Draft Express interviews Tyrus Thomas

Draft Express--Joseph Treutlein: How have you been preparing for the draft so far?

Tyrus Thomas: Just working out, improving my skills; shooting, dribbling, fundamentals.

Joseph Treutlein: You mentioned a lot of skills, is there anything in particular you're working on?

Tyrus Thomas: I'm working on everything I'm saying. My weakness is not being perfect.

Joseph Treutlein: Is there anything to your game you can offer that we haven't seen at LSU?

Tyrus Thomas: I have a lot to offer. You know, you guys like to say that I can't dribble and I can't shoot. That all I can do is dunk and block shots, but that's what was required of me for the team to win, and that's what I did. I could've easily played outside of the system, shot the ball and put the ball on the floor, but we were winning with what we were doing so that's what you stick to.

Joseph Treutlein: We understand that, because a lot of times you don't get to fully feature what you can do in college, because of your role, you didn't get to show off some of that ball-handling and shooting.

Tyrus Thomas: I let you guys tell it, especially DraftExpress, that I can't do it.

Joseph Treutlein: Have you worked out for any teams so far?

Tyrus Thomas: I worked out for Portland and Toronto.

Joseph Treutlein: How do you think those went?

Tyrus Thomas: I think they went well, you know.

Joseph Treutlein: Did you work out competitively against anyone there?

Tyrus Thomas: No, by myself.

Joseph Treutlein: Are you planning to workout competitively against anyone?

Tyrus Thomas: No.

Joseph Treutlein: Why is that?

Tyrus Thomas: I don't feel it's necessary. You know, the teams know what they're going to do. I feel like teams kind of know what they're going to do once the balls come out anyway, you know. So, it's kind of unnecessary for me.

Joseph Treutlein: Where do you think you'll be drafted?

Tyrus Thomas: I'm not sure, I can't answer that. Where do you think I'll be drafted?

Joseph Treutlein: I'm not sure either, you'd have to ask the teams.

Tyrus Thomas: I mean, you guys write it, you guys say where we fit best, so you tell me.

Joseph Treutlein: I'm not sure, it's hard to say, you'd have to be inside the team's perspective to know that for sure.

Tyrus Thomas: Then why do you guys write stuff like that?

Joseph Treutlein: I personally didn't write anything in particular.

Tyrus Thomas: I'm just saying, you... don't regard this.

Joseph Treutlein: If I'm a GM, why should I pick Tyrus Thomas? Sell me on you.

Tyrus Thomas: You're not a GM, I don't have to sell myself to you. I mean, I don't know, just watch. GM's watch the game, so there's not much a player has to tell a GM. Because GM's have experience watching what a player is capable of doing and what he's not capable of doing, so I don't have to verbally sell myself to a GM.

Joseph Treutlein: Is there anything that you think separates you from a player like LaMarcus Aldridge?

Tyrus Thomas: He's a good player, he's talented, he has a drive to win, you know, it's nothing but good players in this draft. You have to have that will. I don't know, I can't really say what separates us.

Joseph Treutlein: Do you think you're better suited to play small forward or power forward in the NBA?

Tyrus Thomas: Small forward.

Joseph Treutlein: What do you think you need to work on to play small forward at the NBA level?

Tyrus Thomas: Like I said, you have to keep working on every part of your game. A lot of people don't know, I never played in the post until I got to LSU. It's like riding a bicycle, once you learn, you can't really forget how. I think I'd be better on the perimeter, but if I had to play the post, that's what I'd do.

Tyrus Thomas: You're not a GM, I don't have to sell myself to you. I mean, I don't know, just watch. GM's watch the game, so there's not much a player has to tell a GM. Because GM's have experience watching what a player is capable of doing and what he's not capable of doing, so I don't have to verbally sell myself to a GM.

slimjim wrote:best case scenario: stromile swift /w ben wallaces attitude

uh....

strikemode14 wrote::nono2: The scary thing is we have two guys who may have attitude probelms

Morrison who talks to himself hitting FT's and hitting himself with ball and T.Thomas who is freaking out about a mock draft.

This is the future of the NBA then we are in trouble.

Da Veinticuatro wrote:

strikemode14 wrote::nono2: The scary thing is we have two guys who may have attitude probelms

Morrison who talks to himself hitting FT's and hitting himself with ball and T.Thomas who is freaking out about a mock draft.

This is the future of the NBA then we are in trouble.

You are right, definitely not good. I wonder what scouts thought of Morrison's face down on the court crying/flailing around after losing routine? IMO Thomas is a time bomb waiting to explode, but Morrison is also a headcase.

slimjim wrote:

Da Veinticuatro wrote:

strikemode14 wrote::nono2: The scary thing is we have two guys who may have attitude probelms

Morrison who talks to himself hitting FT's and hitting himself with ball and T.Thomas who is freaking out about a mock draft.

This is the future of the NBA then we are in trouble.

You are right, definitely not good. I wonder what scouts thought of Morrison's face down on the court crying/flailing around after losing routine? IMO Thomas is a time bomb waiting to explode, but Morrison is also a headcase.

that morrison headcase would look pretty sweet in a lakers uniform