NBA BASKETBALL |
May 31, 2002 |
Jared Jeffries Interview
By InsideHoops.com
After his workout with the New
York Knicks on May 30, Indiana forward Jared Jeffries,
a likely first round draft pick in the 2002 NBA Draft,
spoke with InsideHoops.com and a few others about his
game and the draft.
On if he gained weight (since
he looks bigger):
Jared Jeffries: Yeah, I had to...
about 10, 12 pounds.
On being ready for the NBA right
now:
Jeffries: Yeah, definitely, the
only way to know you're ready for any kind of job is
to go ahead and get in there. And I saw this as the
chance to kind of come out and get in my profession
for the rest of my life at a young age.
On what parts of his game he must
work on for the NBA:
Jeffries: I mean definitely just
get stronger and sharpen up all my skills. I feel like
I can play the 2, 3, 4 or 5 spot. I am a very versatile
player that can do a lot of things. So, as I get stronger,
and sharpen up on all my skills, just basic skills,
I'll get better and be that kind of player.
On whether or not he checks out
rosters of teams he may play for:
Jeffries: Always, you always look
at a team's personel, the guys they got, you look at
how you could fit in with their program, and I mean
they got a lot of guys here (New York) that are... these
guys have been looking for young players to come in,
so hopefully I can do that.
On where he thinks he may go in
the draft:
Jeffries: I have no idea, and
I really don't care, as long as I get with the right
team and I get a chance to play my rookie year.
On what position he thinks he
is:
Jeffries: Kind of like, just a
forward, I'm just a basketball player, kind of like
a Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, Lamar Odom type, just
get out there and play, I mean I'm 6-10 and a half,
6-11, so, just get out there and play.
On what impresses teams about
him the most:
Jeffries: Showing that I can put
on weight, and also just the different skills that I
have at my height and my size, the way I can handle
the ball, how I can shoot it, move around, I think I
can do a lot of good things like that.
On Qyntel Woods:
Jeffries: He's a real good shooter,
he's like a pure small forward, doesn't do a lot of
post up but he's a real good shooter.
On why the Knicks, or any team,
should take him:
Jeffries: Because I win. At every
level, every team I go to, I'll help get that team a
winner. That's all I can bring to a team.
On how he decides how much weight
to add without losing quickness:
Jeffries: I can lose weight real
quick, so I mean, if I feel like I'm a little bit slower
than I feel like I want to, then I'll just drop the
weight, and do it another way.
On how much he thinks he wants
to weigh:
Jeffries: I'll probably end up
around 235, when it's all said and done.
On what he weighs now:
Jeffries: I'm about 230, solid,
so, I can probably add a few pounds real quick.
|