Though the Jazz no longer have a first round pick, I thought I’d offer a few thoughts on the NBA’s media day.
First, the Jazz really did change the feeling of media day in New York, as soon as the Mike Conley trade was announced a large section of the crowd disbursed for interviews regarding what the move meant for the Jazz, and the rest of the NBA. That alone should give you a sense of the magnitude of the move the Jazz front office just made.
As for the green room invitees…
Zion Williamson rightfully stole the show, drawing an enormous crowd before he could even get to the mic. He smiled throughout his entire interview, he’ll be a perfect advertising tool for the NBA between his highlight reel plays and lovable personality.
Ja Morant and RJ Barrett had the second biggest crowds, leading you to believe they’ll likely be drafted in that order behind Williamson.
It’s hard to get a grasp on Bol Bol, he’s extraordinarily quiet, but kind, and very well spoken. He’s a modest kid, often with a deer in the headlights look, but seemed to want to answer the questions from the media. He said he has a new understanding of his love of the game after playing just nine games in college, but that, along with his durability are his biggest question marks going into the draft. Media day was the nine year anniversary of his father Manute Bol’s death, and he was understandably somber. Despite standing 7’2, he’s not all that physically imposing at this point, and will have to work on his body if he wants to be able to utilize his enormous potential in the NBA.
It’s easy to forget how young these players are, and how far their bodies have to go before they’ll be able to handle an 82 game workload. Romeo Langford, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaxon Hayes and Bol all need to add a lot of weight to compete in the NBA.
There are some next level builds entering the NBA this year however, as Williamson, PJ Washington, Nassir Little, and Rui Hachimura all appear physically ready to handle the NBA’s size.
North Carolina’s Coby White has a fun personality, and will be likable wherever he lands. He said the player he’s most excited to play against is former Weber State grad Damian Lillard.
You can see the photos from NBA Draft media day, and listen to my interviews below.
