The Bobcats introduced the third overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, Adam Morrison, to the Charlotte-area media and Bobcats Season Ticket Holders on Thursday during a press conference at the Presbyterian Hospital Training Center at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Following is a transcript of the event:

OPENING STATEMENTS
Bobcats General Manager and Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff: We want to welcome (Adam) Morrison to our organization. We know that Adam can shoot the basketball, can score the basketball, but that was not the selling point to us.

The selling point to us was his commitment to the game, and how he plays the game. He fits right in with our personality of how our young men participate on the basketball court. I’ll be really brief -- this is Adam’s day.

I’ve learned that if I listen to what Adam says, I have the ability to hold him accountable after this (laughs). It is with great pleasure that we welcome Adam Morrison to our family.

Adam Morrison: First, I’d like to say thanks to Coach (Bickerstaff) for picking me. I’m very excited about the situation here in Charlotte. It’s obviously a great basketball state and a great basketball city.

I’m looking forward to coming in here, being productive and helping this team win. I think it’s a good fit for me, and I appreciate everyone coming out last night and today to welcome me here. Thank you.

QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
Bickerstaff: (On selecting Morrison) I think (Morrison) fits into the profile. I don’t think the team needs to be energized because that’s what they do. I think he is a part of this team, and he enhances the team. The fans have been coming out, and it’s hard not to support the way these young men play basketball. I think he is a positive addition to what we do and what we are trying to do in building this franchise. We are making progress.

Morrison: (On being familiar with the Bobcats before being drafted) Obviously, I knew a lot of their players. I watched them in college as I was going through my career. One thing I like about the core guys here is that they are all winners in college and they are all hard workers. As Coach said, I fit in with the way this organization works, and I’m ready to come in with my hard hat on every day ready to work.

(On crying after the NCAA Tournament game) At first there are a few media outlets that gave me grief and there was a lot that gave me love. At first, I didn’t really think a lot of it. I thought it was something natural. Like I said before, I’m not ashamed of it, and I never will be. It’s over and done with. I just wanted to go out there and win. I’m glad the Bobcats view it as a positive because winning is everything to me, and obviously I’ve showed that. I have no regrets.

(On becoming teammates with UCLA’s Ryan Hollins, who defeated Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament) It’ll be cool. Obviously he’s a good player and a very good defender. It’ll be fun, but hopefully he doesn’t give me too much grief about the win.

(On what teams were looking for during workouts) I think the biggest thing that people wanted to see during my workouts was how my body would hold up with the diabetes thing and how athletic I was. In most of the workouts we did some shooting, but everyone knew that I could score. I think a lot of teams had me come in and see how I would hold up in a strenuous workout and how I defend against the top-notch guys. That’s why I thought it was a good thing for me to go against other players to show that I can do those things. I think that was the biggest thing they were trying to see.

(On the Bobcats roster and strategies) I’ve taken a little look at it, but these last few days have been a whirlwind with finding out where I am going and all that good stuff. Right now I am trying to soak it all in because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I head to camp on Monday, and that’s probably where I will get a better look.

Bickerstaff: (On summer camp) We’ve already got it laid out. The players will be coming in the third. I’ve already spoken to Adam’s agent earlier today about getting the contract done, so we’ve got everything laid out. We had everything laid out last night. We even made some telephone calls. We had a list of players we thought would not be drafted, so immediately after the draft we made telephone calls to those players. We’re ready to go. We’re looking forward to July 3.

Morrison: (On if his family will move with him to Charlotte) I think my parents are happy in Spokane (Washington). I’m going to move one of my sisters with me to make sure that the laundry is done and that I’m coming home on time (laughs). It’ll be good.

(On what he will spend his first paycheck on) I’ve already bought a car, and that’s all I need. Everything else is going in the bank. I’m pretty conservative with my money. I bought a Range Rover, so I did the cliché thing that everybody does nowadays.

(On summer plans) Obviously summer league with the team, and then I head to Team USA. After that it all depends on if I make Team USA. If I don’t, I plan on coming out here early and getting to work. It’s my job now, so I plan on playing a lot.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH ADAM MORRISON
(On if he's had time to rest and let things sink in since being drafted) I went to bed at about 2:30 last night, woke up at five and have been up ever since. I didn’t get much sleep the night before, but it’s all worth it. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and it’s very exciting.

(On the Bobcats’ youth) The guys need to band together, play together and learn together. I view it as a positive, and I just want to contribute in any way that I can. We have some good players on this team, so it’s going to be fun.

(On liking the city of Charlotte) I just like a little more laid-back, quiet city, and that’s the impression that I’ve gotten from Charlotte so far. It fits my personality. Obviously it’s a basketball state and a basketball city, so it has had success.

(On conversation with Michael Jordan) I just spoke to him once last night, and he congratulated me. It was cool. Being around him would be awesome.

(On Jordan’s comments about him being a clutch fourth quarter player) It’s what I have shown in my college career. I like having the ball at the end of the game. I like to take big shots. The comments mean a lot, especially coming from Michael, who is the king of clutch. It’s very special, but like I said before, I just want to fit in any way that I can and do whatever it takes to help this club.

(On the fame of his mustache) It didn’t start out like that. It just started out as facial hair, the first facial hair I’d ever grown. It just grew from there. Whatever people want to make of it they can make of it.

(On his jersey number selection of 35) It was my high school number. When I came to Gonzaga, both 33 and 35 were taken, so I took three. Now three and 33 are taken, so I went back to 35.

(On playing defense) It’s just about going out there and playing. You can’t really sit there and defend the air, you have to get out there and do it and play defense. I’m going to start working out with the guys and get better at what I need to get better at. It’ll be good for us to spend some time together.

(On concerns about a longer season) I’m just looking forward to summer league and when Team USA is over, parking in the weight room and letting the strength coach do his deal. I think I am a perfect example of a guy who will be a poster child for trying to get stronger. I’ll be the strength coach’s project.

(On being a gym rat) It’s awesome not having to worry about anything other than basketball. School is fun, but it’s fun to get paid a lot to go to the gym and work out. I’m looking forward to it.

(On marketing with EA Sports) I’m a big video game fan, and EA Sports makes Madden and NBA Live. I was excited when they came to me with the commercials. It was fun, and hopefully I can do some more of them.

(On if he wants to do marketing for the Bobcats) I wouldn’t mind at all being the face of the team. I think, however, the biggest thing for me to stress is this is a team. Hopefully we will get a team atmosphere going here. That’s how you become successful as an individual, if the team is doing well.

(On being a role model for kids) I think it’s cool. I always had role models growing up, and I tried to mimic some of my favorite players. To be that guy to kids today is awesome.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH BERNIE BICKERSTAFF
(On his excitement that Adam Morrison didn’t go with the first pick) We knew he wasn’t going number one. We pretty much had everything down, and we knew at least the first five or six picks.

(On the Gonzaga program) We got him from a winning program, Gonzaga and the schedule that they play -- they play against tough competition and don’t run from anybody, and it’s a winning program. And I think he alluded to it when he talked about the players that we have here. They all come from winning programs, and they’ve been involved in championships. So we are sticking true to the philosophy.

(On other things that make Adam Morrison a great player) I think the commitment to effort -- we talk about that all the time. The passion to the game. I thought it was terrific…I felt bad for the kid when he lost the game. But when you can be that up front to lay it all out on the floor like, before millions of people. You know, that’s a commitment to winning.

(On his excitement to have his team together) Well I’m excited, but now we move on to contract negotiations, so it’s an ongoing thing. We sent out our qualifying offers. July 1 we can start talking to free agents and start to re-sign our free agents, our restricted and our unrestricted, if we choose. And then we have the summer league starting on the third. Our plate is full. This is getting to be a year-round thing.

(On Hollins) He is just a terrific athlete. There is a similarity to Camby it terms of the body. But the guy was a track player at UCLA, the triple jump and the high jump. The athleticism is really good and he has not played basketball. I think he started playing basketball as a junior in high school. We are real happy about having him. He reminds you of a Loren Woods, who was at Arizona -- that kind of skill level but more athletic.

(On the 50th pick) There are no steals. You know in this draft the 30th guy could have been the 50th, so there are no steals. Everybody knows what’s going on. I think a lot of teams didn’t have roster spots, so they start taking the foreign kids and they are going to leave them over in Europe.

(On a changing roster) We like our roster. I don’t see very much out there. But there could be some sign-and-trades. You never know -- we’ll be listening.