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NBA ALL-STAR 2020

February 14, 2020

Kendrick Nunn

Chicago, Illinois - Rising Stars

Q. What does it mean to you to play in this game?
KENDRICK NUNN: It means a lot. It's a dream come true. It's an honor to be here. I'm looking to have a lot of fun.

Q. Can you talk about your journey to get here.
KENDRICK NUNN: The journey? I'm going to keep it brief. Just to keep it brief, you know my story where I came from the G League and everything, called up. It's been a long season here, Summer League, you know, throughout the summer. Obviously, I've been playing good, and getting accomplishments and looking to have a lot of fun.

Q. How do you feel about Chicago basketball?
KENDRICK NUNN: Chicago basketball means a lot. Obviously, we have the culture here, and a lot of great guys coming from Chicago, a lot of players and things like that. It's just a legacy that we like carrying on and we like playing with great type of players from Chicago. It's a lot of legacy and tradition here, and I'm just carrying it.

Q. How special is it to represent Chicago, especially the south side of Chicago?
KENDRICK NUNN: It's very special representing Chicago, the South Side, myself, my family. I'm representing a lot, and it feels good just to be here to represent those things and what I'm about.

Q. How special is this for you?
KENDRICK NUNN: It means a lot. I put a lot of hard work in from then until now, and I'm going to continue to do that and develop.

Q. Can you talk about the legacy of Michael Jordan. How he's had an impact on your play?
KENDRICK NUNN: My play? One of them being relentless on both ends of the floor. I'm a two-way player. I play with a lot of grit and toughness. Not too much emotionally, but I just let my play do the talking.

Q. Kendrick, what do you think you've proved this year?
KENDRICK NUNN: I've proven a lot, just showing my talent and what I can do on the basketball floor. I've been given the opportunity, and now I'm taking full advantage of it.

Q. You look at yourself. What does it mean to show people the kind of player you are?
KENDRICK NUNN: It means a lot, honestly. I just needed that opportunity to prove myself. I've been doubted plenty of times, and every time I just continue to prove myself and show what I can do.

Q. What does it mean to represent Chicago?
KENDRICK NUNN: It means a lot. I'm just putting on for the city and where I'm from. Obviously, Simeon Career Academy has definitely been a good organization there. Also guys like Jabari Parker is one of the stars in this league. It's just been good to be able to represent that.

Q. You and Jabari have a connection through Simeon. What advice has he given you just in terms of what you've accomplished?
KENDRICK NUNN: We talk often. He just tells me to stay ready, you know. I haven't talked as much this season since we've been on different paths. He always just told me to stay ready and that if I'm definitely given this opportunity, just take full advantage of it, and that's what I've been doing.

Q. On Chicago players.
KENDRICK NUNN: Just the way you're raised and the lifestyle and environment that you're in. I believe that it builds different character, and I mean, you're ready for anything pretty much. You know, Chicago players carry a different chip on their shoulder.

Q. Kendrick, is there a time in your NBA career that you would say you bet on yourself to get to this point today? Whether that's in AAU, G League, college, somewhere you said I'm glad I did that?
KENDRICK NUNN: Absolutely. I can name multiple things on where I've had decisions to make, which ways to go and things like that, and I always bet on myself. That's one of the things I pride myself on.

Q. Can you give us an example?
KENDRICK NUNN: Going on undrafted right out of college. I could have taken a different route. I could have played overseas or anything like that. I chose to play in the G League and take that route. It was definitely a lot of patience with that, and it worked out.

Q. What would you say was your welcome moment to the league?
KENDRICK NUNN: Definitely the first regular season game. That was my welcome moment because I hadn't played in a regular season game yet. Last year I played in the preseason with Golden State. It was preseason, but it wasn't a regular season game. So that first game, when I played with the Miami Heat, that was my welcome.

Q. Did something happen in that game?
KENDRICK NUNN: Yeah, the first game we played, if you go back, I believe it was the Memphis Grizzlies that we played, and it was a good game.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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