2011 Bobcats Draft Workouts - Day 9

Bobcats Draft Workouts Day 9
June 20, 2011

The Bobcats continued their 2011 NBA Draft preparation Monday at Time Warner Cable Arena® with prospects Dallas Lauderdale (Ohio State), Jon Leuer (Wisconsin), Sam Muldrow (South Carolina), Jamie Skeen (Virginia Commonwealth), Tracy Smith (North Carolina State) and Jordan Williams (Maryland) in for workouts in front of Bobcats Chairman and CEO Michael Jordan, President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins, General Manager Rich Cho, the coaching staff and team scouts.

Jon Leuer played four seasons at Wisconsin, finishing his senior season his a career high in scoring and rebounding. He averaged 18.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg and 1.7 apg in his final season as a Badger, leading the team in scoring and rebounding and Leuer also had the third-highest scoring total in Wisconsin history. With such excellence, he garnered selections to the All-Big Ten First Team (Coaches), the All-Big Ten Second Team (Media) and a pick to the Old Spice Classic All-Tournament Team.

Jordan Williams is an early-entry draft candidate after just two seasons with the Maryland Terrapins. He averaged a double-double in his sophomore season with the team, scoring 16.9 ppg and recording 11.8 rpg. He also blocked 1.4 shots per game for the Terrapins en route to gathering first-team All-ACC honors and third-team All-American nods from a few media outlets.

Jamie Skeen, a North Carolina native, helped lead Virginia Commonwealth University to their historic NCAA Tournament run to the Final Four in his senior season. Skeen averaged 15.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.6 apg and 1 bpg in his final year with the Rams. Transferring to VCU after two seasons at Wake Forest, he was honored with selections to the All-CAA Second Team, the CAA All-Tournament Team and the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team in his final season.

Tracy Smith spent four seasons at North Carolina State, averaging 14 ppg and 5.7 rpg in his senior season. An All-ACC Honorable Mention, Smith led the Wolfpack in points per game.

Sam Muldrow was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and picked to the SEC All-Defensive Team as a senior for the South Carolina Gamecocks. Recording 11.4 ppg, 3.4 bpg and 7.3 rpg, Muldrow led his team in rebounding and blocks, and was second on the squad in scoring.

Dallas Lauderdale played four years in Columbus for the Ohio State Buckeyes, garnering a selection to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team as a junior. He averaged 4.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 1.5 bpg, leading the team in blocks as a senior.

Bobcats Head Coach Paul Silas

Video: Silas on 6/20 Draft Workouts

(On Jamie Skeen)
He played good: good shooter, understands how to play the game, I liked him a lot. I had never seen him before, but just watching him out here, he put on a good show.

(On if Skeen is an NBA caliber player)
It’s going to take some time, but I think if he works hard and continues to improve, he absolutely can play in this league.

(On if playing in an NBA system in college could help Tracy Smith’s transition to the NBA style)
It’s a possibility. It all depends on what he comes with. If he comes with good energy and athleticism, you know, all the things that’s needed to be in this league, experience is a key. So, if he has experience of having done this before, then absolutely he has a good shot.

(On Jordan Williams)
He could post up really well, go to the hoop. His shot, he needs to work on – outside shooting. He displayed some good defensive play and rebounding.

(On if exhaustion comes into play so far into workouts)
Well, I don’t know about the shooting part of it, but they were tired, getting up and down. I don’t know if the other teams they worked out for got up and down as much as we did. They were a little exhausted, and you can understand that. They haven’t been around this kind of play that much, so it’s just different for them

Jon Leuer • 7-0 • 223 lbs. • Center • Wisconsin

Leuer Profile | Video: Leuer Interview | Video: Leuer Highlights | Video: Leuer Dunk Drill

(On how the workout went)
It went well. We competed. Overall, it was a good workout.

(On the competition)
Good competition. Every guy was going at each other, every chance we had. It’s just another chance to prove ourselves. Every time we step on the court – I’ve had a lot of workouts, these guys have had a lot of workouts – every time we step on the court, it’s another chance to prove yourself.

(On what he wants to show)
Just how hard I work. I’m athletic, I’m tough, I can shoot it, I’m skilled as a big – all those things are things I’m trying to prove out on the court.

(On if there’s any feeling of increased urgency considering the draft is close)
I don’t think so. There’s always a sense of urgency. Now that the draft is right around the corner, you definitely want to put your best foot forward, because it’s going to be fresh in their minds. But throughout this whole process, I’ve had a sense of urgency of just trying to prove myself and what I can do.

(On running three-on-three with only forwards)
Yeah we did, actually. We did three-on-three full court. Me and Jamie Skeen were on the same team. We’d bring the ball up and got to show off our guard skills today.

(On where he’s worked out so far)
Today was my fifteenth. So, I’ve been traveling around the country.

(On how hectic the workout process is)
It is. It’s a lot of travel, it’s a lot of work, but you only go through this process once. I’m just trying to enjoy it.

(On playing in front of MJ)
It’s cool. I mean, he’s the greatest player of all-time. To get a chance to play in front of him and have his undivided attention, you don’t get a lot of opportunities like that. You’ve got to take advantage of it and you can’t try to do too much. You can’t try to impress people. Just go out there and play your game.

Jordan Williams • 6-10 • 260 lbs. • Center • Maryland

Williams Profile | Video: Williams Interview | Video: Williams Highlights | Video: Williams Dunk Drill

(On how the workout went)
It went real well. Both offensively and defensively, really good. I shot the ball well, got a lot of rebounds, putbacks, got my teammates involved. So, it was really good.

(On working out in front of Michael Jordan)
It’s cool. You grow up watching him play, hear so much about him. To meet him and see that he’s such a good guy, he’s just a hooper like all of us. To understand that and see it in person and for him to coach us up and know our names and be involved, it’s definitely positive.

(On working out with Tracy Smith, who he played against in the ACC)
Yeah, it definitely helps. It definitely just makes you feel comfortable because you’ve been around him before. We pick each other up when we’re missing shots or something like that, and help each other throughout the whole workout.

(On what he tried to show)
Just what I’ve improved on. My jump shot’s a lot better. I still rebound, like I did in the ACC and college in general. My body’s changed; my conditioning is better. All the good stuff.

(On what he’s done in particular to change his conditioning)
Just eating right and continuing to work out. It’s kind of tough, now, to stay in the shape I was before, because of travel and everything, different hotel rooms and different states every day. It’s only one workout a day; I was working out three times a day before. You just got to keep your body right, eat the right things. Whatever you can control, you’ve got to control those things.

(On what he’s cut out)
Just fast food. I mean, I might eat it once in a while – rarely – but I used to eat it all the time. I’ve definitely started eating healthy things.

(On how he could fit on the Bobcats)
I think just as well as any other team: just rebounding, getting offensive and defensive putbacks, hit the open jumper, pick and pop situations, things like that. Whatever they want me to do, I’m willing to do.

Jamie Skeen • 6-8 • 242 lbs. • Power Forward • VCU

Skeen Profile | Video: Skeen Interview | Video: Skeen Highlights | Video: Skeen Dunk Drill

(On how the workout went)
The workout went really smoothly. I’m happy they invited me and and I did pretty good.

(On coming in to work out for the hometown team)
I guess I feel like I’m the favorite – I wish I was the favorite. I hope that’s what it is. I went out there, competed with everybody. It gives me an extra little boost since I’m at home, a little extra confidence.

(On what he was trying to show)
I’m just trying to show them what I can do, what I’ve been doing all season throughout my college career. I can be consistent and do the same things I did when I played for VCU.

(On if the NCAA Tournament run helped)
Most definitely. Without that run, I don’t think that I would be here right now. So, I’m very thankful for VCU, letting me get on their team, letting me transfer over there. Without them, this wouldn’t be possible. I wouldn’t be here right now, sitting in front of you guys.

(Where else he’s been)
[chuckles] I’ve been everywhere. I’ve been to Minnesota, I’ve been to Boston, new Jersey, Detroit, Atlanta, Memphis, Miami. I’ve been everywhere. I’ve been to 12 different states in the last month.

(On if he’s looking overseas in the event of going undrafted)
The goal is to get drafted, so I haven’t even thought about not getting drafted. If you think negatively like that, sometimes it happens. I’m trying to think positive and think about getting drafted. That’s the only thing that’s on my mind right now. If I don’t get drafted, then I’ll do something about that on Friday, but as of right now, it’s Monday and I’m worried about getting drafted and working my hardest to get drafted.

(On what it would be like to play for the Bobcats)
It would mean a lot. I’d get to stay home and play in front of people that I played in front of when I was in high school. It would just be a tremendous feeling.

(On working out in front of Michael Jordan)
That’s my hero. You know, growing up, I did all of Michael Jordan’s moves, trying to be like him in the cul-de-sac, shooting basketball on somebody else’s basketball goal. Just definitely a dream of mine.

(On if he had any nerves playing in front of MJ or Paul Silas)
There weren’t any nerves because, like I said earlier, it’s my twelfth state I’m going to in my last month. So, I’ve been doing this a lot this month, so it’s getting into a routine. I can pick up on it. There’s not really any nerves anymore. A couple times, there were; I’m not going to lie.

2011 Bobcats Draft Workouts - Day 9

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