Cavaliers Draft Quotes (June 28th, 2006)
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS GENERAL MANAGER DANNY FERRY
On the Cavaliers' draft:
“It was an exciting night for us. We feel we got lucky - lucky with the two players that we got. You have to be good going through the draft process and the scouting and I really felt that our group throughout the year really grew and came together as a scouting group. It’s a team effort that Chris (Grant) led and it was great to watch from where we were last year in the draft as a group and as an organization to where we are now as to how we made our decisions.”
On how the draft fell:
“You have to be lucky. We were very lucky that Shannon Brown was there when we picked. Along with that at 42 with Daniel Gibson. Both players I think have bright futures in the NBA. They are both talented and high quality people. They are athletic, like to defend, make a shot and will bring a lot of energy every day to practices and the games. We are very fortunate to have them and are looking forward to getting them here and getting them started in their development process that will take place over the next couple of years.”
On Shannon Brown:
“We’re excited. We really did not believe that Shannon would be available at 25. We thought a lot of teams in front of us would want to take him but a couple of picks threw it out of whack as to where Shannon was available and we’re really excited.
"First of all, he’s a great athlete. He works hard. He’s a gym rat, loves to play basketball. He’s a great teammate. Everything you hear about the guy – he’s a real high-character, quality guy. Along with that, his athleticism is off the charts. He can make an open shot. He can get to the basket. He can finish with authority. He competes defensively. He comes from a winning program and all those things make us feel really good about Shannon.
"I felt like he could fit into Mike Brown’s system really well. He will compete and battle and takes pride in what he does defensively and he’s athletic and strong enough to make it happen.”
On Daniel Gibson:
“He really shoots the ball naturally. It’s comfortable. It’s easy. He can really motor side to side and stay in front of people. That combination for us is really important. Looking at him, he’s probably more of a point guard because he will defend point guards more often. I think he can do a really good job of it. Along with that, I think he’s a guy that you are not going to be able to leave because he can knock down shots on a consistent basis. Those are values he can bring to our team and to be able to get him at the 42nd pick, we are very excited.”
On the combination of Brown and Gibson:
“I look at Shannon more as a two guard and Daniel more as a one/two guard. Our team is unique in that we can have unique players. With LeBron, we are going to put the ball in his hands a lot and with Larry, we are going to put the ball in his hands a lot and we’ve got guys to play off that. I think both guys are very capable of doing that. These guys are coming in with a defensive mindset already and they both have the athletic ability to back it up at this level. Both of them can make a shot and I feel really good about both of these guys. We worked hard all year to get to this point and we also got lucky. We are thankful.”
CAVALIERS ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER CHRIS GRANT
On Shannon Brown:
“Shannon comes from a winning situation at Michigan State where they do things the right way. Izzo is very well respected and we appreciate how he coaches his players. When we scouted him we like his athleticism, grit, toughness, energy, ability to score, passion for the game. All these things come out of him when he plays. He’s just a ball of energy.”
On the draft as a whole:
“This was a really difficult draft. You try to stay away from mock drafts in the beginning and get your process down. If we had the number one pick all the way down through all your picks, and when you get that set you try and get on the phone with other teams and get a feel for what’s happening and in all my years doing this, until today, with the number of picks that went on in the top 10 that no one really knew who was going in the top 10.”
CAVALIERS FIRST ROUND PICK SHANNON BROWN
On fitting in with Cleveland:
“They like to get out and run and play hard and they have a great coaching staff. It’s all good. I’m just so happy that everything worked out…I couldn’t be happier right now.”
On playing with LeBron James:
“That’s great. He makes the game easy. I’ve watched his games since he was in high school and he’s a competitor and battler. He gets it done.”
On playing point guard and shooting guard:
“Whatever they need me to play – point guard or shooting guard. Hard work and determination is going to help me.”
On what type of player he is:
“I just bring a lot of energy and a lot of toughness and competitiveness. I just go out there and play hard. It’s going to be a great thing that’s about to happen.”
On who he patterns his game after:
“I like players like Dwyane Wade and Gilbert Arenas – guards that go out there, battle, compete and get it done.”
On the Cavaliers' draft:“It was an exciting night for us. We feel we got lucky - lucky with the two players that we got. You have to be good going through the draft process and the scouting and I really felt that our group throughout the year really grew and came together as a scouting group. It’s a team effort that Chris (Grant) led and it was great to watch from where we were last year in the draft as a group and as an organization to where we are now as to how we made our decisions.”
On how the draft fell:
“You have to be lucky. We were very lucky that Shannon Brown was there when we picked. Along with that at 42 with Daniel Gibson. Both players I think have bright futures in the NBA. They are both talented and high quality people. They are athletic, like to defend, make a shot and will bring a lot of energy every day to practices and the games. We are very fortunate to have them and are looking forward to getting them here and getting them started in their development process that will take place over the next couple of years.”
On Shannon Brown:
“We’re excited. We really did not believe that Shannon would be available at 25. We thought a lot of teams in front of us would want to take him but a couple of picks threw it out of whack as to where Shannon was available and we’re really excited.
"First of all, he’s a great athlete. He works hard. He’s a gym rat, loves to play basketball. He’s a great teammate. Everything you hear about the guy – he’s a real high-character, quality guy. Along with that, his athleticism is off the charts. He can make an open shot. He can get to the basket. He can finish with authority. He competes defensively. He comes from a winning program and all those things make us feel really good about Shannon.
"I felt like he could fit into Mike Brown’s system really well. He will compete and battle and takes pride in what he does defensively and he’s athletic and strong enough to make it happen.”
On Daniel Gibson:
“He really shoots the ball naturally. It’s comfortable. It’s easy. He can really motor side to side and stay in front of people. That combination for us is really important. Looking at him, he’s probably more of a point guard because he will defend point guards more often. I think he can do a really good job of it. Along with that, I think he’s a guy that you are not going to be able to leave because he can knock down shots on a consistent basis. Those are values he can bring to our team and to be able to get him at the 42nd pick, we are very excited.”
On the combination of Brown and Gibson:
“I look at Shannon more as a two guard and Daniel more as a one/two guard. Our team is unique in that we can have unique players. With LeBron, we are going to put the ball in his hands a lot and with Larry, we are going to put the ball in his hands a lot and we’ve got guys to play off that. I think both guys are very capable of doing that. These guys are coming in with a defensive mindset already and they both have the athletic ability to back it up at this level. Both of them can make a shot and I feel really good about both of these guys. We worked hard all year to get to this point and we also got lucky. We are thankful.”
CAVALIERS ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER CHRIS GRANT
On Shannon Brown:“Shannon comes from a winning situation at Michigan State where they do things the right way. Izzo is very well respected and we appreciate how he coaches his players. When we scouted him we like his athleticism, grit, toughness, energy, ability to score, passion for the game. All these things come out of him when he plays. He’s just a ball of energy.”
On the draft as a whole:
“This was a really difficult draft. You try to stay away from mock drafts in the beginning and get your process down. If we had the number one pick all the way down through all your picks, and when you get that set you try and get on the phone with other teams and get a feel for what’s happening and in all my years doing this, until today, with the number of picks that went on in the top 10 that no one really knew who was going in the top 10.”
CAVALIERS FIRST ROUND PICK SHANNON BROWN
On fitting in with Cleveland:“They like to get out and run and play hard and they have a great coaching staff. It’s all good. I’m just so happy that everything worked out…I couldn’t be happier right now.”
On playing with LeBron James:
“That’s great. He makes the game easy. I’ve watched his games since he was in high school and he’s a competitor and battler. He gets it done.”
On playing point guard and shooting guard:
“Whatever they need me to play – point guard or shooting guard. Hard work and determination is going to help me.”
On what type of player he is:
“I just bring a lot of energy and a lot of toughness and competitiveness. I just go out there and play hard. It’s going to be a great thing that’s about to happen.”
On who he patterns his game after:
“I like players like Dwyane Wade and Gilbert Arenas – guards that go out there, battle, compete and get it done.”
