Sixers Press Releases

Jrue Holiday Teleconference 6/25/09

Audio Transcript

On if he expected to fall as far as he did…
No. I heard different things, but at the same time I really had to try and not have an expectation of where I was going because if you’re set on going somewhere and you end up not going there, you could really get your heart broken. I’m definitely excited to come to Philly. It was definitely a good pick for me.

On if he sees himself more as a point guard in the NBA with the Sixers…
I am definitely a point guard; I can distribute the ball, I can mark up on defense. I see myself as a point guard.

On if he had an inkling that the Sixers were going to select him…
I’ve talked to my agent and he said something about them. I definitely knew that they were there, but I didn’t know of any interest they had in me. I’m definitely excited.

On if he is ready to contribute in the NBA…
Most definitely. Seeing all of the players that came out and made an impact. Defensively, I created energy and offensively, I distributed the ball.

On what it was like playing the whole season out of position (as a shooting guard, not as a point guard)…
It’s kind of frustrating at times. Again, it’s something to do and it’s more fair. No question at times, it was definitely something that helped out at the end.

On how playing shooting guard helped his team…
When you have two point guards in the back court, I know what the setup is, I know the defense. I don’t need to always have the ball to help the team or make a play.

On what he feels his biggest adjustment will be in the NBA…
I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a big adjustment that has to be made. I’m definitely going to learn a lot.

On how Tony DiLeo said they don’t see him as having an immediate impact, but are excited for his future potential…
Honestly I see myself as an impact player. When I step on the court, I will be there and I will contribute to the team. That’s my expectation for myself: To come in and play my game for my first year.

On the last time he played at the Wachovia Center during the NCAA tournament…
I played the Houston University game. It was very comfortable and definitely exciting for the Villanova game. Definitely out there, the crowd is crazy and you can feel the intensity and energy of the crowd by playing your game.

On how much he knows about the Sixers and from what Eddie Jordan told him about it in Philly…
I know that they’re a young team who likes to run and get up and down. I heard they like to push their offense and do things that I have definitely done before and that describes me; that is how I am.

On being a top 10 player and going past the number 10 slot…
At the beginning of the whole thing, it was like I might go past the first round and the second round. Honestly, I am happy and I’m blessed to be where I am.

On the spelling of his first name…
I have cousins who are named Justin, Jenna, Janet, John, and James, and my mom and her sister kind of made a pact. I have an older brother named Justin, and I’m Jrue. She liked the name Drew, but I kind of just switched it with the ‘J’ in it. I guess it worked out. The weird part is that my little sister is named Lauren and I have a little brother named Aaron. So that’s my name.

On how coming from an athletic family helped him develop as a player…
Definitely just knowing the game and being around the game my whole life. It’s an advantage; especially just growing up around it and my parents coaching and playing against my older brother definitely helped me. My little brother and sister helped me the same way because from birth they have been in the gym.