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NBA DRAFTJune 26, 2014Marcus SmartBROOKLYN, NEW YORK THE MODERATOR: Marcus, if it you could start opening statements about being drafted by Boston, please. MARCUS SMART: This is exciting. Boston is a great organization, a lot of tradition, they work hard, and they pride themselves off of green and white. It's an amazing feeling to play for a wonderful organization. Q. Marcus, given that the Celtics already have a player in Rajon Rondo, how do you feel you can work with him and the team going forward? MARCUS SMART: Definitely. Rondo is a wonderful point guard, a wonderful player. He reminds me a little bit of me. He plays defense. He's long, his wing span, and he has big hands. Just being able to learn from a guy who's been in the league and been in my seat and my situation, it's an amazing feeling and a great opportunity. Q. Are you a little disappointed that you weren't picked by a team where you'd start right away maybe? MARCUS SMART: No, not at all. I understand that you got to come in, you've got to earn your spot and earn your keep. That's who I am. I like to earn things, and I work hard to get where I'm at. That's what I'm going to continue doing. Q. How much are you looking forward to playing for Brad Stevens? MARCUS SMART: It's going to be an interesting season. Brad's a great coach, and I had a lot of time talking with him. So I'm looking forward to playing for him and learning and taking it all in. Q. Marcus, first of all, did you have a sense that Boston was leaning your way? You didn't seem like that was a team that was dialing in on you. MARCUS SMART: Actually, I did. I worked out for Boston twice. So I've talked with Danny Ainge and Coach Stevens a lot. They told me they were very interested in me, and if I was still on the board, there's a chance they might pick me. So now I'm here repping green. Q. Marcus, what do you bring to the Celtics now? How did you change your game during your sophomore year at Oklahoma State? MARCUS SMART: I've done a lot of things. I've been working on my shot a little bit more to become a more consistent shooter during my sophomore season and the summertime this time. I just bring that competitive nature that Boston already has, that toughness they already have. I just continue to bring it and keep that fire going. Q. I know you played a lot of different positions at Oklahoma State. Can you play the two? Is that something you'd be comfortable with? MARCUS SMART: Definitely, no doubt. I think me being so versatile in college helped me to be able to play the two or one or whatever position the Celtics want me to play at the next level. Q. You talked about working out twice with the Celtics in Waltham. Was there anything, when you got there, did you look up and see the banners and realize that, wow, the rich history of the organization? Did that sit in when you were there? MARCUS SMART: Definitely. They had actually a video playing in the locker room. We got done working out, and it just kept replaying and replaying and replaying over and over. It was just talking about the history and the guys that's been through there and the work, the blood, the sweat and tears they put into that program. Q. Talk about schematically what do you know about the Celtics and how you can be able to fit your skill set within your scheme. MARCUS SMART: I know everybody knows the Celtics are a championship caliber type of program. Everybody knows what you're going to get out of the Celtics. They're going to compete every day, and that's who I am. I'm going to compete every day and work hard. Q. I covered you last year for the USA Basketball. Can you just talk about the competitiveness of already playing against NBA players and how it can contribute for this season to the Celtics. MARCUS SMART: Definitely. That was a little advantage I had over a lot of college players. I was able to play against the highest level guys here, the Kyrie Irvings, the John Walls and all those guys, and get a preference and a sense of what's to come. So kind of already having that experience is going to help me in the long run. Q. Kind of going off that, kind of stole a bit of my thunder there, but do you think you are NBA ready? Do you think you can step in and compete at the NBA level? A lot of people say you are at that point, draft and NBA ready. Do you believe you are NBA ready? MARCUS SMART: Definitely. I like to think I have an NBA‑ready body. I have a good basketball IQ. And I know how to play with guys and teammates. So I'm a great team player, and I like to win. I like to think I'm an NBA ready person. Q. Marcus, two things, this last year, having going through everything you went through, just even staying in school and doing that, how much did that help you for this? Secondly, just what's it going to be like? You kind of lived your life in one area of the country, and now it's going to be a bit of a move. MARCUS SMART: To answer your first question, I was able to learn a lot of things. I've been through a lot of adversity my first two years of college, and it helped me because it was the lessons that I was taught that helped me prepare for the NBA and prepare for life in general. To answer your second question, yeah, it's going to be a little bit weird, but I'm open for new things and new challenges. So I'm ready to get started. Q. Two questions for you as well: How much of the Celtics did you watch last season? And aside from Rondo, how do you see yourself playing alongside the other guys on the team? MARCUS SMART: I watched them a little bit. Majority of the season, they didn't really have Rondo. Avery Bradley stepped in a little bit. Phil Pressey played a little bit. Like I said, I'm a competitor. So I'm willing to do whatever it takes and play with whoever I have to play with. I'm just happy to be here and happy to have the opportunity. Thank you, guys. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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