20 Questions With Your Boy — Ryan Gomes

On May 13, the Nuggets worked out Seamus Boxley of Portland State, Ryan Gomes of Providence, Devin Green of Hampton and Dijon Thompson of UCLA. Boxley, a 6-foot-7 forward who averaged 20.6 ppg and 8.1 rpg in 2004-05, was named the Big Sky Player of the Year as a senior at Portland State. Gomes, a 6-foot-7 forward who led the Big East in scoring with 21.6 ppg to go along with 8.2 rpg, was a consensus First Team All-American as a junior and a two-time All-Big East First Team member while at Providence. Green, a 6-foot-7 forward, averaged 14.1 ppg and 7.6 rpg during his senior season at Hampton. Thompson, a 6-foot-7 guard/forward who averaged 18.4 ppg and 7.9 rpg, was named to the All-Pac 10 Team as a senior at UCLA.

Ryan Gomes

Q1: How did your workout go today?

A: I thought it went well. I went out there and gave it all I have. I got to do that for every team that I workout for because you never know what team might want to take you.

Q2: What was the best part of your workout today?

A: I thought my defense was good on the closeout (drills) and I shot the ball well today. I think I showed that I can handle the ball a little better then I did last year.

Q3: What do you look to prove to each organization that you workout for, and how do you prepare yourself?

A: I am not really trying to prove too much. I do a lot of work around the post area, you know posting up and getting the ball down there; so I’ve got to show that I can still do that and also just make some perimeter shots when I am open and take people off the dribble when I got the opportunity.

Q4: What is your game’s biggest strength?

A: I’d say probably rebounding is one of my biggest strengths, at the college level. So, I’d say rebounding and I think I just have a good feel for the game.

Q5: What is your biggest weakness?

A: Like I said, I think my defense was good today, but I know there is going to be quicker guys that I am going to have to guard at the next level. So, I know that is probably going to be the main thing that I can continue to improve on.

Q6: It was well known that you were considering entering the draft last year. How do you think staying in school that extra year helped you out?

A: It helped me out in a bunch of ways. When I went to the pre-draft camp, I had a lot of GMs and scouts tell me that ‘in order for you to play at this level, you got to work on your ball-handling, your shooting, your defense.’ By knowing all that, I went back and did that. We didn’t have as successful a season (at Providence); but I think I improved individually as a player.

Q7: Do you think it hurt you at all?

A: I don’t know if it really hurt me, but it matters how teams view it. It might of helped had we won more games and made it to the NCAA Tournament, but I played four years of college so there is more then just that one year to look at.

Q8: Looking back on your college career, what was the best game that you played?

A: I really can’t put it on one game, I just put it on one season, which was not this past season but the season before when we went to the NCAA Tournament. To me it's not about the individual, it's about how the team does. Like this year I was the leading scorer in the Big East, but we didn’t win; so it wasn’t as big of a deal.

Q9: What are you looking forward to the most about being in the NBA?

A: Just getting better. Just being around guys that have been there and that can teach me the ropes.

Q10: What is your biggest fear about it?

A: I wouldn’t say that I have any big fears. Going into a team or an organization, you don’t really know what to expect. You might not play a lot of minutes the whole season, but you just got to stay level headed and go in and work everyday. The first contract isn’t the biggest, but you got three or four years to just keep improving to get the big contract the following year, which is what my goal will be.

Q11: When did you start playing basketball?

A: Freshman year of high school was the first year I played organized basketball.

Q12: Do you think it hurt you starting so late?

A: With some guys, it actually hurts them coming up as a player because they just kept getting fed the whole ‘you’re great, you’re great, you’re great.’ With me, I had to just keep improving each and every day to earn that respect. It was the same way in college, and I know it will be the same way at the next level as well.

Q13: What do you think your biggest challenge is going to be at the next level?

A: Adjusting. Adjusting because there are 82 games you got to fly here, fly there. I’ve been working out for three different teams in three days, so I am seeing the way it is during the season, and these are just hour workouts, not even full games.

Q14: What will be the first thing that you buy if you get drafted into the NBA?

A: Besides a place wherever I get drafted, I’d probably just get a nice car and then remodel my mom’s house back in Connecticut. I’m really not that big of a spender.

Q15: Do you have a favorite player or role model that you looked up to or emulated while growing up?

A: Not really, there was always a lot of players in the NBA that I liked. So I would just watch all of them and try to, you know, multi-task my game.

Q16: Who is the biggest influence in your life?

A: I have a few; but if I had to narrow it down, I’d say my high school coach, who passed away a couple of years ago, and my AAU coach had the biggest influences on me.

Q17: Who is your favorite musical artist?

A: Of course I’d have to say Jay-Z. But since he’s retired now and not rapping too much, I’d probably say I’ve been listening to 50 Cent and Jadakiss the most lately.

Q18: What is your favorite movie?

A: Everyone says "Scarface," so I’m not even going to say that …. But man, now that I think about it, I've got to say "Scarface."

Q19: Did you follow the Nuggets at all this past season?

A: Yeah, I watched them a lot. They have a tough team and I think they have a lot of great players, especially a lot of good forwards. Like my man (Marcus) Camby who’s from Connecticut like myself.

Q20: Finally, what do you think you could add to this team?

A: It’s tough to say right now because they have so many good players. But I know I’d just come in and work my butt off to try to fit in and get a few minutes here and there and just do whatever the coach asks me to do.