Howlin' T-Wolf

Ok fellow howlers, most of you already saw Part I of the in depth media day coverage, but if not make sure you go do so. This was going to be part II of II but the Jonny Flynn stuff proved to be just too good to cut out much of it. So without further ado, Part II – The Jonny Flynn edition. (With Part III featuring Kevin Love and Ramon Sessions to come…)

After Ryan Gomes had his turn in the general media “scrum” it was indeed Jonny Flynn’s turn. I was most excited to hear what Jonny had to say on media day, mostly because Kahn and Rambis had/have been gushing about him so freaking much. So being the savvy media day expert at this point (an hour or so into it) I was able to get right next to him for the general media Q+A.

Here is most of the session with Jonny transcribed:

Q: What are you expecting from your first training camp?

Jonny: A lot of hard work. You know you hear two-a-days and all you can think of is sore muscles and body aching but it’s only to get us better, soI can’t wait to get out there and get with Coach Rambis and the rest of the asssitant coaches and get ready to become a competitive team.

Q: What has your time been like so far in your preparation for that in getting to know these guys and getting know what Kurt wants from you and all those kinds of things?

Jonny: Its been great, I’ve been sitting down talking with Coach Rambis a lot and seeing what does he want from me. You know he’s been on a lot of teams with great point guards, you know he had Magic Johnson back in the day, and had a great player in Kobe Bryant that he just left with the Lakers, so, I’m not saying I’m by any stretch of the imagination I’m on those guys level but you know there’s always the dream to get to that level, so I pick his brain and see what I have to do to become and elite player in this league.

Q: Are you ready for 82 games this year?

Jonny: Well I think I’m ready. Nobody really knows until you start playing them but, I think I’ve been doing a lot of conditioning this summer, getting my wind up, getting my stamina, keeping my body right. You know I’ve finally started eating right which is a plus for me, you know no more McDonalds and things like that so I think physically I’m ready but mentally it’s a different ballgame.

Q: Al Jefferson says you might be another Chris Paul.

Jonny: Oh that’s, that means a lot coming from a guy like that. Chris Paul is a great player and just to be compared to him before we play a game, it’s kind of crazy to me, so I’m not even comment on that but you know hopefully I can just be as valuable to this team as he is to the Hornets.

Q: One of the hallmarks of a team with good chemistry is an established pecking order. You’re the point guard and at the same time your a rookie, where do you think you’re going to fit in, can you be at the top of the pecking order in short order?

Jonny: Well right now this is Al Jefferson’s team, you know he’s a guy that’s established in the league, he’s a guy that has put his work in over the years and has gotten to the point he’s at. So hopefully I find my niche wherever I can be, but this is Al Jefferson’s team and whenever it comes down to us needing a big shot or big bucket we’re going to him in the post.

Q: How much studying do you do watching other point guards or watching film of this team last year? How much time do you spend doing that or do you not spend much time?

Jonny: No I spend a lot of time actually, especially watching this team last year seeing how they play, you know seeing why maybe they couldn’t win as many games as possible. That’s one thing you have to do, especially if you want to be a good player in this league, a standout player in this league, you have to watch film, you have to see people’s tendencies, you have to take bits and pieces out of everybody’s game and put it in yours. I might even go to the local YMCA and see somebody playing a game and might take a move from him or I might take something from somebody at the playground but that’s just something you have to do, you have to always have a watchful eye out and always look to add something to your game.

Q: When you watched the Wolves last year what was your synopsis of why they weren’t winning?

Jonny: Well I think just like there was a question about pecking order, I think a lot of people on the team didn’t know the order of the team. This year we all know this is Al Jefferson’s team, we all know he’s the man on this team and he’s the guy that’s going to so to speak carry us and with that established it makes everything a whole lot easier.

Q: We’ve seen the influence of guys like Deron Williams and Chris Paul in the league because of the rules and the way you can or can’t defend guards on the perimeter, do you think in any way that will make the pro game easier or simpler for you to play than the college game?

Jonny: Oh I think so, coming from the Big East you can almost suit up in football equipment and go out there and play a basketball game, but you come to the pros and you can’t even touch a guy on the perimeter so I think that definitely makes it a lot easier where guys can’t hit you on the perimeter, where guys can’t veer you away from the basket that makes the game a lot easier.

Q: On the flip-side being a 6′0″ point guard not being able to use that physicality, is that going to make it tougher for you in the NBA?

Jonny: Well I don’t think so. I think with my quickness it can make up for that part where I might not be as physical as a lot of guys, but I might iritate them, I can jab at them, I can be that little pest, that 6′0″ pest that a lot of point guards hate to see.

Q: How much old school ball have you watched? How much do you know about the guys you’re going to be playing for?

Jonny: I know a lot. I know Kurt Rambis when he was going for that lay-up and he had the big thick glasses on and he got clobbered but jumped up ready to fight, Bill Laimbeer and the Chicago Bulls [rivalry], Air Thues being a shooter and really could thump the ball like that so you know I’m a student of the game, really know a little bit about old school basketball but that’s what you have to do, it’s just like for school, you have to research history to gain knowledge and this is my history and I have it right in front of me.

Q: How much is personality a part of playing point guard?

Jonny: Oh you gotta to have a personality you have to be able to mesh with everybody on the basketball court you have to be able to know what to say to guys, know when to get on them, know when to kind of stroke their ego and baby them a little bit so one key thing I like to try and do is try and get to know everybody off the court and once you get to know everybody off the court and see their tendencies and their personalities, that’s when your personality can kick in.

As you can see, there were a lot of great answers from a rookie. I was already excited about Jonny’s role this season (again why I’m not torn up Rubio’s in Spain), but these answers really showed me exactly what Kahn sees in Flynn and likes about him as a leader and a point guard of the future for this team. My favorite answer out of all of them, which is saying something because I liked just about all of them, has to be the last one. There is nothing more important about playing point guard, especially in the NBA, than knowing the guys different personalities, and egos, and how best to get them to play better. This is in a sense the main job of the coach. Now one can really see why the first thing Coach Rambis said at the KFAN show last week was about Jonny being his coach on the floor. Ask yourself this: Could you have ever imagined hearing either Randy Foye or Sebastian Telfair say what Jonny answered to that last question? Me neither because neither of them have the personality nor leadership ability, which is why I’m so excited about the prospect of Flynn finally bringing some vocal leadership a) to the team since Garnett left, and b) to the back-court since Cassell left. This is very much so, like Jonny said, Al Jefferson’s team, but don’t be surprised to see Jonny Flynn running the show and barking orders for the Wolves all season long. I know I can’t wait.