2007 Draft Night Quotes - Julian Wright
June 28, 2007
(on his reaction to being taken No. 13)
“After the 9, 10 and 11 picks, I started hearing that New Orleans was a possibility. I started to feel that the Hornets would be a good fit. My agent and I definitely talked about this scenario. I’m definitely happy about this situation. As we got closer to the draft, I started to understand where I might get drafted.”
(on coming to a Hornets team that won 39 games despite widespread injuries)
“That’s one thing I looked at as well and liked about going there. I really take this as a great opportunity, to play with guys who have confidence and are in a position to do well. I am definitely looking forward to coming down there and being with those guys.”
(on his versatility)
“I can be a guy who shows a lot of skills. It may be a stale possession and I can make something out of nothing. Hopefully I can do that and really make things happen. I played point guard in high school for two years, then I played power forward because I had to. I’ve played with good players throughout my whole career and at Kansas, which helped me develop a lot of different things.”
(on Byron Scott’s calling Wright a “poor man’s Magic Johnson”)
“I have to laugh at that. It’s hard to really even think about it, because that is a big comparison. I guess that based on playmaking ability, I can see where (Scott is) coming from. I’m looking forward to learning from a true point guard like Chris Paul.”
(on coming to the city New Orleans)
“I was happy to see what the Saints and Hornets have done as sports teams in that city. That’s something I’ve always tried to do, to be a good citizen, and leave a place better than it was compared to when I came there. Hurricane Katrina was definitely something that impacted Americans as a whole. I look forward to contributing in a positive way to New Orleans.”
(on the impact he expects to make as a rookie)
“I feel like I will be able to be a big contributor. I can make plays and my jump shot has gotten a lot better. My confidence has improved and I’m able to knock down the three-ball. I want to be versatile and show that I can do a lot of different things.”
