	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NBA DRAFT

June 23, 2011

Tristan Thompson

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY

TRISTAN THOMPSON (No. 4)
Cleveland Cavaliers

Q. What are your feelings about being drafted by Cleveland?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: It's an honor, I worked out with the Cavaliers two times. Me and the owners, the coaches, the players, it's a great environment and it's a franchise that wants to win, and I'm just so happy and fortunate to be selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Q. Talk about competing with J.J. Hickson who is a talented young forward, also, how are you looking forward to elevating your skill set, working with him and practicing with him?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: It's going to be exciting. J.J. Hickson is a terrific basketball player. I feel that he's going to get me better in practice. He's been in the league for three years now. It's going to be fun in practice, and I'm excited.

Q. Tristan, the other day you were talking about how you wanted to dunk on Kyrie and now you could be playing with him. Talk about playing with Kyrie, and also the St. Patrick's/St. Benedict's connection?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: It's like we are reunited and Kyrie being from St. Pat's, a little Jersey rivalry, so I'm happy.

Q. Do you think taking two 19-year-olds will work out?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: I'm actually 20 right now.
Mr. Grant and Coach Scott, they felt Kyrie and myself were the best two choices for the organization, and we are going to come in and just give 100% and try to get better every day.

Q. Kyrie talked about you guys being drafted the same year and now you both can go through this, and your picks are so close together that it's a little relatable for you. What's this going to be like growing in your rookie year and doing it together as two of the Top-4 players in the Draft this season?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: Like you said, knowing that Kyrie, myself and Kyrie and myself, have friendship prior to the Draft; definitely having somebody there to support you and go through what you go through and almost like a brother to me, and will have my back and I'll have his, and we'll get through this together.

Q. When this process started, where you were ranked and you were projected -- you're the fourth pick today. How has that journey been and how does that feel?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: The journey has been exciting, meeting a lot of front offices and traveling to a lot of different cities. It's been a blessing in disguise. I know a lot of people never expected it and neither did myself. It just shows the wonders that hard work puts in.

Q. You knew there was a pretty strong chance you were going to be the highest-drafted Canadian ever. When did you start thinking maybe being this high was a realistic possibility?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: I thought it was realistic after the Cavs called me for a second workout and I thought, anything is possible, and I thought I could be the highest Canadian ever drafted.

Q. Kyrie was talking about how he and Coach Scott had talked about pushing the pace and running like old Lakers style, Showtime, how do you feel about pushing the pace and keeping a fast-paced offense in Cleveland?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: I love it. One of my strengths and attributes is getting up and down the floor and playing with Kyrie, it's going to be exciting.

Q. It seems like the Cavs have you and Kyrie as their new identity to build around. Can you speak about what identity you will bring and what identity the Cavaliers will have now?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: Myself the only thing I can bring to the table is a guy who plays hard and who gives 100% every day, he is those are my attributes, gives it all he's got and does what it takes to win.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about Samardo, how much did you play with him and how well do you know him?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: I played my whole sophomore year, he's like an older brother to me and a mentor, especially during this process, me and him have kept real close contact. He's went through many work outs just a year ago, so he just told me, just do what you do well and everything will fall into place.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297