Bucks.com was on hand for the media availability following the 75-minute workout ...

What did you think of Joah Tucker and Boo Davis?
The biggest thing I like about them is that they’re both good basketball players. They make good plays; they’re competitive. When they got on the two-on-two competitive drills they both were aggressive, they both made tough shots. You can see why they’re a good team because their two best players are such competitive guys.

Will Tucker be able to make the transition from college to the NBA?
That’s going to be his challenge. He’s like a power three. I think that’s where his future lies. He did shoot some, but he’s such a powerful guy, so aggressive that I think that’s where his future lies.

Do the Bucks have room for these guys?
If a player plays good enough, there’s a place for him. I think all four of these guys in this workout have NBA potential. They have the chance to be NBA players.

Where are these guys projected to go in the Draft?
I’d say all four of these guys are potential second round picks. Will all four of them be picked in the second round? Probably not, but all four are good enough to be picked in the second round. It depends on the teams and what their needs are. Three of the four of these guys will be playing in (the Orlando Pre-Draft Camp).

Is Davis a good enough shooter to make it to the NBA?
I was impressed with the way he shot the ball. I wouldn’t say he’s a pure shooter, but I thought he shot it well. His big thing is that he’s atheletic. He shoots it and he needs to continue to work on his ball skills.

What did you like about Tucker?
Look at his body. He’s strong, competitive. He’ll battle guys inside, but he can also go on the perimiter. He’s very personal that way.

Have his accomplishments against Illinois his junior year stuck with him?
You make a little name for yourself. People will remember that and then he went to Portsmouth this year and did a good job there.

Big workout guy?
I like the workouts. You get to bring the guys in and take them out to dinner and I like to watch them work, see how they work. As far as bringing a guy in and saying "we’re going to pick this guy 39th because of a workout", I’m not a fan of that. We scout these guys over a two or three year period - get a feel for them as a player and bring them here to work out.

Would you consider taking local talent in the draft?
If they fit a need and they’re good enough at 39, yeah, we’ll take that guy. PR wise its good to have locals, but these two guys deserve to work out with us. I think they’re legitimate second round picks. Whether they get picked, we’ll have to see. Are they good enough to take at 39? I don’t know about that. I think there’s going to be a lot of players at 39, so we’re going to have a big decision to make. We’ll have to see.

Was it nice having an old teammate on the floor?
It was a fun time playing with my teammate and a couple other guys I know from school. Hopefully I’ll get a job for next year. Just trying to take care of business.

Looks like you got Tucker in the nose?
Just trying to get that job (laughs). I didn’t do it on purpose. Just trying to get better during the summer so I can have a job next year and feed the family.

How good is your shooting ability?
I feel comfortable shooting jump shots. Going to the hole is a part of my game.

If you go undrafted, will you play overseas in Europe?
Of course. There’s money over there also. The NBA is everybody’s first option. If I don’t get in the NBA, I’ll go to Europe and then the CBA.

Do you think you have what it takes to make it to the NBA?
Yes. I’m just going to go to all of these camps and play with everything I’ve got. Hopefully my talent shows and the coaches see that.

Are the coaches trying to run you as much as possible to see how much your asthma will allow you to do?
Basically. Asthma is a serious thing, especially with me. I’ve had it all my life. It’s a case where I get tired and fatigued and everything starts to get tightened. I felt fine afterwards.

Was it a new experience working out at the Bucks Training Center?
It’s strange, but I also enjoyed it. Looking at all the coaches and everybody, it was fun.

What led you to choose Virginia Commonwealth to play your college ball?
(Head Coach) Jeff Capel. He and an incredible coaching staff that we had at the time. Jeff Capel is an outstanding coach and developed me and changed me as a player.

Do you see yourself as part of the reason VCU basketball is back on the map, so to speak?
I like to think so, yes. Since Jeff Capel came to VCU, he’s become the winningest coach in the last four years (Most NCAA Division I wins in Virginia over the past four years). I like to consider myself part of the group that put us back on the map. We went to the NCAAs my sophomore year and NIT bids – it’s been great being part of the Jeff Capel era.

Is it bittersweet at all that Coach Capel left VCU to take the head coaching position at the University of Oklahoma?
Coach taking the Oklahoma job, it feels weird. It’s going to be weird going back to VCU and him not there. I’m happy for him and everyone at VCU is happy for him. He deserved it and he’s on to bigger and better things. He’ll be real successful.

How many workout have you been trough and how would you judge today’s?
This is my second workout, as I’ve worked out for Golden State. I’ll go to Minnesota after today’s workout. Today my workout was questionable, definitely questionable. But I’ll rest up and get ready for the next workout.

What are the strengths of your game and what do you need to work on to make it on the next level?
My strengths are my athleticism, being a decent defender and playing hard. I did develop my shot, it’s something I’ll continue to work on.

I’ll continue to work on my perimeter defense and my overall skill set. I’ll work on making an adjustment from playing the ‘four’ (power forward) for the last four years at VCU. It’s going to be hard work, but I’ll continue to work at it.

Did you experience any culture-shock when you came over to the States?
The first year I came here I had to repeat myself like 16 times before someone would actually understand what I was saying. It was a bit of a culture shock the first week – everything was so much bigger from the food to the cars – it was pretty incredible. I love it, though. I’m well-adjusted now. Everyday I love it over here. It’s just been a great experience.

Do people in England realize the success you’ve accomplished and are now seeking?
At the moment I think I’m definitely one of the British players who has been getting some NBA workouts and getting invited to the Orlando Pre-Draft camp. I’m just trying to put my name out there. Another player, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, who went to George Washington University, I’ve been keeping up with him. The two of us right now are probably the more successful British players over here who are trying to make a mark, start it off for Great Britain.

I believe I met Pops once when I was down in London, but that was a long time ago. Since I’ve been over here, I haven’t come across him, but it seems like everyday I come across someone who has met him who says to me ‘Pops said hello.’ There was a chance we were going to meet at the tournament in Turkey, but he didn’t play for Great Britain. Hopefully, we’ll get to play together in the Olympics someday, because we’re hosting them in England.

How is basketball viewed in England?
Basketball is growing. It really is. There are so many kids in America right now that are from England just flowing over here. Theirs is more money being put into the sport back home. I come from Manchester, the same area that (former NBA player) John Amaechi is from. He’s been great for British basketball. He’s put a lot of money into the sport himself in England and built a basketball center. It’s definitely growing. People know about it, we just need to keep the momentum growing.

The British Basketball League isn’t too popular, however, we definitely follow the NBA. You have to subscribe to cable if you want to get a lot of games. When I was growing up I had to wait until Saturday’s to get to watch a one-hour show on Channel 4 back in England. It’s hard to follow, but with the internet, it’s so much easier. It’s not on television. We don’t find out the scores on television; it’s usually just cricket, soccer and tennis, those sports back home.

What’s your prediction for the World Cup?
Of course I’ll go with England. What other team could I really say? I have to go with my boys. I’m looking forward to seeing them play. Unfortunately, one of the top players right now is injured – (Wayne) Rooney – but I’m going for England. I’ll put my soccer jersey on and cheer like a maniac.

Are the workouts pretty much the same?
Each one’s different. Some coaches have different personalities. Some are more strict and some want to have a good time. The workouts are pretty much the same. Zipper cuts, spot-shooting and ball-handling drills. They’re kind of the same.

How do you think you did today?
I thought I did well. I thought that I showed that I could handle the ball. I showed that I can shoot mid-range. I showed that I can shoot long. I showed that I can create a shot in one-on-ones. I showed that I can do the same on two-on-twos. And I showed that I can defend.

What can you bring to an NBA team?
I can do whatever a coach needs. I’m very “coachable”. I learn quick. If I was on an NBA team and they said “score more”, I could get in the mindset that would help me score. If they said “rebound more”, I could do that, or if they said “defend more”. I think I have the motivation to do things like that and get the job done.

You're from Tampa, but you decided to go to school in South Carolina. What influenced your decision?
I was recruited by mostly Florida schools. But I didn’t want to go to Florida. I love the SEC. My two favorite teams are Kentucky and Duke. So I thought that if I couldn’t go to one of those schools I would go to a place where I could play one of them.

What was it like to play such a big role for an NIT Championship team?
It was great. Some guys, when asked about their season, would say that their team didn’t have a lot of chemistry. I thought that we went through a lot of adversity and stuck together. We acted like a family. A family that prays together stays together. The team did that and that helped us a lot. And playing a big role and winning the NIT was even better. It gives you a little more spotlight. And I think I earned it by showing the team to get (to practice) early, work hard and don’t talk back to the coaches.

I can interact with guys. Even the guys here today. I already know them and call them buddy. I’m giving them high-fives and getting them water. That helps get me motivated and keeps me going. If I’m out there keeping quiet and not saying anything, that’s how I’m going to perform – quiet. So I like to be interactive.

You sound like you could one day make a great coach. Have you ever thought about that?
I’ve never thought about it. I think I could see myself doing that one day.

Being from Florida, are you a Miami Heat fan?
Truthfully, I’m a Lakers fan. But with the teams that are left, I’m pulling for the Heat.

Was it tough out there on the court?
It was tough, but I’m in good shape. I’ve been working out for this so I feel good. I’m feeling energized. This is what you work out for. This is what you play for.

Do you think you made a good impression?
Most definitely. Anytime you do anything you want to be confident in it. I don’t know if they think that, but I think I did a solid job. Hopefully I did.

Did you feel any sense of pressure?
I think I’ve been working out with some guys that have kind of prepared me for this. I felt like I was ready and did a good job.

Who are you working out with?
I’m working with a guy out of Chicago. Tim Grover. There’s a group of guys getting ready for the draft.

Is it awe-inspiring to be working with a guy that used to help Michael Jordan workout?
He definitely knows what he’s talking about. He’s worked with one of the greatest players ever. He pushes you like no other. He has a great name and a lot of people respect him.

Does this feel kind of like a job interview?
Most of my riends are out getting jobs and [they say] ‘what are you doing?’ I’m looking for a job also. I’m looking to set my resume and get some good things on there.

How do you get over the "tweener "label in the NBA?
Just come out and work hard, do what I can do. There’s a lot of tweener’s in the league who play solid basketball, so I know I have to hit open shots when I get them and work that label off. I don’t want to come out and say I want to get rid of that [label] because that’s what got me here, but just improve on my game everyday.

Do you have anything coming up after the Orlando Pre-Draft camp?
I don’t have much lined up. The place where I workout, (people) come through and just watch a group of kids and see if anyone sticks out. I have some opportunities coming up.

Phoenix has a small line-up. Does that give you more hope?
Phoenix is a very unique situation. A lot of guys that have gone out there have had great opportunities. It’d be great to get on a team like that. Like I said whoever is willing to take (me).

How do you feel about the shape you're in?
That’s one thing they want is to test your shape. I feel like I’m in great shape.

How are you feeling after Boo Davis accidentally hit you in the nose?
Boo was worried about me, but we’re interviewing for a job ... there are no friends. I can be friends with Boo after this, but if I hit Boo, I’m not saying sorry until we get in the locker room.

Is it a serious injury?
No stitches, I’m a tough guy.

Was it nice having an old teammate at today's workout?
It was kind of nice, but he beat me a few times so it wasn’t so nice (laughs), but when you know what a guy is capable of, you’re less apprehensive. It’d be better if I didn’t know the guy and went out there completely blind, but it was nice to see a familiar face.

What do you feel you need to work on?
I think I’ve come a long way with my shot. I’ve got to hit open shots in the NBA. A lot of guys do what I do, but I just have to work on what I do and that’s improving my shot.

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