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NBA DRAFTJune 25, 2015Justise WinslowBROOKLYN, NEW YORK JUSTISE WINSLOW: It feels great. It's always been a dream just to be in the NBA, and to go to an organization like the Heat, Pat Riley, what he's done for the team, where he's brought them, how far they've come, winning championships. So it's just a blessing, a guy that I've always looked up to in Dwyane Wade. Hopefully there's someone I can learn from and kind of grow from, and so I'm very excited just to be a part of the Heat organization. Q. How do you think that you, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will mesh in the first month of the regular season? JUSTISE WINSLOW: I feel like we can mesh well. I feel like we're all so talented and can do so many things on the court that we'll be able to complement each other's skills and our presence on the court will be great. I'm just ready to get down there, meet the guys, gel with the guys, and I know we'll have a bright future. Q. Obviously LeBron left before this past year, they kind of had a void at that position, and while it's not fair to compare you to the greatest player in the game right now, how do you feel that you can step into those big shoes? And do you feel any pressure to play his role in that big three now? JUSTISE WINSLOW: You know, for me it's not about filling anybody's shoes, coming in and replacing anybody. That's what this is about. Right now this is about me coming in, being myself, playing my game and not trying to be LeBron James. Let LeBron James be LeBron James. I'm going to be Justise Winslow. Dwyane Wade will be Dwyane Wade and let the rest take care of itself. I'm not the big three. We're not the big three. I'm Justise Winslow and I'm the newest member of the Miami Heat. Q. What are you looking forward to about living in South Beach? JUSTISE WINSLOW: I've never been to South Beach. So it's always a play I wanted to go. Growing up and the past couple of years I told myself, the first time I go to South Beach it's going to be a lot of fun. And right now I'm just so excited to get down there and become a part of the organization. Q. With what you know about Miami and what you know about yourself, what do you feel like you can bring to that team immediately? JUSTISE WINSLOW: You know, just first off, defensively, I feel like I can come in and make an impact, being able to guard multiple positions and give a lot of energy on that end. And offensively, did the same I did in college. Let the game come to me while also still being aggressive and looking to score. But I just feel like with the guys they have there, I'll be able to complement their skills really well and we can be a good team moving forward into the future. Q. Your name was linked as high as five, four, then you slide down to 10. Blessing in disguise, but how did you keep it all in perspective? And when did you know it was Miami? JUSTISE WINSLOW: I knew about a minute, minute and a half before; my agent told me. But for me I saw some of the mock drafts. Of course my agent talking to the range, and so I saw myself kind of going down, getting down further in the teens, but for me it's a blessing. It's not about the number I go, it's just about being part of the league and being a part of such a great organization. I'm very happy. You can say a blessing in disguise, but I just see it as a blessing, nothing disguised about it. Being able to play professionally is something I always dreamed of, so obviously I'm just very happy. Q. A lot has been made about your all‑around game. What aspect do you think you need to improve on the most? JUSTISE WINSLOW: I think just getting better with the ball in my hands, being able to create off the dribble, pick‑and‑roll situations, isolation situations. But just getting my ball handling better because that's going to kind of go right in with my jump shot and ability to pass the ball. You see a lot of the great ball handlers being able to create shots for themselves and for others. So I think that's one of the big keys for my future. Q. As we all know, Pat Riley is very ambitious as the president of Miami. Are you excited to be in the win‑now territory, considering you could have been a top‑five‑pick/rebuilding process? JUSTISE WINSLOW: Yeah, that's something that's definitely attractive and I like. I've always won, always been a winner. So to have a leader of an organization like Pat Riley, he's not trying to rebuild or look down the line, he's focused on right now. That's something that really intrigues me and motivates me. I don't want to look a couple years down the line; I want to win now. And so to be a part of an organization with a leader like that is something that I really like. Q. You have no control over who drafts you, but I'm wondering if things like no state income tax comes into play, warm weather climates, if that's a factor? JUSTISE WINSLOW: No, not really. Hypothetically you think, oh, if I go to Detroit the weather is cold there, or if I go to LA the weather is‑‑ but it's just a blessing. You're just trying to get picked. You're not really thinking about pros and cons of the weather or the income tax, state income tax. Q. Your agent does, though. JUSTISE WINSLOW: You're just trying to get picked for a team. So it's just a blessing. Q.  We talked a little bit about the championship pedigree there is within the team in the past years. Can you talk about some of the young guys who have come in, Shabazz Napier, Hassan Whiteside. I'm wondering what they can give you as you're learning the ropes? Hopefully not too much rookie hazing coming in, but what can they tell you? JUSTISE WINSLOW: I'm sure they can tell me a lot, just them going through the whole process. Me being the new guy, I'm looking to learn, come in and learn from those guys and pick up everything I can. I'm sure old guys, young guys, I'm sure they'll be very helpful, and so I'm looking forward to just going there and getting better, getting better from all those guys, the coaches and just becoming the best player I can be as a member of the Miami Heat. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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