NBA Media Day is kind of like the first day of school. There are new kids in class (Allen Iverson and Zach Randolph), there are the returning big men on campus (Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo) and a teacher (Lionel Hollins) who is charged with making sure that he helps the students reach their potential (2010 NBA Playoffs?).
Players are eager to get back to the basketball classroom (training camp) to tell everyone about their summer vacations (Rudy and O.J. at Team U.S.A Camp, Hasheem Thabeet’s experience at the 2009 NBA Draft).
Surprisingly, a member of the Memphis media even offered up a pop quiz on the first day asking Iverson who will get the last shot on the team as the very first question of media day.
“Whoever the coach draws the play up for,” said Iverson.
An A+ for the Hall-of-Famer on his first day.
For his part, Randolph, who did his media availability in tandem with Iverson, also did his homework and dispelled one prevailing thought that with all the offensive firepower on the Grizzlies roster this season that there might not be enough basketballs to go around.
“It’s all going to be good,” Randolph said in reaction to how he and Iverson will fit in with the Grizzlies young nucleus. “We are going to work ourselves into the system. Coach is going to put us in the right spots to succeed.”
O.J. Mayo agreed that the notion that there can never be too much offensive firepower on a roster.
“The more scorers the more weapons,” said Mayo. “(Iverson and Randolph) will make it easier for everyone. If you are going to double team Rudy or shade on me, or double Z-Bo or AI it will just make our jobs easier. The easier our jobs are, the more successful we’ll be. A thumbs up to the organization for the work they did during the offseason.”
One Grizzlies mainstay who had an impressive offseason himself was Rudy Gay. Gay, who played off Mayo during their media availability pairing spent the offseason in the weight room and on the floor, gaining muscle and a few new moves that he is looking forward to debuting this season.
Gay noted that his experience along with Mayo at the Team U.S.A Men’s basketball mini-camp in particular was one of the most important parts of the summer for him.
“I think that it was important to see how hard the guys there like Andre Iguodala and Derrick Rose work,” said Gay. “From everything that they do on the court, to their diets. You see exactly what they put into the game. You have to put your all into on and off the court. It was definitely an eye opener for me.”
The Grizzlies are hoping to open the eyes of the their opponents this year, and the newest Grizzlies thinks that he’ll be able to bring something that he’s learned from his 13 years in the NBA that he’ll be able to pass on to his younger teammates.
“The most important thing for us is to believe in yourself, believe in your coaching staff and your teammates that you can turn it around,” said Iverson. “If you don’t, why are you even lacing your sneakers up.”
Looks like the newest Grizzlies player has let his teammate know that class is now in session.
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