Tony Battie Teleconference - 7/21/2010

Q: What do you think you can bring to the Sixers?

A: I bring veteran leadership. I know we have a young core of guys, especially the bigs Marreese [Speights] and [Jason] Smith. Elton Brand is a veteran and you can’t forget about Spencer Hawes. I’m looking forward to bringing what I can bring to the team and showing the guys some of my tricks of the trade that have allowed me to stay around for the past thirteen seasons.

Q: For Sixers fans that don’t know you, what kinds of tricks of the trade do you bring to the team? Besides the veteran presence on and off the court, what is your game specifically?

A: Well basically if you’ve followed my career, I’ve never been a guy that’s filled up a stat sheet. I’ve always been a team guy. I’ve always been a guy that plays the game with a defensive presence. I’m a hard-nosed rebounder. Not only that; I’m just a guy who loves to do the dirty work - the little things weather it’s setting a screen to get a guy like [Andre] Iguodala an open look, or taking charges. Every game has a knack where you can get in there and find something to do that can help your team win. It doesn’t have to be scoring all the time. It could be vocally on the bench, or vocally in the locker room. Like I said, doing the other things as far as charges and being a defensive presence. No matter what team you go to, no matter what player you are, you can always help your team out by playing solid defense and being a pretty good rebounder.

Q: When you look at this team [Sixers] what type of style do you see them having?

A: I’m not sure. I’m going to leave that up to Coach [Collins]. I’m going to just fall in line and follow him; he’s going to lead the way and as we go through I’ll find my niche and insert some leadership. Of course, if you know Doug [Collins], he’s got everything under control and we’re going to follow his lead.

Q: Have you had a chance to talk to Doug [Collins]? If so, what is he expecting for the team besides the points you’ve already hit on

A: I have not talked to him today, but last week we conversed on the phone a couple of times. He told me that he thought I could be a major piece for this team as far as leadership and even a defensive closer.

Q: You’ve played against this team [Sixers] in the playoffs. What do you see them maybe lacking right now and what are your general thoughts on the squad?

A: I’m going to step back one more year when I was with the [Orlando] Magic and we played the Sixers in the playoffs. I remember the Sixers came out with a fight and hit us right in the chin that first game, and kind of woke us up. They brought an intensity and I think that core group of guys is still here. I’m not big on just coming out and saying what I’m going to do, I like to sit back and see what’s going on. I know there’s some chemistry and there are some leaders on this team and I just want to help them in whatever way I can. I’ll find my niche as I go along; I really can’t define it right now, but I’ll find it and I’ll be a help somewhere down the road.

Q: You say you’re not a stat guy, but it seems like you’ve had some pretty good games, including the game in the playoffs against the Sixers a year ago when [Dwight] Howard got into foul trouble. What was it in those games that allowed you to be successful under pressure?

A: In the Howard situation you’ve just got to be willing and ready to play. You never know when your number is going to be called. You have to carry yourself as a professional at all times. When Howard was suspended during that game, [Marcin] Gortat moved in as the starting center. I moved in as backup and we ended up winning that game; I think we actually closed the series in that game. You just have to show some of the younger guys that you never know when your number might be called; you never know when an injury or a suspension or something may come up to cause a guy to not be able to play or perform. You just have to be ready when your number is called and that’s all a part of being a professional.

Q: Do you know anything about Evan Turner? Have you seen anything about him? Have you been able to catch any of his games from college?

A: I caught a couple of his games in college. With the NBA going on, I’m more caught up in [the season’s] 82 games than I am in college basketball. But, I had a chance to check him out a little bit in the [Orlando] Summer League, and even read some of the press clippings about how he was a little bit, I wouldn’t say down on himself, but he was a harsh on himself about the way he played and he expected more of himself. So that right there shows you that the kid’s got some heart and he’s got a great upside and I’m sure with the coaching staff we have assembled that they’ll be able to get the best out of his talents. The kid’s a baller; he’s a player.

Q: What’s your brother Derrick doing now? I know he was a little older than you, but can you talk about him and the impact he might have had on your career?

A: It’s funny you say that because I just got off the phone with him a little while ago. We’re from Dallas, Texas. So for Derrick, a Texas boy, to come all the way to the East coast to play for [John] Chaney, that was huge for him. Philly was good to him. He had a pretty good career at Temple [University]. For me, it was kind of the blueprint. I just kind of followed in his lead a little bit. We were two years apart. I remember back in high school, I was a sophomore and he was a senior, when he signed his letter of intent, honestly it kind of sparked a buzz for me, because as a younger brother you say ‘I’m just as good as my older brother.’ So to see him sign with a major school like Temple [University] at the time, I kind of approached the game a lot differently. Like I said, he was the senior and the captain of our high school team, South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas. My junior year, after he left, I started coming into my own and that blueprint lead me through high school and I ended up signing with Texas Tech University. I didn’t want to go as far away as he did. I was the Mama’s boy so I stayed close to Mom. I just kind of followed his career, with his same blueprint through college. Everything just kind of fell into place, and it was great to look up and see my older brother who went through the college ranks, and I kind of did the same. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a professional career that he would like to have had. He went overseas and played a couple years. He’s the reason I’m here now. I followed in his footsteps and followed him to the gym as a kid and things of that nature, and I think that’s where I got my work ethic from.

Q: Can you talk about the fact that you’re pretty comfortable with the Philadelphia surroundings? During your career, you have come down in the summer to work out with a lot of guys from the city.

A: Definitely. My fiancé is from Philadelphia. I ended up meeting her while I was here during that duration of working out. I couldn’t find that back in Texas. So, with my brother having the roots here, I came up to Philly and ended up basically making my summers of my early NBA career here because the talent that would flow through was so high. You had guys like Rasheed Wallace, Allen Iverson, Marc Jackson from Temple [University], Mark Macon, Rick Brunson, Eddie Jones, Dajuan Wagner, Terquin Mott, Jason Lawson, and the whole Villanova crew. I can go on and on and on. I couldn’t find that type of competition and pro-level players in Dallas so I had to bring my game elsewhere. Like I said, I made Philly home all those summers. I’m comfortable. I know my way around town. I think I even almost got drafted here. I think [Keith] Van Horn went number two in the 1997 [NBA] Draft, but I came and I worked out for the team at Drexel. I remember all those days. Like I said, Philly’s been great for me. I look forward to it being even better this season.