JJ Avila

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Q: “You’ve had quite the journey to be standing here today, what kept you going when times were rough?”

A:  “Just having faith that someone would see what I can do. For instance, when I was at home for a year and a half I was working every day to make sure they could see a good investment in me and to show them they weren’t making a mistake.”

Q: “I know you went a full year with not playing college basketball, did you ever consider stopping at that point and not playing again?”

A:  “No, never. Every day I was out working spending most of my time in the gym. With a year and a half off it’s tough to keep the mind right especially being at home. But I tried to just keep my grades up to stay eligible and just stayed positive. I never thought I would quit. I just wanted to get back to the game to see what I could do.”

Q: “While playing at two respected universities what was the biggest lesson you learned.”

A: “It’s a lot of hard work, just keep your head straight and your eye on the prize. Also if you want to get your degree get that as well. You know basketball could end at any time but with a degree that can never be taken. So just staying focused in both aspects is the biggest lesson.”

Q: “What do you think you bring to the table for an NBA team?”

A: “Honestly, this is another level. I just want these teams to know that with me even if I don’t get to step on the court, in the practice gym I’ll be the guy on the team that everyone is happy to have as a teammate. I will do all of the dirty work like diving on the ground, communicating on defense and working to make my teammates better. I really think that I’m a great role player whatever they want me to do I’ll do.”

Q: “Who do you emulate while on the floor”?

A: “I guess I have a similar game to Kevin Love, with my height and strength no one is going to push me around so offensively I would say him. Defensively I see myself as a Draymond Green type.”

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Prospect Q&A: JJ Avila

The Denver Nuggets begin their 2015 pre-draft workouts tomorrow morning with a group of local prospects.

JJ Avila is a 6’8” forward from Colorado State, and was the only player in the nation to average better than 16 points, 7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2 steals per game while shooting over 55% from the floor.

Avila will be joined at the Nuggets practice facility by a fellow Colorado State teammate, Stanton Kidd, who is also a 6’8” forward. Kidd notched 21 double-digit scoring games this past season.

With the addition of Askia Booker, the two aforementioned CSU prospects will be joined by a representative from their cross-state rival, the University of Colorado. Booker, a 6’2” guard, is only the third player in University of Colorado history to reach 1,700 points, 400 rebounds, 300 assists and 140 steals in his career.

From the University of Wyoming, 6’9” forward Derek Cooke Jr. is scheduled to join Denver’s first 2015 pre-draft workout as well.  Cooke is the only Cowboy to start all 35 games last season, which included Wyoming’s first NCAA tournament since 2001-02.

Alex Herrera, a 6’9” center from Fort Lewis and RMAC Defensive Player of the Year for three-consecutive seasons, will also participate.

The final prospect scheduled to workout with the Nuggets on their first day of pre-draft workouts, Mitch McCarron, is originally from Brisbane, Australia, but played last season locally for Metropolitan State University of Denver. The 6’3” guard was the NABC National Player of the Year, and averaged 20.1 points last season for the Roadrunners.

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Nuggets Pre-Draft Workout Preview: May 27

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