you been such a gym rat wanting to play basketball non-stop? It’s been all my life. Um, I kind of been like that since I was younger. Just being able to go to the gym and kind of clear my head and um, being able to work out three to four times a day and just continuing to try to get better. And I mean, it helps. It helps a lot. And then it’s one of those things where being able to go to the gym kind of helps you in all aspects of your game. Um, especially a quiet gym kind of turn the music up a little bit. It’s just you in there. You can shoot. um you can do some recovery afterwards and it’s really just like a vibe for me. How do you feel like you’ve improved since we last saw you in the summer league? Uh really just getting stronger. Um I think my body um looks a lot different from when I first came and still got some ways to go but I’m going to continue to work on that. Um my shot been shooting pool giving me some little tips and details and stuff like that. And then just the pick and roll aspect and the defense aspect as well. 18. Has it hit you yet that you’re in the NBA? Man, half uh I would definitely say about a week and a half ago, we was getting after it and guys a lot more athletic and playing with the Zions, the Trey Murphy’s, the Herd Jones, the Jordan Pool. So, I mean, obviously we competing against each other and pretty soon we can all be on the court together. Who Who was your favorite player growing up and somebody you modeled your style after? Uh my favorite player growing up was definitely Steph Curry, but I mean I don’t have one anymore because we going to be competing against them. So, What does it meant to you to have like a lot of the vets, guys like Trey Young and um UD and Mike Miller obviously all kind of give you that big praise and kind of public I don’t know amping up before you go into your rookie year. Man, it feels good. Um and it’s a lot that come with that. It’s going to be people that have some expectations for you. But long as you stay levelhead and could keep working, um anything’s possible. What are some of your first impressions being around Zen you have on the court? Man, it’s different. Um the effect he brings to the game is real. Like he can bring you almost everything. Um shooting’s got a lot better and he’s one of those players that can affect the game in all aspects. So being able to put him in the right positions and talk to him a little bit, see how he view the game and how he approached the game. What are your first impressions of New Orleans as a as a home and as a fan base? Man, News was different. When I first came down, it was one of those things where I was kind of expecting it to be newer, but the more you go around a city, it’s kind of historical. uh you visit different places of the city and kind of looks old but I mean it got a lot of history behind it so that’s pretty dope. Defense something that you’ve always taken to or is that something you need to work on a little bit? Um it’s definitely something that I need to work on. Uh definitely step it up a notch when playing against some of the world’s best players. So just being able to kind of learn their techniques and some of the moves they like to go to, their go-to moves and uh certain positions they like to be in and try to take that away from them. You talked about some of the veteran guys having expectations for you. What are your own expectations coming to your rookie year? Uh being able to help the team win. I mean, that’s obviously the first thing. Uh helping us get back to the playoffs and eventually advancing in the playoffs and then at um winning rookie of the year as well. Your first memories of Zion just growing up as you a kid. What do you got about? Uh man, he was super athletic. Um and he really affected the game in a lot of different ways. uh is somebody that can go out there and feel the stat sheet and bring his team wins. And then now we’re on the same team. So being able to see in person, it’s gonna be even it’s gonna be even better. Was it like Yeah, at Duke it was crazy. They had a pretty good team. Zion did a lot to kind of help that team win and he was a he was a force basically for the defensive team. Whoever he was playing against, you kind of had to focus in on him and try to slow him down. And I mean that that helps the team a lot especially when you have other pieces around that can help them. A high first round pick um with a lot of expectations coming in as in the guard position but you weren’t the only first round pick for the Pelicans and the decision to trade up for Derek Queen got a lot of negative press from a lot of people outside of this market too. A lot of national pundits, things like that. What was your Do you have any reaction to that? And then also just what’s your relationship been like with your fellow rookie? I know you guys are both super competitive. Yeah. Um, I mean, everybody has their own opinion on certain situations. Um, I feel like it was a smart smart move. Um, especially the way we going right now. You see us in practice, we look like a completely different team. Derek brings a lot to the table offensively. Um, defensively as well. He’s only keep getting better. He’s getting stronger, especially the injury. Um, his legs been getting stronger, arms been getting stronger, and he basically just been doing everything he can to get himself back to where he was before he got injured. And I mean, he gonna be a huge piece for us. He gonna bring a lot to the table as well. Before drafted you, did you know anything about Joe Dumar, the player? Uh, yeah, man. Dumar was a dog. He was going to go out there and compete and he wanted to guard everybody’s best player. Jeremy, what the conversations been like with Willie in terms of maybe your role this season? What he expects from you? Man, he’s been telling me basically just kind of keep doing what you doing. Uh, you got to be willing to learn. um continue to take coaching and basically you got to help kind of lead the team especially from the point guard position and that’s one of the things he was uh constantly preaching me continue to be vocal whether they older or not just continue to be vocal and try to put everybody in the right position especially on the offensive end and got to go out there and guard that experience in summer league what did you come away from saying all right this is what I need to improve going really just um going out there and like coach Willie was saying continue to be vocal Um, I think I was vocal but not vocal enough. So, continue to be vocal. Um, lead my team and basically win win win more games. I I was really disappointed in myself. We ain’t win no games. So, are you someone that reads into social media and like expectations and every all the outside noise? Nah. Um, I don’t really pay attention to it cuz like I said, everybody got their own opinion. Everybody going to have something to say. So just continuing to focus on your game and continue to get better every single day. Something that’s going to help you in the long run rather than worry about what somebody got to say about you. Did you like the guys you grew up with that are also 18? Like what are they doing and what they think about what you’re doing, man? Um they they kind of doing they they’re doing their thing. Some of my guys is playing football. Some of my guys is in college and um trying to basically get to this get to this stage and get to this point. So, um I’m going continue to root them on and I mean I talk to them a lot like they happy for me. They’re excited and they wish me nothing but the best and I wish them nothing but the best as well. Jeremiah, you um you you mentioned Steph Curry as your favorite player was your favorite player. Now you’re in the league. Um but I did want to I you know you one of your teammates Trey Murphy um has a shot. He’ll shoot from the logo and does it. He’s got the green light. It’s very obvious. He’s not afraid to take those deep threes. You’re a great three-point shooter, too. Do you feel like you should have the green green light already to take those three-point shots or do you feel like you got to earn them? What would you have to do to have coach Willie Green be like, “Yeah, take that whenever you want.” Um, definitely go out there and earn it. Um, continue to do what you do. Continue to go out there, compete, and basically you got to earn the coach’s trust. U, especially being a rookie. Go out there, um, be vocal and show coach basically what you capable of. If you don’t show him what you’re capable of, he’s not just gonna give you the green light because they drafted you really high. So, go out there. I’mma show him what I can do and show him what I’m capable of. You mentioned the opportunity that you’ve had recently to kind of get up and down in scrimmage. Y um as a point guard, what has what have been your impression so far of just the talent that this this roster has? Man, very versatile. Uh we got some bigs, we got some really big wings that we can go to. U we got from the guard position, we got some really good guards. We got Pool, we got Dejante, Jose from the wing position. We got Herb, we got Trey, we got MV, I mean, we got um Peavey, we just we got a really good team. Um and I mean, it we got a lot of different pieces that you can kind of put together and it’ll bring a lot to the table. And the biggest thing for us is going to be going out there competing. Whether we go down 10 or go down 15, you got to compete to say zero on the clock. Jeremiah, are you are you ready to be a rookie in terms of teammates giving you certain things you got to do towards and stuff like that? Has that already started? Man, it already started. Uh it’s my first day. Um came early. I was just chilling and Trey was like, “Man, you ain’t got nothing to do. Get us some donuts.” I’m like, “Man, okay, I got you.” Uh end up getting getting the guys some donuts. But I mean, it’s everybody had to go through it. So, I mean, it’s one of those things where you just got to go through it and you got to get through it. Nickname? Not yet. Uh I’m pretty sure it’ll come uh later on in the season, but as of right now, no. What do you expect from experience getting to go to Australia? Man, it’s going to be dope. Um end of the day, we still got two games out there, so we going out there on a business trip and then hopefully after we get done, um maybe go out to a team dinner or something, have a little fun afterwards. But um we got two big games out there and got to come away with the win. You talked about wanting to improve in the pick and roll at Oklahoma. You got downhill a lot. you operate the in between area to the free throw line. At this level, the defenders are going to be a little bit bigger, faster. Uh the coverages might be a little more dialed in. So, what’s it going to take for you to succeed um at this level to pick a room? Uh keep watching film. I say that’s the biggest thing. Continue to watch film and continue to learn your angles, certain angles and certain positions you could put yourself in to attack and to succeed as well. Joe said yesterday about he was giving everybody in the building an NFL hat for their favorite NFL team. Did you get one? No, I didn’t. Uh they did ask me that question. I told him I’m not a big big um he he was asking about the Bears. I told him I don’t really like the Bears and he’s kind of asking who’s your team. I was like, man, it’s it’s kind of hard cuz I don’t want to be a bandwagon. So I was like, I’m more of a a person’s type of player. I told him I like Jayen Daniels, Ken Ward, um Travis, Michael Parsons, like guys like that. So, you always wear a headband when you play? I um I started in I started in middle school and I’ve been wearing it ever since. But before that, I didn’t. Did you put it on that way on purpose upside down on purpose? Y What’s the meaning behind that, man? Um, we was wearing the Jordan logo and I did it one time on accident. Like it was a practice and I put it upside down and I was just out there playing and I was I was doing my thing. They was like, “Bro, your head upside down.” And then I took it off and then it was upside down and I’m like, “That’s crazy.” And then ever since I’ve been wearing it like that. So air head that guy just flip it upside down. Jeremiah, you um, you know, you mentioned the Steph Curry thing again. I when you’re g there’s gonna be points this season where you’re going to be on the court y at the same time with Kevin Durant or LeBron James or some of these guys. Is there any I mean you could be honest. Is there any nerves at all when you’re going to be sitting with those guys that you probably watched when you were a kid? Um nah not nerves. I would say it’ll be a little excitement. Um definitely cuz you might be standing right next to him like that’s LeBron. But at the same time you still got to go out there and compete cuz you try to be too friendly. He going to go out there, he going to post you up, he might try to dunk on you and he going to talk, he going to talk his trash. So you got to go out there and you got to do what you got to do. At the end of the day, you got to compete. Last question. Thank you. What’s up everybody? What’s up? Is this on? Y’all can hear me or do I have to talk really loud? Violet. All right, cool. Um, it was around draft day. I just got a call from my agent. I had a little bit of a feeling that moves were going to be made in the summertime. Um I just felt like there were a lot of teams making trades. Um I think a lot of teams gearing up for the next couple seasons. Um but I got a call in the summertime told me I was going to New Orleans, talked to Troy Weaver, talked to Joe Dumar’s um not too long after and just kind of chopped it up. I was with Troy in DC a little bit so um very familiar. for two hours. Who did Trey? Yeah. Yeah. About what? What’s that relationship been like? Uh it’s cool. I’ve known Trey for a little bit. Um we had a couple mutual friends, so I just kind of run into him, hung out a little bit the last uh few years in the summertime, but uh you match up with these guys. You see them on the scouting report and you know how skilled and how talented they are. and um you know hanging out a little bit in the summer, off seasonason, summer league, just trying to you know gain chemistry, understand the people in the locker room. So uh we had a really good group of guys. Um and it’s been fun knowing everybody. A lot of people got to know you as a young guy on that championship warriors team and you had to step into a different role with the Wizards. How did that experience kind of change you having to be more of a leader, more guy with the Yeah, it was it was dope. It was a cool experience because there were things that I learned that I wouldn’t say that I would have been able to learn my first four years. Um, which is just really cool to incorporate just into your career. Um, now I’m able to incorporate what it feels like to be um on a the tougher end of it when it comes to winning and losing, how to experience that. um to go through the highs, the lows of a season, especially playing with a lot of younger guys, um a lot of younger rookies, and obviously my first four years playing with a lot of vets. Um a lot of guys are experienced, played at the highest level. So, incorporating all that knowledge and coming over to a team where we want to win. We want to, you know, be competitive. We want to make the playoffs. Um same thing all the way through the locker room with the coaching staff in the front office. So, uh it’ll be good to kind of incorporate that. Got some veteran guys, uh who are coming to help us, but I think we’re excited. a lot of a lot of fire in the locker room. Um and just kind of can’t wait to get forward to, you know, starting the season. What do you feel like you can bring to this? I mean, a ton a bunch. Um obviously my offensive skill set, being able to create for my teammates, being able to score the ball, being able to play make um you know, make life on the court easier for my teammates. Um bringing a winners mentality. I’ve won my entire life. Obviously, the last two years were um more of a learning curve experience, but um playing at the highest level is some things that you you don’t get to learn very often. Playing with some Hall of Fame guys, you take a lot in. I asked a lot of questions. So, um being being locked in, being focused, how to be a professional, you know, it’s not only myself who also knows these things, but there are other guys in the locker room that we’re bringing over because we have such a young team, too. um to kind of incorporate that kind of set the standards in the locker room. You know, we want to be a winning environment, winning culture. So, that starts with, you know, everyday work and then the small things, the details, the recovery, the getting the extra shots to film. Um you know, those are things that make you uh really good in this league and uh it becomes a habit and it’s not just like a you know, pick and choose type of time type of thing. What made the early impression of just the city of New Orleans? Um I don’t leave the house much. It’s hot. Definitely hot outside. Um, but it’s cool. It’s cool. My mom was out here for a little bit. She did a lot more exploring than I did. And um, I think something that stood out to me was just how like welcoming the people are. Um, so I I played in California and I played in DC. And both of those places are where people come and they move to these areas, to these cities. So you’re not getting um, the actual locals, which is different in New Orleans. The people who are here are from New Orleans. Um, which is dope because they want you to experience the good or the better parts of the city or the best restaurants or um, you know, they want to have positive outlook and positive outcome. So, it’s it’s been dope. It’s been dope. But, it’s definitely hot for for sure. No, you good. Everybody been talking about your work ethic. You were working out this morning just before like coming here. Uh, what was your daily regimen kind of look like in terms of workouts? How many times you work out a day? All that Yeah, I can’t get y’all the goods too early. I can’t I can’t do it uh give it all away, but uh try to just get in the in the gym as much as possible. Obviously, when the season picks up, it’s a long season. You got to tailor it to the minutes that you play or how the body feels or if you got back to backs, but um there’s always an opportunity to get better, whether that’s on the court, whether it’s in the weight room, whether it’s watching film, um whether it’s walking through plays with a coach. So, um it’s just kind of the way I’ve always been. I love the game. I’ve been obsessed with the game and um when you play at the highest level, it becomes a game of inches and then in those inches are the details. So um those are things that you need to focus on and it’s not just a one or two or three week thing. This is a allseason thing. This is a career thing. So you know over the course of time when you put in so much work uh results will start to show. How was working like with Zion? Uh working with Zion? Yeah, we worked a little bit. I mean it’s still it was still offseason. um team gets together, we’ll be in training camp, you know, starting tomorrow. So, I think a lot of guys will be um more in tune, locking in, doing a lot more, you know, group work. Uh if that’s the case, still coming off summer, you let a lot of guys do their own thing. Um focus on what they feel like they need to get better at for the season. But as as the season starts, I think we’ll be doing a lot more. um spending time together, working through some things, seeing how he likes to play, um how I like to play, but that’s also along with everybody else on the team. Again, Zion. Yeah. I mean, I’ve been going against him for six years. We were in the same draft class, so you just see what it what it’s like being on the other side of the scouting report. Obviously, he just you need so much he he creates so much gravity. You need to bring a double. Um, but I think something that has been new that I’ve been able to experience with him is he’s such a good passer and he gets off the ball and he knows how to play the right way. So, um, being able to put some spacing around him, um, allow him to operate, allow him to work, clear out that paint a little bit. Um, but also knowing that he has shooters and guys who can make plays for him on the opposite opposite side of him or on the perimeter, it’ll uh, it’ll be cool. Joe Dumar’s talked about uh, character and chemistry. You’ve had success at the highest level. Did you see anything in this group that kind of tells you this could be a special group? Yeah, definitely. Um, you don’t want to have to force or, you know, like go out of your way to push guys to want to be to be better. We got a lot of guys in this in the locker room who are naturally motivated who who want to come in early. There was a conversation we had where like so I was coming to the gym at 7:00 or 7:30 and then I look over at Herb and Herb was like, “All right, I’ll be here at 7:00.” I’m like, “All right, Herb, now I got to come 6:45.” And then Herb like, “Well, I got I got to come in 6:30.” So, we got guys who uh just love the game, but are also competitive, which is uh extremely extremely important at the highest level. And uh that’s everybody in there. So, I think that is a formula for success for sure. um jumping into a leadership role. What does that say about your game and your experience? I mean, I just played at the highest level and I think it’s something that you can’t take for granted. I think everybody in the locker room wants to win at the highest level, win a championship, uh playing in the NBA. Um and there’s a thing that’s like there’s age experience, uh but then there’s like NBA experience. You know, when you play 120 games in a season or you go to the playoffs and you know what it feels like to lose a game one and then what you need to do going into game two or how important it is to go in a three-game winning streak to go into um a backtoback on the road against the number two team in the league right now. So, uh, when you break things down like that, how important it is, especially when we want to win games and be in the playoffs, um, how important the details are and there’s any way that I can kind of just share that with the guys because I know we all want to win. We all want to get to the playoffs. And Lon also and DeJonte played, you know, in San Antonio with an elite staff, coaching staff. So, um, a lot of it is in the details and, you know, if there’s anything that I can do to kind of elevate our team with just some of my experience and, uh, the level that I’ve played at, I’ll definitely try to do so. How you supposed to excited about back team? Oh, I’m super excited. I’m super excited, man. I haven’t had a good spring in two years, so it’ll be uh it’ll be it’ll be dope. just, you know, playing with somebody who’s won a championship. Obviously, you go through a um a long season and you just build the relationship, but in terms of just basketball chemistry, um for me personally, it’s it’s a really big pickup just for how I play, but I think it’s huge for our team, too. For young guys, for DQ, for uh for me, for opening up the floor for guys like Trey and Hawk and Herb and um just our experience, man. We got a really good group and I think Troy and Joe did a good job of uh you know putting his unit together. Troy, can you give some insight in Van Looney since you’ve known him for so long and you guys are good friends? Yeah. What you want to know? Just what type of person he is, how you know he does his work, his approach, just things that you know that we’re not privy to. Um he is probably the most professional player person that I’ve been around my seven years in the league. just his approach, how he takes care of his recovery, how he is on time, how he is attentive when it comes to film, how he asks questions, how he’s actively trying to, you know, put information on some of the young guys if it’ll benefit their learning curve, right? These are things that you don’t have to explain. He just naturally wants to give and um you need the foundation. He’s extremely mellow. Um, even kill. So, through the highs of his season, through the lows of his season, um, for the younger guys or guys who are struggling trying to figure it out, you can go to a guy like Loom because he’s so grounded. Um, and he’s so centered that it gives you more of a calming aspect and he’ll talk you through things and that’s what you need, especially in our back line. uh being our big man, being our center. Um you want to be comfortable going out there with guys you know you can trust and um are locked in on the court and off the court and he uh he definitely he just kind of you know visualizes that and he makes it pretty uh pretty clear for not only himself but for everybody else around him. Play on and off the ball a lot. Just how comfortable do you feel at least heading into the season while DeJonte is still rehab and kind of taking on that primary table role so to speak? Uh yeah, I mean I’ve been I’ve been primary primary ball handler for pretty much all of my career except I think for my first year in DC and that was just the first half of the season. Um but it’s a strength of mine because like to get out in transition. Um I feel like I’m extremely extremely dangerous when I can get out before the defense is set, being able to space the floor, being able to get to the basket, but also playmaking for my guys, trying to put them in situations to be successful, easy situations for a drive and kick. um knowing when guys need touches, but also being able to play off the ball when you got somebody who has gravity like, you know, Zion or somebody who can get hot like Trey. Um you want to be able to give these guys driving lanes in space and also play off the ball, come off screens. Um back door cuts, but also using my strength as a screener, which I learned pretty early on in my career because, um it creates confusion. It creates confusion not only for, you know, the defense, but puts you in a situation to, you know, have multiple actions. um don’t have to be so ball dominant in order to affect the game or have an impact on the game. So um I learned how to play a couple different ways in my career and um you know primary on ball is definitely where I am but I don’t mind um spacing the floor getting out in transition you know being an offball player because I like to just make the right play and put my teammates in situations to uh to be successful. George, you have um you have a couple of guys I mean Zion obviously and you meet these guys who can catch lobs. Yeah, fans love that kind of thing. Yeah, you’re an expressive player yourself. Flashy, you take a lot of fun shots and when they go in a lot of fun shots. I like it. Uh so how how what does it take to build is that something is important? How do you build a chemistry to set up those kinds of passes, those kinds of lobs? How hard is that to build that chemistry or is it easy? Yeah. Um I mean I’m not going to say it’s easy, but it comes with time, comes with communication. Um, it comes with as a guard, as a point guard, knowing your players, knowing your teammates, what they like what they don’t like. So, for example, I was playing with one of the bigs yesterday or a couple days ago, and they prefer over the top pass as opposed to a pocket pass in a in a ball screen. So, small things like that could obviously determine how you play with or um, you know, without some of the teammates and the players. But, it comes with time, it comes with chemistry, it comes with reps. Um, definitely something I like to talk through. Uh, but it makes it a lot easier being able to play with a live threat. Um, knowing that I’m such a shooter. So, when we get into these ball screens, if the bigs drop, I mean, obviously I let it fly, but then if he comes up, we got guys who can just, you know, go get it at the rim, which will be a little bit new for my career, but um, exciting. Exciting to look forward to for sure. Your relationship with Trey, have y’all had any shooting competitions? Only from half court. Only from half court. I’m saving it for training camp. But yeah, everybody want to challenge me to these three-point competitions and I told him, “Give me some time, bro. Let let practice start a little bit.” So, I’m sure once we get going, it’ll probably be a lot of shooting conversations after uh practice. Talk about conversations he had with you post acquisition about your excitement level about moving to New Orleans, about how you already allin kind of what excites you the most about your situation here in New Orleans? Just winning, winning, getting to the playoffs. Um, I think once you experience that, once you experience playing at the high at the highest level, it’s a it’s a feeling that you want to replicate again. Um, and kind of like he mentioned, I’m I’m definitely more of an expressive player and I like when the crowd is involved because it matters so much. You got 41 games at home and if you could handle your business um, at the crib and take care of your home your home court, it kind of sets you up for success for the backside of of the season. And um I’m just ready to be, you know, be invested with the team, invested with the with the community, with the with the crowd. Um bring the right energy, bring positive energy, just have fun hooping again. You know, the last two years for me were a bit more challenging. We weren’t able to win as um much as I’d like, but we’re coming into a situation with a new front office where that is the goal. That is the expectation. with everybody on the same uh same page. It’ll just be fun to go out there and compete every night against a really tough Western Conference and um you know try to go win some games. You think it would be maybe wrong or unfair for people to view this franchise through the lens of its recent past? Yeah, I mean if you think about it is really recency bias. I feel like that’s something that’s pretty like a common denominator uh you know in our society now. It’s been a bunch of a bunch of regime changes, too. So, it takes time when you get a new front office um to lay down the foundation, lay down the the groundwork, but I mean, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. So, um I was a Bucks fan. We just got good growing up. We was weak. We was weak. They got buildings downtown now. Like, they doing a bunch of stuff. So, it just take time. Uh take the right group. to take the right um you know right chemistry, right situation. So uh I think everybody in the in the organization locker room are going to try their best to um expedite that learning curve, that learning process as best as we can and um obviously try to equate it to some wins. Early impressions of Peters and the type of play. Yeah. Um Jeremiah got game for sure just you know watching him, being on the court with him. Um he loves the game. He’s another Midwest kid. He’s from Illinois, which is not too far. So, um, extremely impressed. I mean, my thing for the younger guys is try to get them to ask as many questions as possible throughout the duration of their first year. Um, because it’s just so new and it’s so much that they have to learn. Um, and just asking those questions, whether it’s to me, whether it’s to coaches staff, or it’s to the bigs. Um, it’ll just make their process a little bit easier. Um, I’m really excited just to get to work with him, you know, just kind of see where his head is, pick his pick his brain a little bit, you know, try to teach him some of the nuances, um, that I wish I could have used as a rookie. So, uh, we’re in a really good situation. We got a lot of really good young guys, too. So, I’m definitely looking forward to it. Thank you. Yep. How are you feeling going into the season? What’s kind of been the focus over the summer? Uh, I’m feeling really good going into the season. Um the focus in this this past summer was, you know, build a relationship with Joe and Troy and just stay locked in on the game. Watch a lot of film and I’ve been working with Teespoon a lot this past summer. Joe’s talked a lot about wanting to spend time with you, getting that relationship. What’s that been like? I like Joe. What what you see is what you get. Uh he’s going to hold me accountable and you know, as he holds me accountable, he’s going to give me a lot of responsibilities as well, which I’m excited for and I look forward to. Uh, and you know, I know I know he’s going to hold me to a really high standard and if I slip up or anything, I know he’s going to be right there to make sure I’m get right back on path. How much do you kind of embrace that responsibility like the chance to to be that be? I love it. I can’t even lie to you. I love it. Uh, like I said, me, Joe, Troy, we uh we sat down and, you know, we had some man-to-man conversations. Um, you know, they they embraced me. Uh, and I just told him, “No, I’m not going to let y’all down. You know, if they believe in me that much, it was it helped a lot. It helped a lot that they really believed in me. Like I said, man-to-man conversations. They’re going to hold me accountable, but with that accountability, they’re they’re giving me a lot of responsibilities, and I’m I’m here for it. I know you’re like a student of the game, and you know, a historian of the game, I guess. What uh how much does it help just knowing Jos and his his his resume? Uh I’ve had some moments where I was, you know, I’d be sitting with him and I’m like, man, this is Joe Dorce. like this dude was an NBA champion, finals MVP and stuff like that. I’m like, this dude was a part of the bad boys. And I have to lock back in conversation like, “Okay, let me see let me see what he’s saying.” Uh, but it’s uh it’s dope. Uh because I know he sees the game uh in a way and how I was trained in the game. Like how I was trained was kind of their era of basketball. So, I know we kind of see the game in similar ways a lot. Joe said that he talked to you about the difference between talent and greatness. What does that mean to you? Talent uh I is more of a natural thing like you can look at somebody and go, “Okay, they’re really talented.” Greatness is every day. Greatness is when you don’t want to do it, when you want to do it. If you’re facing crazy adversity, good, bad, no matter what’s going on, greatness, you do it every day. You show up every day and you make it happen every day. Oh, Zion, there’s been a lot of changes in the organization since you got here, including head coach the first few years, but this is your fifth year now working with Willie. How big is that continuity and that familiarity with your head coach? Uh, it helps. It definitely helps a lot. Uh, you know, five years is a long time. You know, me and Coach Green, we’ve had a lot of great conversations. Me and him have definitely like locked in on and off the court. And, you know, he he can talk to me. He can talk to me and I can talk to him. uh we have that relationship to where you know if he sees something and maybe I see something else that I can be vocal on it and you know vice versa. You mentioned them giving you a lot of responsibilities and that’s something you want you kind of envision those responsibilities being whatever they needed to be whatever the team needed to be whatever my team needs that’s that’s what I’ll do. You um you mentioned the importance of them believing in you. Would could you reflect a little bit on what it is about the last six years that made you wonder or need to hear that they believed in you? Uh the past is going to stay in the past and I’m only looking forward to the future. That’s all I have to say on that. You’ve had Zion, you’ve had some you’ve played with some veterans and some really great players. I mean, Brandon Ingram is not here anymore. CJ was uh obviously u you know, call it an adult in the room or super veteran, Mr. President, whatever. Uh a guy who could really don’t guess that, you know what I’m saying? and my daughter with those guys with those guys not here and you have these two new rookies and guys like Trey who are obviously coming along. Do you feel any pressure to be more of that vocal leader to rally the troops when you guys are down uh to not just do it with your ball with your play but also with on the on the sideline? Uh not at all. I don’t feel any pressure uh you know to take on that role. And I have to thank the guys you name, you know, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCullum, Larry Nance, and just other vets that I had as I’ve been on my NBA journey, you know, and especially CJ. I got to give CJ a big shot on that. You know, CJ really put me on game to a lot of things, you know, watching how he carried himself, how he moved when he spoke and stuff like that. Uh, he really put me on game to a lot of things. So, I feel like there’s going to be no pressure on making that transition. to that point. Um, y’all have added some veterans uh this summer like P, like Looney who have championship experience. Like, how much do you feel like adding some of that veteran presence can help this team this year? It helps a lot. I mean, those dudes won a championship. That’s what we all strive for. So, they not only won the championship, but they went through the journey, went through the playoffs. they they felt the energy and they they lived it. Uh so that type of experience uh you just can’t get anywhere. Trey mentioned that uh a lot of rookies coming in, they’re kind of quiet. They’re kind of feeling things out before they are vocal, but he mentioned that with the two uh lottery picks, they aren’t. Oh, yeah. I’m about to say who you ain’t talking about our rookies. What’s your imp what’s been your impression of them, you know, either on or off the court so far? Man, I like those dudes, man. They’re uh they each got their own personality. Uh, and they’re not they’re not quiet. They’re vocal, but they’re not they’re not an arrogant vocal. They’re they want to learn. They want to work. And I can’t wait for the world to really, you know, get introduced to them like as a Pelican. you mentioned um the the two the two guys that had played in Golden State that won championships as far as their experience and maybe some of the intangibles. Um but on the court, what do you look forward to about playing with, you know, Jordan Pool and Kavana? Uh I’ll start with Lon. Uh you know, Iron Man kind of guy. uh you know he how he gets rebounds is not just luck or something like he you can tell he strategically plans everything out defensively and offensively and he’s one of those guys that I’m definitely going to look to a lot whenever I’m looking for those small things to get the edge over somebody. Uh especially with footwork. Uh, I think P kind of speaks for himself. Like I think our chemistry, especially in transition, want and wanting to play fast. I I think we’re going to have like a lot of exciting moments and that’s not even including Trey Murphy in that Z. There’s not a lot of flattering talk by experts, by people that have watched with how this team’s been built by Joe and Troy over this summer. And for instance, Trey said that he’s keeping a whole photo album dedicated to all the bad comments on his phone. So, how are you viewing all that’s being said about this team? And how do you feel about the composition of this team? I love the composition of this team. Uh there was a time where I felt like Trey where I kept tabs on it, kept notes on it. Uh but no, that’s uh in the past for me. how I feel on it now. However, whatever you said at that certain time, when the time comes when we are in a certain position, you just got to stay over there. There’s no coming over here, don’t want validation. You you don’t even have to waste your time and say, “Oh, them them guys really did it. I I don’t care.” Just you just got to stay over there. Bad boys. That’s a bad boy mentality. You know that, right? That’s that’s what we’re talking about here. Uh it can be or not. Don’t really care. Just got to stay over there. Seeing the jump last year, how much are you kind of looking forward to stepping into that role full time this year? Uh I’m excited. I’m excited. Uh cuz I’ve seen him. I’ve seen the work he’s put in. I’ve seen the jumps he’s made. And this is going to be a really big year for Trey. What have the scrimmages been like so far? I know that Joe talked about how you guys been getting after it last couple weeks in the gym. What have you seen? Uh you can tell with the energy uh that Joe has brought in the building that you’re going to have to get after it. Nobody’s nobody’s going for none of that soft stuff. You going to have to get after it. And as you said, uh, kind of that bad boy mentality that we not out here about to be crying to the refs or anything. You just just do it. You just literally got to do it. Uh, do you have any personal goals that you written down on just, you know, what you want to get accomplished? Uh, yeah, I have some goals. Uh but those I those I keep to myself so when that time does come I know how to celebrate it. You had a couple players say about you know what kind of great shape you were in he appreciate your body. Do you do anything different this year than you’ve in the past? Uh I gota I got to give that praise to Daniel B uh trainer with the PLS last year while I was rehabbing my hamstring. Me and him sat down and we had a conversation. We were He was just like, “Z, we need to figure this out.” Like, “When you come back from rehab, we want you to be better than before it happened. XYZ, what are some things you you like to do? How can we make the workouts in a way to where you’re having fun and you’re really enjoying it?” Boom, boom, boom. And we came up with a plan. and from boxing to working out on the football field a lot to just different random workouts. Uh, and during that time frame last year, I really felt a a shift in my body to where I would look at him and go, “Dude, it feels good to feel good. I haven’t felt like this since college, high school, just where I can walk in the gym and I’m like, it just I feel good. spent a lot of time. You spent a lot of time working with school you mentioned this summer. Um one what was it like just like getting back together working with her and two uh what areas of your game did you guys focus on? Um that’s my big sister. So it was one it was an honor working with her and still working with her just cuz she’s a Hall of Famer. like that’s my big sister, but I know who she is in the basketball world. And we put a lot of emphasis on, you know, working in tight spaces. Uh cuz usually when I’m attacking the basket or something, the lane’s clogged and what reads to make, what shots to take, how to make the game easier on myself. We always ask some music questions to you. So, what are you listening to getting ready for the season, man? Come on. Y’all know I got Jay, know I got Big, and I’ve been throwing in some some different mixes. Uh, Little Herb G Herbo, uh, ETSG, Young Boy, uh, Larry Jones. I’ve had I feel like I’ve had a a variety. I definitely feel like I’ve had a variety. When you say he wants you to be a guy to speak for the team when the when things aren’t going too well, how do you process that or how did you take that? That’s what come with it. If I’m if I’m going to be the leader, that’s what come with it. So, it was pretty easy to process. You talked about him back. He talked about um you seeing the game the same way as Joe training as how he played as well. With his presence around, have you tapped into that a little more lately? Uh yes, man. I’ve I’ve tapped I’ve definitely tapped in, but uh you got to pick and choose. You got to pick and choose with Joe. uh you can you can tell when he’s in that zone whereas he’s in the gym, but I don’t think I don’t think you should approach him right now. Uh but I will say whenever you have any questions about basketball, stuff like that, he’s always more more than willing and more than excited to share his experience with you. You talk about uh to to hold you accountable, to push you in certain situations. Do you think that’s something that you enjoy that you kind of want from people in those positions to really push you hard to ask a lot of you? I do. I I think that’s just something internally with me. Uh I feel like I naturally respond better that way. Uh you know, it helps keep me sharp. Thanks, bro. So, I know y’all got like two questions for me. Come on. Let’s go. Kind of summer like you getting ready for the season. I mean, you know, my me personally, my summer obviously went well. You know, I just got, you know, play basketball, getting better, get my body right, get in the weight room more, just try to stay as healthy as I can. Um, that’s one of my goals is, you know, play a lot of a lot of games this year and um or at least stay healthy for all of them. So, that’s main thing, my goal. And then the team I think uh I think we got a good mix, you know, of a lot of players with different talent that’s going to be on the court and it’s going to be great. It’s going to be great for everybody. We saw you guys the hard fall. How you feeling? I’m great. You know, obviously it was scary scary for me and um being in another country getting hurt that bad. It was probably not the best feeling either at that point either. So um but when I got back, everybody took care of me. Um it was a it was a good process of it but it went well and I’m back to normal now. What’s the biggest difference that you’ve noticed with uh Dumar’s uh now um leading the front? It’s no gray areas straight up. You going to tell you what it is tell you you need to beat around the bush. Um that’s one thing you um around with him at least is really well. Um, it’s no gray areas like I said and that’s something you want as a basketball player, you know, you want to know what it is and you don’t need to be overthinking something, you know. So, that’s something I think he really does really well. With Joe joining the joining the team, um, obviously I’m sure you’ve been heard about the bad boys. We’ve mentioned the bad boys, the Detroit Pistons, their era when Joe Demar was winning finals MVP. You know, they were they were agitators. They didn’t hide from that. They didn’t mind people disliking them. The way they played was aggressive and it was a lot of if I don’t win the game, I’m going to win the fight type of mentality. You You’re a fan favorite for a reason. You fight, you play hard, you get the steals, you consider yourself and you want to try to mimic some of that bad boy energy kind of, you know, you and Naja used to do it all the time and I I used to love when y’all come in. So, yeah. Um, I got Joe here, so why not? You know, he’s he’s the he’s the one that started all that bad boy stuff over there. So, I mean, I’m going just be myself, you I’mma continue being um try to bring everybody along with me with that. But yeah, I’mma be I ain’t going to say a bad boy, but I’m going be aggressive and be Jose and um you know try to uh d uh mess up the game as much as I can at least for the opponents. Trey kind of mention uh how different it feels now that they kind of looked at as vets and they got the voices for some of the younger guys. Are you starting to feel that way now? I mean, yeah. Yeah, it’s cool. But, you know, I think just it’s a good field. a mixture of both, you know. Um, uh, we got actually this these guys that’s coming in obviously, you know, the rookie class they good like like they going to have a they going to be f they like they got guys like us to, you know, hold them down, but they going they going to carry the stuff very well, too. So, yeah. I mean, Avette here, I guess. Yeah. Jeremiah competitive. He got y’all going to love him. Y’all going to love him. The city going to love him. You talking about somebody that’s going to be out there competitive and not scaring nobody, you know. Um, that’s him, you know. I love I love him. I love little bro. He going to be really good for the city. He going to be really good for the program and he got a bright future in front of him. Crazy when you think you realize he’s over 18 years old. Yeah, I know. It’s I told him the other day I was like, “How old are you?” And he just told me 18. I said, “Man, this is crazy.” But you know, it’s crazy that he’s 18. Obviously, his skill level is not 18. His mindset is not 18. It’s like they growing I mean not saying me but or not I’m tight but they he’s growing up fast like he grew up fast and um he he he’s I like him. I I like his game and I like I like his competitiveness though. That’s one thing I going to really care like like about him. Jose, we’ve asked a lot of these young guys what do they think about moving to New Orleans their first time here. You’ve had you’ve been here now. Uh you’ve been here you’ve been an ambassador for the city of New Orleans. You’ve always spoken highly of it. Uh now you’ve had time to reflect. Now, I forget I don’t know what year this is. I can’t keep track, but you’ve been here this whole time. Can you just talk about what New Orleans means to you and because we ask young these young kids what they think and I mean, you know better than anybody. What is this city what has it meant to you? City love, man. New Orleans is about love and, you know, care and culture. If you you fight for them, they’re going to fight back. And that’s one thing I I always say about New Orleans. And um I always felt walking when I came here and still always this is home, you know. I was born in New York, raised in New York, but that’s but New Orleans is my second home. I got to say that cuz uh just off the strength of they embrace who I am as a person and the city uh is is beautiful in the sense of like the culture and everything. So, you know, shout out to Nola, man. They always showing love. What’s kind of the focus for you? Me uh keep my jump shot as much as I can, you know, make open shots. Um be better mentally. um just uh diversing the game, understanding the game well, and then also being a leader. You know, when I’m saying, like I said, I we got fears. You know, he’s going to he’s he’s next up. So, um so uh I want to be as much as a hope for him to grow in his game and other guys and watch me grow and watch myself grow as well. And just be a point guard. You know, I hear a lot of noise. I hear all that, you know, nonsense. Well, we need a point guard. We need a point guard. So, um, that’s where I want to I want to get to point to to have Yaka have your point guard eventually. Fast playoffs and finals, there’s a lot of conversation about picking up guys full court um and defending in the back court. Does it give you like validation that hey, the leagues emphasize the things that you already do or already bring to the table and good at? Yeah, I mean is is it beautiful because that’s something I always been doing and it’s something that you know when you go to the playoffs you get you rec you recognize it more, right? because that’s the only thing this game’s on. So that’s what we got to do. So when we get to the playoffs, so when we get there, it gets back to the same thing. But that’s something the game is growing at and I’m excited about it because it’s just going in where I’m where I’m really good at. Some of this is I guess because of the way that the team finished last year, but like projections and win totals or low and things of that nature. Do you like pay attention to any of that and do you use any of that as motivation? Motivation. I don’t need them. I we don’t need that for motivation. Um but uh we hear I tell everybody we could hear it but don’t listen to it cuz they either going to say when we do good they’re going to say oh we could have saw that and if we do bad they’re going to say we did we told you so. So it’s more like don’t like let’s you could hear it and keep it in back of your mind and sense of that cuz when we when we start doing well and doing good those same people is going to be like oh we could have we saw that we could have oh we that team is pretty decent enough to do that. Like so I I try to tell them not to listen to it. I mean, cool to whatever they want to say, how cush, whatever. But I don’t think the locker room feel like that. I don’t think the front office feel like that. I don’t think nobody in this building feel like that. So, yeah. Last year was obviously a terrible year, but injury-wise, but um we ain’t we ain’t worried about that. We came here to play. We came here to win. You always you always taking advantage of the minutes you’ve been given and um there’s going to be times this season where the starting five maybe they’re just not quite having it the first part of the first quarter. You got these rookies who probably come off the bench and if they come off with you, what how do you get them to understand it’s a tone switch because you’re so good at coming off the bench and switching the tone, bringing up the energy. Yeah. I mean, whatever opportunity, like I said, we going what was pride to me. I’m going to take advantage of it fully and get everybody going. Like you said, you know, some days it’s not going to be the starting five days and you know, we got to bring it in. And like I said, I got good help. You know, I had help my rookie year too, my second year. So, I got good help on the bench with me. So, yeah, we going we going to take advantage of every minutes we can and change the tempo of the game for sure. You’re feisty. You’re feisty and you know, you’re not you embrace the dirty work and stuff. Was there a player that you model your style after? Model my style. Nah, I just looked up to my dad. Me and my dad I work I see him work so hard his whole life still to this day. So, I’m not necessarily a basketball player that modeled me like I modeled my game after. It just I saw somebody that I really love struggle and still work hard every day and continue to grind it out. So that I guess that’s where I get my little grit from and you know my family is most important like most important thing to me. So yeah that’s that’s where I get my my grit from and not really from a player. Good. Appreciate it. How you doing? What’s good, brother? I mean, just what’s it been like going through the process being out as long as you have? How much you looking forward to getting back on the court? Yeah, man. It’s a I’m a big believer in God. If you interview me or anything like that, I’m always going to mention him. I think for me, uh, it’s been a long rehab process. Um, man, it really taught me a lot, man. So, I’m just grateful to be able to have an opportunity to get back on the court, and that’s all I’m just really care about, just getting back on that first game and being able to get that rhythm again. DJ kind of mentioned much of a coincidence that this was the team that you pictured against a couple years ago, now you’re playing for this team. Just just how much does it kind of feel like just kind of Yeah, full circle moment for sure. I think it’s is God ordained. So, um I think it’s going to be positive positivity that comes out of it. What do you know about the Pelicans, your new teammates aside from the ones you played like with Dej I’ve got a chance to learn and know them throughout the summer. Uh they’re great guys, work hard, and uh you know, they’re just like a fun group to be around. I could tell already. Um, and so we have a lot of great personalities and character in the locker room and u I think it’s going to be a great fun season. What were your first impressions of Zion talking to him, watching him as a teammate? He has a great great mind, a hard worker. I think uh I think he brings a lot to the table and you know learning about you know kind of his character, his you know personality and stuff like that. I think uh you know I know a little bit more probably than what the media or you know outside knows and I think it’s just great you know I’m excited to be his teammate. And then historically coach Green has relied on a lot of versatile lineups um you know switching guys who are able to defend multiple positions uh in and out especially when they close games. What kind of conversations have you had about um your role in in in all that and how do you see yourself been there? Yeah, I’ve talked to um you know, Coach Green, you know, a good amount and just I’m a Swiss Army knife, right? So, just being able to be ready for uh whatever the game throws, whatever the game calls for and just be, you know, ready for whatever role can, you know, it could change game by game. Uh situational situation. So, uh like you said, just continue to just rely on my versatility and just just be ready uh for whatever moment. Yeah. How do you feel physically? Are you back to 100%. What do you work on this summer? Yeah, I worked on worked on everything. Um, mind, body, spirit, you know, I think, uh, I feel good. I feel ready for, you know, to play game one. Jonte has spoke a lot about how happy he was to be able to reunite with you, play with you again. What What does it mean to be able to be teammates again and have him vocal on your own? Yeah, he’s my brother for life. I think uh I’m just I’m excited. you know, he taught me a lot cuz he went through the same thing, you know, I did when he was in San Antonio. So, him giving me a lot of pointers on just this recovery process, this rehab process, and um you know, I just I’m just happy and just grateful to be able to share the court with him um you know, whenever he’s ready as well. So, and be there for him like he was there, you know, like he was for me. So, um you know, I just can’t wait. Kind of the toughest part being on the sideline as long as you have. Uh, it’s the longest I’ve ever been without playing a game in my life. So, I think just not playing and feeling like I can help a situation or I can contribute and not being able to do so physically is tough. And just the monotony of the of the grind of rehab every day, not knowing what days you’re going to be better, what days it is going to be, you know, you might feel the same for two weeks straight and but you got to trust that you’re getting better. So, uh, I think, uh, just watching the games from the side and wanting to be a part of it is, uh, you kind of get that FOMO a little bit. What could you tell us about Jordan Bull because you were teammates with him last year. What would be interesting for us to learn about him? Yeah, Jordan’s probably one of the funniest guys I ever met in my life. Uh, naturally though, he doesn’t even try to be. U, and he’s a great great guy. Real godfearing as well. So, uh, we have that similarity. I just feel like he’s he’s just he’s hilarious, man. And he and he’s talented. So, u it’s just it’s a good mix. And you saw him always working uh getting in the gym early cuz he’s kind of built up a reputation for doing that, putting all the work in off the court. Yeah, absolutely. Um you know, his his bubbly character is also, you know, on the other side of like you said, he’s in the gym. Um not you don’t have to ask him to be in the gym. Everyone sees that he’s in there, works hard, and works on his craft, man. So, uh, it’s it’s been a joy to be around. So, how do you enjoy with both of y’all being guys? Well, I’m a s guy. He’s a dematic guy. But I I would say, you know, he, you know, I I know of him and definitely knew, you know, of him growing up, right? I’m a little older, but I know um just, you know, how talented he was being from the same area and uh and followed him followed him throughout college and the league and it’s been great to see you know uh you know his evolution as well throughout the years, you know what I’m saying? What do you say about having to uh you know play against guys like Herb or and Trey and then how much better it will be to be on the same court as them like the same side? Yeah. Yeah. you know, Herb Trey them type guys, you know, versatile, could defend, play both ways. So, we’ve had good amount of battles, you know, against each other throughout, you know, my career. So, being able to play with them, kind of them knowing me, I know them. Uh, it’s going to be good. It’s going to be a good match on the on the floor and however that looks. What do you what do you like to do um on your days off like to get away from basketball? Yeah, that that’s been the problem for me probably for the past like 10 years or whatever. Like everyone says it’s like you got to find another hobby. I It’s hard for me to really find a hobby besides basketball. If I’m not playing, I’m at home watching basketball. So, I’ve been trying to pick up different things like, you know, hopefully I can start, you know, golf or fishing or something, but usually it’s all basketball, you know. So, I got to I got to start finding something else to do. A fisherman. So, Mercation. [Music] How you doing? Good. How are you? Just uh what was it like just you know kind of moving on from go to say you know find a new team and what do you just think about this new situation? Uh it’s been exciting, you know, uh opportunity to do something new, new, uh new journey, a new chapter in my career. Uh know got a group group of guys to play with. Uh playing under Willie and uh you know, playing with Zion, Trey, and you know, JP and Herb. I’m I’m looking forward to it, you know. Know leaving somewhere is always a little bittersweet, but uh to come to a situation like this, I’m just super excited. What do you think you can bring to this? Uh I can bring another level of toughness. you know, definitely rebounding, uh, uh, defense experience, uh, you know, and being just being available all the time. Something I take pride in. Those are the things I kind of, you know, been, uh, stable in my career. I just want to bring that over here, uh, and translate in a new situation. Jordan said he hasn’t had a good streak in two years as able to play with him again and just have be able to pick up where he left off. Uh, I’m super excited. you know, uh, somebody that from my same city, Milwaukee, uh, been following him closely, uh, for us to, you know, play in the league together and win a championship. So, we’ve been in a the most high pressure situation together. So, I’m looking forward to, you know, playing with him again in in a new environment and, uh, and trying to do something special again. A lot of, you know, NBA fans kind of don’t realize the value of stuff like screening or boxing out some of the stuff that you’ve been making as a career out of. How much do you kind of embrace that stuff that doesn’t necessarily get praised a lot, you know, in the media or elsewhere? Uh, I take a lot of pride in that stuff. Uh, you know, um, you know, I do, uh, I take pride in doing all the all the small stuff, all the all the hard work stuff, doing all the the the tough stuff, stuff that don’t always show up in the in the box score. Uh, you know, you know, usually the f the hometown fans might take uh uh appreciation for it. I know my teammates always do. So, uh, you know, I’m looking forward to coming in just make an impact however I can. Uh, if it’s rebounding, screen setting, diving on the floor, uh, scoring, whatever they need me to do, I’m willing to sacrifice and go out there and do it. And I’m just looking forward for the opportunity. Jordan kind of come you always been like that or just kind of being around guys? Uh, a little bit of both. Something that I always been been part of. Kind of something I learned from my my father. You know, he made sure that I was always on time. uh you know he always got up every day of the week and went to work and and came back and he stuck to his routine. That’s something I kind of learned uh is getting a routine and then being being a pro I got to learn from some of the best uh and I kind of they set a standard for me and I kind of followed that and I try to know carry that everywhere I go and I try to do the same thing for younger guys that come after me. So uh I feel like I’ve been doing a good job of that and I want to come here and try to do the same thing. What’s it like being the elder statesman? I know it’s weird to say you’re 29 years old, but you’re the only one with double digits in years experience in the NBA. Yeah, it’s actually crazy. Uh I never been the oldest team, oldest player on the team or not even close. Uh I always had a a real old guys on the team. So uh it’s definitely going to be different, but uh I’m here for it. I’m here to embrace it. Uh uh just don’t call me old. I ain’t old yet. What are your first impressions of Zion? Have you had any talks with him? What do you think of him now that you’ve become teammates with him? Uh he’s been a really cool guy from my my impress with him so far. I got to work out with him a few times and uh and see him see him work, see how dedicated he’s been this summer. Uh got to play with him in some pickup games and just seeing how I mean I already knew how good he was. You know, when I played him in the past, that was my matchup. So I know how much of a headache he is to guard and those different things. But just to see his personality, uh see how how fun loving he is off the court and how fun he is has been pretty cool. I’m looking forward to to even bonding even more and uh and get to be teammates with him. I know consistency and role is something you’re looking forward to uh this season. What kind of conversations have you had with Bill agree on on you know what the expectations are for you? Uh now we talked a little bit about it. You know uh you know training camp is is the time to really you know to see your role. You know you can they can tell you uh how things are going to be but you know you really get the experience in training camp. So, uh, no, it’s opportunity here for me to get get more minutes, get more opportunity, and I’m looking forward to embracing that, uh, leaving my impact on this team, but we definitely talked about a little bit about about role and different things like that and what they expect from me, and they expect me to do what I did in the past and even do a little bit more. So, I’m looking forward to bringing that here, bringing that toughness, bringing that defense uh, and rebounding. Uh, I think I will have a great year this year. Talk to Jordan and we asked him about uh, you know, the the championship caliber, you know, experience and all. Same thing. Joe Dumar expresses chemistry and character in this building championship. Do you see anything here that maybe you have experienced in the past that this could be a unique kind of group? Uh definitely. No, just being here, just seeing the the camaraderie in the locker room. I didn’t know what to expect coming in. Uh and these guys seem to really really like each other. Uh they they communicate really well. Uh have a great energy to them. Uh, and you know, back when at the Golden State in the years we were really good, we always talked about having good basketball energy and having a joy to, you know, coming to work and seeing your teammates. That’s really important because it’s a long year and it’s being here in a short time and seeing guys over the summertime. They they had that already. Uh, hopefully that can translate to things on the court. But, you know, uh, we have a lot of high character guys and a lot of guys that have good basketball IQ and uh, I think that can uh, take his team a long way. you told us that he’s already spent a good amount of time with you and obviously they just drafted Derek Queen. What’s kind of been your message to the young bigs on the team as you’re kind of getting them? Uh just showing them how to work uh showing what it takes to know in night out to what it takes to be a you know anchor to a team on defense uh in this league. Uh know I got to learn from some of the best of them. So just sharing the knowledge that they they they passed on to me. Uh learning how to communicate as a young big uh is probably the biggest thing uh that I know I had to learn and I really been really good at over the last few years. Just being able to talk talk through coverages and different things like that. So and learning how to screen something that I’m I’m really really good at and uh your guards and other teammates appreciate when you’re able to do that for them and end up turning into easy buckets and easy things for you as well. So uh just small things like that uh I’m looking to pass on to them. I’m also looking forward to learning from them and you know they they got a new freshness to the game, a new different approach. So, I’m I’m just looking forward to getting that energy and uh and learning both ways. With Willie and JC on the staff, uh do you feel like it’s going to be a little bit of a quicker transition for you to pick up like there’s not going to be a gap between terminology much from your time with the Warriors and some of the concepts and ideas that they work with. Uh definitely, you know, uh I’ve been in the league a long time. Know the game change, but a lot of teams run the same stuff and kind of have the same terminology. If they do have a different terminology, it’s still kind of the same action. So, uh you know, I take pride of being a smart player. So, I think I’ll be able to pick it up pretty easy and having guys like JC and uh know Coach Green and know Coach Aaron Miles is people that I’ve been been around before and played under. So, uh it’s definitely been an easy transition for me. Uh I’m all coming in feeling already feeling comfortable with everything and uh comfortable with the coaches as well. So it’s been a blessing. Kind of similar to a question you answer already, but what is there a difference in approach or just an overall vibe coming from, you know, the Warriors to a team that won 20 games last year. The national media doesn’t have pick to finish, you know, as a playoff team. What What are your thoughts on that and how do you approach that? Uh my approach is uh it’s definitely a little bit different uh you know different players so you know different group uh guys in different stages of their career so definitely a different approach for me uh but you know it’s the same goal is to win you know uh I feel like I’ve seen this team uh win a lot of games uh you know last year was a rough year and I’ve been in situation where injuries bug hits the team and it was a year in go state we won 15 games and it it was terrible but we able to bounce back and make uh make a run over the next few years after that. So, uh, I feel like we have the talent to be really, really good. Um, I think we just got to go out there and compete and I think we can prove a lot to the media and a lot of people wrong. I think everybody’s going to have a chip on their shoulder. Uh, I can tell these guys are really, really competitive and they’re really everybody’s hungry to to take that next step. Uh, and everybody has is in a point in their career where they really want to prove themselves. And I think when you get that together and with the chemistry that that we have that we can do something special. Uh, it wasn’t that long ago this team was competing for competing for the playoffs. I remember playing them. They beat us in a a big game for for playing and tra like 40 or something crazy. So, I know how good this team can be and how how special this group can be and I’m uh looking forward to be a part of that and hopefully I can help our team reach our potential. What do you know about the the fan base and the city itself here? Uh I mean New Orleans has a rich history. Uh know throughout my time in the NBA I had a a opportunity to play here in the playoffs. Uh so I know how how how loud the fans can get and how how much they love their team. They just want to just show up and be there. uh especially when when guys are really competing and they really embody the the personality of the city. Uh hopefully I can help be part of a you know us winning a lot of games and making a playoff push and I know if we do the right things and we play the right way and uh I know our our fans are going to show up and support and be loud and uh get behind us and I’m looking forward to that and uh it should be really exciting. Based on your interactions with him and also knowing about his history, what can you say about Joe Dumar? Uh he’s been great so far, you know, uh uh getting to know him, his honesty, his uh he’s really really approachable. He he really loves to talk the game of basketball. He really know cares about, you know, uh the players perspective. He’s been on both sides as as a as a player and a a GM. So, he knows how what it takes and he know how it takes to be have a good locker room. He’s been a champion as a as a player and as a GM. So, uh, just getting to learn from him and pick his brain, uh, it’s it’s been really really really cool. Uh, like I said, he know what it takes to build a winning culture. Uh, so I think he’s be putting, uh, the right guys, uh, in situations to to succeed and, uh, it’s been it’s been cool just to learn from and I always heard about him from afar and, uh, you know, watch watch my dad talk about him, his the way he played and what he did on the court. Uh, so to get to really know him and and meet has been really really cool. Why Why New Orleans? Why did why did you want to come here? Like I said, I knew I like I said, I played against this group. Uh I know we got it’s a young team that has a chance to really be really special. Uh I want to be part of a team that, you know, is striving and moving in in a direction where they feel like they can make that jump. Uh you know, sometimes you go to a team it feel like it’s a total rebuild, but I feel like they already had the pieces. You know, they just had to be healthy. And I feel like I can come in and, you know, make an impact uh and be part of a culture that’s know a team that’s making that that next ascension. And uh know seeing the pieces they had. You know, seeing the people they was putting in position of of uh of management kind of drew me to here. Um and a city like New Orleans is is a is a great city. Um you know, every time I came here is always great to play here. The the people, the fan base, and I’m just looking forward to embracing putting myself in the culture. You said uh that you’re not old earlier. I just wanted to know from you directly at what age do you consider? I would say age is probably I played with with reals that was in a 30 35. I played with a couple 40 year olds so I know what what reals look like. Shout out my man Andre Godala. He was like 45 when he was playing with me. So uh I would say about about 35 is is the age you can be considered in the NBA locker room. 34 35 is is the young age in the locker room. Not 29. Obviously, there’s no um no there’s no one like Klay Thompson, but do you feel like you can recreate some of the the chemistry that you maybe had with Clay with with with Trey Murphy here, who’s a also a great student? Uh, for sure. You know, I don’t really like making comparisons or nothing like that. No, they’re they’re different players and uh different stages of their career. Uh, you know, Clay’s one of the greatest shooters to ever play played his game and uh I think Trey has those same as aspirations and he has a chance to be really really good. So, I’m just looking forward to building the chemistry with him. Uh, you know, learning how to play with him. I I haven’t got a lot of time to spend a lot of time on the court with him. Uh, so I’m looking forward just to know picking his brain, seeing how he sees the games, uh, learning his favorite spots. Uh, and being able to, you know, do what I do for him, getting them open. Uh, so I’m I’m looking forward to it and hopefully we can create a great chemistry and, uh, I think, uh, the sky the sky’s is the ceiling for him. He he has a chance to be one of the best players in our league and hopefully I can, you know, have an impact of of of make him reach that that level he wants to. How strange is it going to be not to have Steph just not see? It’s definitely going to be different. Uh, you know, Steph is one of the greatest ever play just to not even just him being around just the hoop that he brings when he he steps into arena, you know, traveling with him, you know, he’s a know he’s a rock star. uh it’s probably gonna be a little bit different but you know um you know I got I learned a lot from him uh being around him so I can carry all the stuff that he taught me and how to be a professional, how to be a pro, how to carry yourself on on the court, how to treat fans, how to treat uh people around uh you know in the organization. I kind of learned from him. He’s he’s one of the best to ever do it. So it’s definitely going to be different. Uh but I’m excited for this new journey and new opportunity. What’s the craz as far as just on the court? I know it’s a lot. It’s a lot. Uh in practice was probably the the time he hit 105 threes in a row in uh in Chicago. That was that was pretty crazy. Uh uh he did so many things. I could pick a a game a week where he probably did something outrageous. But I probably the most thing I probably remember about Steph is our time in in Oakland at Oracle. the third quarters he used to put on and the way that the he had the full control of the crowd. He was like a conductor. He just got everybody going and you know he’d do his little dances and shimmies and turn around threes and and we we’ll be down 10 and by the end of the third we’ll be up 22. So that those those memories in Oracle I probably always remember. How would you break down Herb’s defense? You know, you played alongside Draymond for so many years. Where would you rate Herb among the best defensively in the league? Uh right now I think he’s one of he’s one of the best. Uh definitely, you know, for the for the wing position uh or wing guard position, I would say he’s he’s top three. You know, he’s a guy that uh he can disrupt your whole offense. He gets in the passing lane. He’s on the ball. He’s always a guy that was impossible to screen. Uh so I’m looking forward to being uh on a being a tandem with him, playing pick and roll defense with him. Uh you know, picking his mind about what he sees and how he approaches the defensive end. I had, like I said, I had the honor of of playing with guys like Draymond, Andre. Uh they was some of the best defenders our league had ever seen. I think Herb has the chance to be in that caliber. Uh I think he’s in that caliber. I think to show himself that he’s one of the the best to do it. So uh I’m looking forward to it. Uh I know it’s going to be a lot of fun and I think we can cause a lot of havoc on that end. What was it like seeing some of the reactions from your former teammates uh coaches when it was official that you would leave and it just seemed like they had a lot of respect for what you brought to those championship teams? Uh, no. It was like it was bittersweet, you know, uh, to get that respect and that love from from guys that you went to war with for for so long. And, uh, for them to, you know, like these guys are all time greats. They’re they’re respected. They’re going to probably all a lot of them going to be Hall of Famers. For them to show that level, uh, love and, uh, respect for me. Um, it was definitely cool. Uh, like I said, it definitely bittersweet, but know I’m even more excited looking back to going back and and competing against them guys. I know how how uh competitive they are and uh I kind of learn a lot from them. So, just to go go back there and go against them and hopefully I get a couple wins up on them and I can always hold it over the head. So, I’m looking forward to that. One or two more guys. Steph probably has the most gravity on the court in terms of how he changes the the coverages and like the the spaces available on the court. Zion um is not entirely dissimilar, but it’s on a completely different side of the court, right? Like in the paint. What’s the challenge going to be? um you know for you like working with this new set of spacing. Uh I’m not sure. I’m I don’t think it’s going to be that much of a challenge for me. You know, he draws so much attention. Uh uh he puts so much pressure on the rim. It’s uh kind of changes the way uh it probably change the way I I got to be ready to be on the floor. But I think it make a lot of things easier for me as far as like know offensive rebounding. He put so much pressure. Guys that I got got to try to block a shot. They got to load up. They can’t really worry about me where I’m at on the court. So, uh, the opportunity to cut, uh, know, space the floor, know, get off the rebounds is is going to probably be a lot a little bit easier for me. Uh, you know, Steph was a thing where they always put two on the ball. You’ll be open in the pocket. You had opportunity to make a lot of plays and, uh, playing four on three and different things like that. But, you know, playing with Zion, I probably have a lot more opportunities just to, you know, cut and uh, you know, be spaced out. I’ve been working on on my on my three-point shot and just a lot more offensive rebounds. You know, he puts so much pressure on the rim. Uh, four or five guys got to go uh, collapse on him. that makes my job easier as a rebounder just to go in there and cause havoc. So, I’m looking forward to it and uh you know, learning know definitely going to be different a learning experience just to just cuz I never played with nobody like that before, but I’m looking forward to it and I think it’s going to be something easy for me to adapt to. Thank you. How you doing? What’s been the focus for you during this summer and what you hoping to kind of improve on going into this season? Um, well trying to get healthy, trying to get my body right, get my mind right. Um, I think that was the biggest thing like focus really focuses on my body this this summer. Uh, trying to add weight. um try to stay healthy as long as possible through this 82 game season and um I I was very strategic with that and uh so yeah, that was probably the biggest thing. I say that the back and everything is feeling much better than it was last year. Yeah, 100%. Yeah. Are you fully healed and have you been so for a few months now? Yeah, I’ve been I’ve been healed this whole summer. Honestly, I’ve been playing this all summer. Um haven’t been an issue all summer. Uh so yeah, you and the Pelicans and your agency had any conversations about uh contract extensions, anything like that? Uh as of now, no, not right now. What are your personal goals entering this season? Um just better than last season. Anything better than last season, honestly, to be honest with you. Uh just trying to win some games. Uh play as much as possible. Uh just do anything to help my team win. How how tough was the last season for you just mentally like? It was it was tough. Um I mean uh not being healthy is like like my really first real injury of my of my basketball career honestly. So um it was tough. Um but I learned from it. Um all all you can do is learn from it and then come back stronger. Uh so this year I’m a my third year under my belt. Um so kind of know kind of know what to expect now. So yeah. Jordan, what’s it been like getting to know uh or about Jordan Hawkins or Jordan P? Sorry, I got through with Jordan. Yeah. Um because I know that when you first entered league, you talked often about staff want to model yourself in his practices and Jordan actually played with him for a few years. So, have you had discussions about that and basically assimilate anything you’re doing? Yeah, absolutely. Um it’s definitely picked his brain on like what was like when the championship like uh being with Steph every day, seeing him work every day. So, um, it’s definitely it’s definitely something we’ve been talking about and and even himself, he’s he’s a vet as well, has played in the league, uh, has a championship as well. So, definitely picking his brain as well, see what he does and how I can add it to my game and honestly doing all the guys, all the guys I meet know, no matter where they are, who they in NBA, just trying to pick their brain still still something for everybody. So, I think pretty much every coach you talk to, they’re like, you know, Jordan just doesn’t miss shots in practice. Um, I know you have really high standards for yourself when it comes to to the game. Just what’s the next step for you to kind of like carry that over um, you know, when you’re playing? Uh, be who I know I am, honestly. Uh, just be that guy. I know I am. Uh, two-way guys running around the floor making shots, making plays. Um, so what about Jeremiah and Derek? They’re not your normal rookies. No, not at all. I actually played uh DQ in high school, so I I already know he was he was a talented guy. Um Jeremiah is unbelievable that he’s only 18 years old. Um very advanced for his age. Um ultra quick, like the fastest person I’ve seen with a ball in a while. So yeah, a lot of folks like us on the media side talk about the importance of year three kind of establishing who you are in NBA. Does that kind of does it kind of feel that way for you that this year is going to be a really important year? Absolutely. Yeah, I feel like every year is very important. Every year of my career is going to be very important. Um, just like I said, just be the guy I know who I am. Not going to put too much pressure on myself. Not going to psych myself out of saying like, George, you need to do this, you need to do that. I’m just going to play my best and be who I am. So, did you know uh you know pretty well just from the way I grew up? What do you think this team? Uh, this toughness, Villanova guy, so he’s a winner. Uh, he’s a winner. uh plays the right way, makes shots, 3 and D guy. Uh so what is it like to have or how much does it help to have someone like Angel in the family who’s also playing basketball at a high level? Yeah. Uh I mean it’s pretty cool, but we all knew Angel was going to be special ever since we were young. Uh she was running stuff on the court. Uh telling us where to do, telling the boys where to go, me and her brother. Uh, so we all knew she was going to be special. So, yeah. What’s up? It’s good. It was fun. Think about the way you wanted to. I know. It’s sad. Uh, what’s kind of been a focus uh, you know, as you kind of going through the rehab process trying to get right to first start the season? Uh, conditioning. Um, I mean I’m I I’m very limited right now. Uh, just conditioning, uh, lower body and one hand like form shooting. We were told that you know who Lance Armstrong is now. Yeah. Tell story. Talk about what you can do though and what you’re trying to your goals are to before you can actually like use your hand. Uh my goals are get um like like my lower body stronger, get uh more shape faster. Um get my core right and just and just build like just build muscle memory in my one hand uh form shooting. So when I put my other hand on the ball, it can be cash. Are you trying to run? Yeah, I am. I am. really good basketball. What has Looney and VC uh done to help you? How how have they bene uh I haven’t really spent a lot of time with those guys yet. Uh like like Eve, he was in um Eve was in Cameon. He been here like a week or two, but we um uh we had different times of like training like when we worked out. So, I really haven’t spent a lot of time with him. and uh and Lon uh you know he it’s this like yeah year nine I think eight or nine some something like that for him so he he just came so I haven’t really spent a lot of time yet. Where are you at? Where are you like mentally have to go through what you’re going through? Uh I’m fine now just I’m I’m almost at the end uh hopefully uh a month or a little bit over a month uh that I’ll be ready to play. What was it like at the beginning when it happened? Yeah, it sucks cuz it was like my my first time ever missing games. Um, and like my first ever real hurt. Am I going to can I get uh like how long is the process? Um, how long will it take? Uh, will I be able to play the first game? Just a lot of questions. Are you going to be ready for start season? Uh, I hope so. I don’t I don’t know. I hope so. But what does it feel like just being in the NBA? Uh, I mean, it’s just like I don’t know. I’m just It’s It’s cool. It’s It’s fine. It’s uh just waiting to get out there on the court. I I really don’t have like a a feeling yet cuz uh like I haven’t been around all the guys or been on the on the floor yet. So, you haven’t really had to endure any rookie hazing or anything like that yet? No, not yet. You haven’t been told of your duties? Yeah, I’ve I’ve been told a few. What’s it like just getting familiar with the city and, you know, getting know some of the people here and just get to know your new home? Uh, I actually don’t leave my place a lot, so uh I need to, but I mean everything is like kind of kind of close to where I’m at and stuff. So it’s like uh it’s like it can be a drive or a walk like a a few minute drive or a few minute walk stuff just in and out of places. So really don’t talk to nobody have had my hoodie on just leave just uh go in get food or whatever I I get and just leave right out. I I don’t really make conversation. You said you haven’t really talked to all your teammates yet, but who have you connected to the most since you got drafted? Uh so like I have talked to all my teammates. It was like like in a locker room like we uh like we talk but like it’s it’s just different periods of times where we work out all at but sometimes we all end up in a locker room just talking and stuff. But I feel like uh definitely uh my lock is next to Trey and and both of the rookies is the main people I’ve been talking to really and uh Herb also just like it’s just scattered around a lot but I feel like they they the four like that I see like mostly and talk to mostly from from some of the leagues now. What have you learned both like kind of like working with the people that you’re conditioning with, but also kind of watching maybe some of the vets who’ve been in and out of the building and just the the level of intensity that it takes to succeed at at this level? Yeah. Uh I be telling my uh I’ll be telling Stan, the strength coach, that I’ll be like when I be watching them hoop, like they they just be moving. They just be running up and down the court uh and stuff. So, I’m just just watching while I’m on a bike and uh just trying to like and just trying to get out there and just going to keep up with the pace and and intensity and stuff. Did you feel like you’ve made a lot of progress in your conditioning uh despite not being able to play a lot of basketball? I mean, yeah. I haven’t really been on the court to sprint or or test B. I mean, I’ve did I I’ve done like a uh a few like basketball drills like what bodies out, but I had my brace on uh and of course nobody touched me stuff, but like uh I felt good being out there. Does it What does it feel like for you knowing that you know Dum Mars and Weaver, they wanted you so bad they did trade that next year’s first round pick. just knowing that they valued you so much to be able to uh to make that trade. I mean, yeah. Uh just got we just going to go out there and win this year. Uh hopefully I can have a good rookie season. Um have a good team season. Uh make the playoffs and stuff and just and just turn uh I mean, not necessarily turn the turn the program around or the organization around, but to be better than uh in the past years. was that he talked to you about like conditioning, what you can be doing now. What have your conversations been like with say Willie Green? Uh yeah, Coach Green um he just been he he just asked me what’s what was my concerns. Uh he seen me over there working and um and like not I mean like we had talked briefly. He asked me how my day going and stuff, but not really dissecting yet because um he he do got all all these other guys to to focus on right now. But hopefully we going to get a chance to uh chop it up, talk. How much have you been able to see uh Zion kind of put in with this summer and what do you think about just the way y’all been able to work together on the court? Yeah, Zion are athletic and and uh of course I watched him over the years and hopefully I could throw him throw him a lot of lobs, get them open, set screens for him and stuff just and and and just helping and just helping like just him putting me in good positions and hopefully I can put him in good positions to for us to to work off each other. Like I’m throwing lobs, setting screens and stuff. I mean, he ain’t gonna throw no loud to me, but but him just helped me out. Just be a teacher. A lot of people are excited about your pretend like a modernday big passing, playmaking. Do you watch guys like Shangon or Sabonis? Uh, yeah. Uh, I watch him a little bit and and Joe D always send me like reals about about them. On Instagram like that? No, I I I don’t know. I don’t know what it what it is. I think he I think he haven’t sent me one in a minute, but I think it’s like a I think he screen recorded or somebody sent it to him or something. It appreciate. Gotcha. So, Carla, what’s the summer been like and what’s kind of been the focus for you trying to improve going into this season? Uh, it’s been great. Not going to lie, it’s been really great. Uh, had national team in between. So, it was really good. Uh, probably the best part of the summer for sure. Uh, as always been. I love to play for national team. So, uh, real good. uh the focus on this year probably most of the body and then everything you learn uh around the basketball as it should be always you know so but mostly body I think I worked on the body the most I think this summer and towards the end of last year you were starting to get some steady learn what did you kind of learn from that experience how do you kind of build on that uh I think I get the pace of the game more you know just learn the teammates and then kind of after that it went like smoothly uh I think I told that before even uh but yeah, it was great though. Uh I think learning this NBA basketball kind of uh how it moves, how it goes. Uh I enjoy it. That’s the thing I really learned. Have to enjoy it. And then just trying to keep it more consistent and getting more like uh what’s the word? Uh I want to get more in the rotation, you know? So I really I’m really excited about that thing. So I’m looking forward to that. We have a lot of new places around here now. What’s that like just getting to know all the guys? Oh, it’s been great. Uh, ever since I come in the in the facility this summer, it’s been great. Like people be really positive. Uh, everybody’s talking to each other. Communication has been great. So, it’s really been a good like welcoming, you know, really good, happy place. Have you had a chance to talk to Kavan Looney yet? And if so, what have those conversations? Uh, we we got in a little bit. Uh, definitely a great vet. uh some somebody I want to be around this whole year. Uh he wor with the coach I worked for a little bit, coach Decki. Uh so definitely want to be around him this year for sure. I wonder if your conversations been with Joe Dumar since he got the job here. Has he talked to you about what he expects from you and just what are your impressions? Yeah, it’s been great. Uh he want to like he wants to be a really good teammates like he said. He wants dogs on the court, you know? He wants to people that want to compete and that’s probably the biggest thing he was emphasizing. So it’s been more about that one and a really great guy. Really great guy. Positive guy, chill. So it was nice to meet him too like a legend. So Carlo, I seen you at um your autograph at Sports Dream, you know, just what what are some of your favorite sp parts around the city and things to uh I still didn’t like explore that much. Like I’ve been around some I like to go at the same places most of the times, you know. I like the door state house. I like Austria Loopa, like I said before. Sophia, one of the my like dearest ones. Uh, but Sports Bar was nice. Uh, met the people. It was great. Uh, want to go there a little bit more often. Uh, great comedy shows and stuff. So, I really like that. Enjoyed that. So, uh, I’m like open to exploring more stuff like definitely need recommendations for some things. Definitely. And towards the end of last season, you really started a lot more double big lineups. Usually you four and five. You feel like that’s something that kind of fits your game being able to go back and forth between Yeah, definitely. Uh work that work on that a little bit more this summer too. Uh playing at the four, you know, being out uh definitely a new thing for me. Never played before. I never played the four position ever. Uh like even younger ages never. So it’s new, but I enjoyed it. Some games I had really good games playing the power forward. So I’m looking forward to see like how it’s going to look this year. Uh like to play with two big mans, you know, sometimes. So uh it’s been exciting though. What has uh what have you made of Jordan Pulp, your new teammate? Have you seen him scrimmage or anything? Yeah, we played together. We played together. Great guy, great communications. Uh told me what he wants from me, you know, at the at the scrimmage. It was I really appreciate that, you know, the communication a high level. Helps out like really much. Uh so great guy. I I cannot say no words for him. Like great guy, great communications. Like we were working out together, positive, happy, you know. So like glad to have him on the team. Thank you. Easy, easy. What’s it been like just getting adjusted to NBA life? Uh, learning a new team, all that kind of stuff. Um, it’s been really good. Uh, it’s been fun getting in the gym with all the guys who’ve been here. Um, a lot of the younger guys. Um, so it’s been fun just competing and learning the system. Uh, I think I’ve gotten a lot better. I’ve gotten a lot stronger. So, I can’t wait to to show it on the court. Obviously, this team has a lot of really good things, accomplished guys, Trey Her. Uh, what have you kind of tried to pull from those guys in the time you’ve been around? Um, I’ve just been asking a lot of questions um about on and off the court stuff. Uh, you know, they’ve been through everything I’m about to go through. Um, they just said to just keep asking questions. Um, guy like Herb, I’ve been asking just defensively like what’s his mentality? Um, how does he get his steals? Because we we do things a little bit different, but it’s always good to learn from a great defender like himself cuz I believe he’s the best defender right now in the NBA and I want to get there one day. So, I’m going to continue to ask questions. What did you kind of learn about yourself during the circle? Just like what you need to work on. Uh, I mean, I didn’t really get to play too much. Uh, I played one really one game cuz the second game I played I was I was really hurt. Um, but I mean I just it’s a faster paced game. I don’t think it was equivalent to what I’m going to see in a real NBA game because it was a lot of guys that I I mean I’ve played against in college and stuff. So, it’s it’s going to be a big difference. But just the pace, um, where I’m going to get my shots. Um, you know, just coming from college, I I had the ball in my hands at all times, but now I’m I’m have to play off the ball, play out the corners, and, um, yeah, that’s that’s what I learned, just just how to play out the corners, and I’m going to get better on the NBA court. You talked about working on your body uh, over the summer, especially since summer league. What else did you work on, like parts of your game? Anything? Did you focus on anything specific? Um, yeah. Uh, I mean, I focus on everything of my game. Um, but mainly just shooting. Um, I mean, I got better throughout college. I ended up shooting 40%, but I want to do that at the NBA level. Um, it’s a farther farther uh back line, a different ball. So, you know, you have to get used to that. But, um, I I’ve made some some really big strides in that and like I said, I can’t wait to show it. Appreciate y’all.

Live from New Orleans Pelicans Media Day ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season. Hear from head coach Willie Green plus Pelicans players.
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