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Elton Brand

Transcript Audio

On the last time he was this excited for a season to start:
Last time I was this excited was when I came to the Clippers from the Bulls. I had a chip on my shoulders, something to prove wanted to play really well and we actually had a really good season.

On being in Philadelphia:
The city – it’s been a great experience. You hear about the Philadelphia fans, but you know, its passion. They want their local teams to win. It’s been great and everybody’s excited. You know the Phillies made the play-offs so we’re going to root for them, and then it’s on us.

On this seasons’ training camp:
It’s the start. You can always get better. Training camp we’ll start to see how we’ll mesh and how we’ll grow. We’re still a young team and we need to play together to see how new parts, (you know – me), work with the older parts. So we’ll all have to get together and play together and we’re going start that at training camp.

On his perception of the Sixers the past few seasons:
My perception of the Sixers, especially the second half of last season is that they are very athletic. They were getting up and down the court and more importantly they were winning ball games. They were top 5 in wins, not only in the East, but in the NBA. I watched the play-off series of course. They took Detroit to the brink of almost winning that series.

On the fans:
I’m excited. Like I said, the fans here are passionate about their teams. They want you to win; that’s why they’re going to come out and support you. That’s why there’s this pressure for you to play well. And all eyes are on you during basketball season, so that’s definitely going be different from playing on the Clippers and being in the Lakers’ shadow.

On his preparation for this season:
I feel good right from day one. I played the last few games last season, took a few weeks off and this summer did everything possible to get on the basketball court. Running, jumping, playing 5-on-5 -- so I’m ready to go. I’m ready to be doing everything that everyone else is doing – except what the rookies are doing, carrying bags and stuff – but other than that, I’m ready to go.

On working hard at training camp:
Coach Cheeks has been at the workouts every day so he’s seen the players, but in a structure setting you want to show them who you are as a player. As a veteran in other training camps, it’s kind of like, ‘Alright, you already know who I am. I can take it easy a little bit on the court today,’ but now I definitely want to set an example for some of the younger players and play well at this training camp.

On how he defines his role:
As a veteran, I am a newcomer, but as a veteran a lot of guys certainly look up to me, as being an elder statesman - age-wise. But we also have other great veterans who the staff is adding in Theo Ratliff, Donyell Marshall and Andre Miller – he’s in my class and he’s here. So we have some strong veterans.

On being viewed as the star by Philadelphians:
I’m here, and I know what my role is going to be. Coach Cheeks and I discussed that. But, you know, it’s about team with me – it’s about team. The city can definitely focus on me to be that leader, which I am going to be, but at the end of the day I want to win ball games. So if Andre Iguodala scores 25 and Andre Miller gets 17 assists, then I have no ego. As long as we’re winning the games I’m sure the city is going to be happy.

On being in the Eastern Conference:
The Eastern conference has gotten tougher of course. Of course it starts with the Boston Celtics - they’re the reigning champs. That’s what our goal is; our goal is to be one of those echelon teams that’s why we’re coming to training camp and working hard trying to get there. There are definitely some tough teams in the East but I know we can compete with all of them.

On if he’s surprised to be in Philly:
It’s a little surreal -- just because I was in Los Angeles for so long. I wouldn’t say surprised, but I am excited and I’m ready to be here.

On if he would have listened to a sales pitch from Philly two years ago:
I would listen – you have to listen to all sales pitches. But what they did the second half of last season and seeing how those players grew, especially young players. I played with Andre Miller the first time I ever made the all-star team. He was the point guard who was giving me all the shots I was making so I know what he can do. So seeing how these young players grew and thinking, ‘Hey I could be a part of something,’ and wanting to come here – that made it a lot easier. But if it was a tougher season like it was a few years ago, it might have been a tougher decision with other teams offering larger amounts of money. My own team – my ex-team, they offered something comparable. But you have to look at the team, and when I did that I thought Philadelphia had the best chance of winning and was the best place I wanted to be.

On changing his game:
I’m definitely not going to change my game, but I can adapt. Playing in the West for so long, I can’t run like Andre Iguodala, but I can get up and down the floor for a big guy, and trailing, getting rebounds and kicking it out. Also, they are going to adapt to the way I play. A lot of post catches, things like that – Coach Cheeks and the staff and I discussed. I think we’re going to get used to each other.

On post-season pressure:
I miss the pressure, but it’s fun. That’s why I play. It’s exciting. You want someone to expect you to win – what’s it going to be like to be put in a situation to win. And I haven’t had that since the playoffs two or three years ago with the Clippers. I haven’t had that feeling again, so it feels good – I’m ready for it.

On being part of the Sixers organization:
It’s really an honor and a privilege to be a part of an organization with so much tradition and heritage – you know, from Dr. J and Allen Iverson and all the points he scored – he’s one of my favorite players. A little out of my era, he’s a little older, but then there’s Coach Mo Cheeks. So many top notch players and the history of getting to the championship and then just losing in the finals. I was very young, but I followed it because I’m a basketball fan so to be a part of that and try to make a mark on that – it’s not going to be about points because of Wilt (Chamberlain) and everyone else, but it’s going to be about wins.

Andre Iguodala

Transcript Audio

On the Sixers taking the next step:
I think Ed Stefanski has done a great job coming in and changing the style a little bit, and putting guys in the right place where they can excel on the court. Thaddeus (Young) was getting more minutes last year when we put him in at the four position, and his confidence just shot through the roof. He is playing well now and I think he has had a great off-season. Bringing in Elton Brand, I think that was an area some may have had concern about and we solved that problem. With the young guys getting better, I think we are headed in the right direction.

On the Sixers having a target on their backs:
Definitely, I have been in the position where we weren’t expected to do much. We had some success last year, getting to the playoffs, and some people didn’t expect us to get there. This year is a little different, you have got to really be on point, and nobody is really looking past us as they did in the past. It’s almost like every night teams are getting back to that stage where were going into Philly we got to get this win. Were a good team and teams will bring their “A games”. We got to be on point every night.

On whether he is worried about playing shooting guard:
No, as long as I am in the game. What we try to get across is that the shooting and small forwards are pretty much the same position, as far as running the lane and the sets are the same. There were times where it looked like I was playing the small forward, but I was at the shooting guard, or vice-versa. Defensively, I am still guarding the guy who’s got the ball in his hands the majority of the time. Whether it is a shooting guard, like Kobe (Bryant), or a small forward, like Carmelo (Anthony). It’s pretty much the same.

On his thoughts on Elton Brand dealing with playing in Philly:
A lot of guys speak to him about that. With the kind of guy he is, I don’t think he will have a problem with that. Stand-up guy – very laid back. Probably more laid back out there (Los Angeles), then with you guys (Philadelphia media) in here (laughs). I think he will make a good transition. I think the organization told him coming in, I think he is ready to embrace that role as being one of the key guys for our team and having to deal with the media and city.

Different mindset this year:
I’m sure it was the same. We’re trying to improve coming into the next season. You want to stay sharp in every aspect of the game and then add something new. Just stay in the gym and grow as a player.

On how he found out about Elton Brand:
I don’t know how word gets out so fast in the basketball world. I guess with all the media and the internet now, that’s how it spread. People check out Hoops Hype (website) everyday and other media outlets online. I got a call from, I forget who it was, and he said you guys might try and get Elton (Brand). Then it happened two days after, so I wasn’t surprised. It was just Ed (Stefanski) doing his job and I think he went out and found a great fit for our team.

On the Brand addition changing his leadership role:
It won’t change too much. I think what Elton is going to do is bring that inside presence, but at the same time he’s the type of guy who can take and give criticism, which is something you don’t see with a lot of the superstars in this league. We played pick-up a few times and he said “'Dre don’t turn the ball over.” He just told me straight up and I can take that. He might miss the game winning shot and I’ll say, “I can do that, I can miss a game winning shot.” He’s cool in that aspect. It makes it easier playing with a guy who can give criticism but also take it, and that’s the main thing. I think he understands the big picture, which is to try to help everybody get better and keep it professional. That part of him is going to rub off on some of the younger guys.

On his scoring role after the addition of Elton Brand:
I look at it two ways. Either I’m going to score a whole lot of points or everybody else is going to be going to work. It is going to be very hard to key in. I feel like you are going to have to pick your poison. Just playing with Elton last week, it opened my eyes. Just like playing with Andre Miller, you don’t realize how good a player he is until you actually play with him. I could see how well we worked together, and guys playing unselfish. One thing I like about him is when he does get the ball, he is going to do something with it, he’s going to get fouled, he’s going to score or someone else is going to score off him. It’s going to make it easier for everybody.

On the team adapting to Elton Brand:
I am just looking forward to us improving. It takes a little bit of time to adjust to a new player. I think and hope it will be a little bit faster playing with Elton, just by playing with him last week. Once we put in the plays and get to work with each other, we will find our areas where were going to be on the floor. Once we find our spots on the floor and being together with Elton hopefully, we will get that together early in the season and get off to a good start.

On what he learned from last year’s playoffs:
Just understanding the importance of possessions in the playoffs. Game 5, when we were up big at halftime and Detroit went on an 11-0 run. That run right there, turned the whole series around. That started from the first possession of the second half and went to the last possession when the run ended. Just to understand, what it means to go through that process and everybody having to see it and go through it, as opposed to someone telling you what the playoffs are about.

On whether he believes Brand is a difference maker:
Yes, whenever you can get a guy who puts up the numbers that he does in the tough Western Conference, is a difference maker on any team. The guys are really excited about him being an addition to the team.

On whether he is more relaxed after signing his new contract:
Not really, it’s pretty much the same. Those checks haven’t come yet (laughs) so I am still on the same budget. It really hasn’t hit me yet. I have the same routine everyday. I am anxious about getting the season started, I’ve been getting kind of bored the past couple of days saying, “Man, this is taking forever to come.” When I woke up this morning it felt like a great day.

On what there is to prove after the new contract:
Exactly, having something to prove last year with the whole contract issue. It’s the same this year just having something to prove, that we’re a good team and I am a high caliber player in this league. And, continue to maintain that throughout my career.

On learning from last year’s poor start:
Just not getting too far off the course, and not getting too far off the road we are trying to get to. We had times where we were veering off a little bit, and we were having team meetings, and we seemed to snap right back in it. Which is a good thing and I think a lot of that is from having good players on this team. We had one team meeting last year where Andre Miller said, “This is the best team I have been on,” as far as the group of guys that we have, and everyone respects each other. It feels like a family here and you don’t see that in too many NBA teams. Once guys realize that, it’s like we are a tight group. We always stick together. Things are about to change for us a little bit. There is going to be some good and bad but as long as we stick together.

On taking to his game to the next level:
The next level for me is just continuing to help this organization grow and get to higher heights. It is not just about me, of course I have my own individual goals, but they will be accomplished with how well our team performs. The more we win the better for Andre Iguodala.

Samuel Dalembert

Transcript Audio

On this upcoming season:
I feel confident, because looking at the track record we tried to keep the same group of guys we’ve had in previous years. We built a relationship together and we added players that are really going to compliment all of us. It brings something special to the team such as Elton Brand and Donyell Marshall. Personally I feel we are going to be able to gel and make things happen.

On his anticipation for the season:
I’m glad to be here. I feel at home. I’ve been with the Sixers for so long I feel at home when I come back.

On Elton Brand helping on the block:
Watching basketball, when you have a guy that you have to pay attention to, you look at the scouting reports and say this is the guy we have to double, that is going to open the floor so much. You have a guy like me that has been waiting for something like that. We have Andre Igoudala, and when things are focused on him, I picked up the other things. I got extra rebounds and I make my position offensively to be there. Because of guys like Elton Brand they are going to have to pay attention to someone like me. That is something I am really going to have to utilize this year.

On spacing the floor with the help Elton Brand:
One thing I have been talking to the coaches about is the fact that I have been shooting 12 to 15 foot jumpers, which I have been able to do the past couple of years. That’s really going to help me. It’s going to put me in a situation where if they have to double-team, I am either going to get that or slash to the basket and finish, I’ve really been thinking about that over the summer - the way we’re going to space so he can do his thing down low and for me to go out there and contribute offensively.

On having a guy like Elton Brand:
I thought about it, but never thought it would happen. We had similar players come in, but unfortunately for whatever reason the system didn’t go with the type of players they were. I think having a new general manger, having a coach like Maurice Cheeks and having players coming in like Elton Brand, we are going to make sure we utilize them and we are going to make sure we make things happen. We really focus on that, and never forget about the other players too.

Outlook on this season’s team compared to last year:
No idea to tell you the truth. I just know personally the type of team we have and the confidence we have in each other. I know my teammates personally and the things we are capable of making happen this year. At the end of last year we can see that we turned things around and we discovered the group of guys we had and nobody had faith in us at the beginning of the season. Now we have additions to our team, which is really going to improve us. I think you are going to be surprised.

On Sixers playing style:
In the playoffs our style of play and don’t try to adjust things when throughout the league teams have a certain style of playing and they stick to us no matter what and they win or lose. I think our strength was pushing the ball and now we know our weakness, which was the half court. We were relying so much on our jumpers and stuff like that, I think having Elton Brand when teams try to stop us, a fastbreak, now we can at least hurt a little bit in the half court.

On the situation with team Canada:
It was very unfortunate what happened in Canada, and that is something personally I really didn’t know what happened everything happened so quick and there was no indication of things leading to it or anything like that, where I could have maybe prevented it. It was an experience for me and it was also knowing people’s personalities. I didn’t let it effect me as much, I went home and spent time with my family and grandmother and worked on my game to get ready for the season.

On expectations for the upcoming season:
Personally I expect to be an All-Star. This year, that is one of my goals. As a team, I expect us to go far in the playoffs this year. Those are my two goals.

On not having set plays for himself:
If you look at the history of All-Star players you see guys like Ben Wallace being an All-Star and having the time on the court to produce defensively. You can go down the list and you don’t necessarily have to be scoring 20 points a game, my goal has never been scoring. I’m an opportunistic scorer. I want guys like Elton Brand to have the ball, and I want guys like (Andre) Iguodala to have the ball because, they are going to look to pass the ball and I can score off of that. My focus is to always give second-chance opportunities to my team, but my main goal is to be a force, a presence inside. I want to be a dominant defensive player inside and this year with the coaches and the comradery on the court I am just going to be a presence and we have guys like Theo (Ratliff) coming back, so the sky is the limit.