Searching For Summer Success
Jonah BallowRelated Images
Wolves Editor/Writer Jonah Ballow and NBA correspondent Chris Lewis will provide play by play coverage of the Wolves' Summer League games along with audio, video, and live interaction on Timberwolves.com. Starting on Sunday July 12, Timberwolves.com is the spot for wall-to-wall Summer League coverage live from Las Vegas.
Wolves' television analyst Jim Petersen joins Jonah Ballow with Summer League stories and a glimpse at the 2009 roster for Minnesota.
Jonah Ballow with Jim Petersen
Jonah Ballow: Welcome to Timberwolves.com, I’m Jonah Ballow alongside Wolves television analyst Jim Petersen. Jim thanks so much for joining me. Let’s talk some Summer League action. I want to get your thoughts. You have been on the coaching side of things, the broadcast side of things and obviously on the court as a player. The process for these type of guys – the rookies, the undrafted players trying to get a job in the NBA – what is their mentality heading into a scrimmage-type atmosphere there in Vegas?
Jim Petersen: I have fond memories of when I was drafted by the Houston Rockets being a third round pick. We selected Hakeem Olajuwon with the first pick of the draft and he wasn’t asked at that time to go play on a summer league team. They drafted Ralph Sampson No. 1 the season before and Rodney McCray third. It was a situation for me, I was going in there with other draftees and back then there were 12 rounds of drafting so there were a lot of draftees that came in with the Rockets. but also some free agents and veteran players who they wanted to come and play and evaluate against the other players who were drafted.
I went down there and actually went to San Antonio, that’s where our summer league was. I played so well in that summer league that they offered me a guaranteed contract. I made the team based on summer league. I think summer league is one of those things you can really make your name. If you are sort of on the border line, people may not know you very well. You go there and you play well and you can do a good job, you can earn a spot on a team and for sure earn a camp spot.
The ultimate goal of summer league is to be invited back to camp. And then at camp you get to go against the veteran players when everybody is there. Then you can take it one step further and prove yourself.
Summer league is necessary. When you look at rosters, everybody is there for different reasons. Obviously Jonny Flynn is going to make the team. He’s the first round pick for Minnesota. He’s going to make the team. He’s there to learn the system, to familiarize himself with the coaching staff, with how Minnesota is going to run their system. Obviously with Minnesota right now in limbo in terms of coaches, it makes that a little different situation for Jonny Flynn. It’s an ability for at least David Kahn to be able to evaluate players. He’s for sure going to be there.
With other coaches though you are also thinking, I’m on Minnesota’s summer league. Other coaches are now also evaluating me and they may see me on this team over here and if I get released, they might pick me up. There’s a lot at stake. I know a lot of people maybe don’t pay attention to it that much, but it’s an important thing for these players.
Jonah Ballow: You mention that you basically started your career by your summer league play. What does that make as far as competition on the floor? These guys are not only playing for pride and to get to know the system and that type of stuff, but also for their livelihood. You get a mix like Ben Woodside, who is from North Dakota State undrafted. And he’s competing for a job. And then you have the type of guys who are drafted who are basically competing to get a feel for the game against other competition’s top draft picks. What kind of mix is that like on an NBA-type floor in a situation like that?
Jim Petersen: I broke James Ray’s tooth boxing him out because I wanted a job. James Ray had been a five, six year veteran. He had played for the Denver Nuggets and played the season before with the Rockets. I didn’t know who he was. I think sometimes ignorance is bliss and being young is bliss because all you know is this is my spot, that guy is in my way. It’s competition. Yeah, we’re on the same team in summer league but I’m still trying to do my best in practices and in the games.
The competition is fierce and believe me it’s palpable. You can feel it when you are there. Even though there’s camaraderie at least initially, you know that guy is after your job and you’re after his. It’s an important thing.
It’s gut wrenching in a lot of ways. You’re always nervous – am I going to make it? There are always the questions in your mind. But it goes away when you step on the floor. It’s amazing how players know when they don’t have it. Players also know who’s going to make it and who’s not going to make it. Sometimes there’s disappointment because you think you played well enough to make the team. I always made the team, so I didn’t have a problem with that. Your heart always breaks when somebody plays well. I just remember my second year in the league when we drafted Steve Harris out of Tulsa in the first round and Sam Mitchell in the fifth round. And Sam Mitchell came in and outplayed Steve Harris in training camp and Bill Fitch had to cut Sam Mitchell. Sam always says that was a seminal moment for him when he was cut because it made him work that much harder.
Even though for some of these players, it may be the end of the road at least right now, it could lead to something else – whether they go to Europe, whether they go to the D-League, whether they go to another team, whether they go wherever. It’s a destination and you can’t let this be the only thing. You have to have a backup plan and that’s what most of these guys will end up having to do.
Jonah Ballow: Looking at that roster, we took a brief moment to look at some of the top guys. In your opinion, when you look at that roster, who is somebody you would keep an eye on to see the results, obviously on Timberwolves.com – I’m going to be posting all of the information, video and audio so you can keep up to date with all of the games going on – who is somebody you want to keep an eye on to see whether he makes this team and maybe whether he will be a part of this Wolves franchise in the future.
Jim Petersen: We mentioned Ben Woodside from North Dakota State. I think that from an underdog perspective, he’s 5-11, being from North Dakota State, I think that he is a guy that I think people can identify with. Ben Woodside, very talented guy, he’ll be going up against the six-foot Jonny Flynn. I’d love to see those practices. I’d like to see those two guys go at it.
Paul Harris, played at Syracuse with Jonny Flynn. I think that’s an interesting thing. The fact that Wayne Ellington, who was Minnesota’s first round pick, the shooter from North Carolina, played against Gerald Henderson at Duke. The juxtaposition of Duke and North Carolina is always compelling. Henderson, of course, is not Minnesota’s property.
It’s a blend team with Charlotte. That’s one of the cost-saving measures. You don’t sit there and pay for everybody to come out and have a big team and try to field your own team. Teams have been melding teams together. Seeing those two guys go at it is going to be kind of interesting.
I also think seeing Corey Brewer come back is going to be big. I saw Corey after our last Lynx game in NBA City. I watched a number of his workouts with J.B. Bickerstaff and Corey looks great. He’s running at 100 percent. His jump shot is improved. J.B. has done a great job of working with Corey on his technique and form. I think he’s another one that Wolves fans should watch on Timberwolves.com and to check out and see how he is progressing.
Jonah Ballow: That’s great stuff. Thanks for your preview, Jim. And hopefully you will be checking out the coverage.
For more news and notes on the team follow the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jonah on Twitter.
Wolves' television analyst Jim Petersen joins Jonah Ballow with Summer League stories and a glimpse at the 2009 roster for Minnesota.
Jonah Ballow with Jim PetersenJonah Ballow: Welcome to Timberwolves.com, I’m Jonah Ballow alongside Wolves television analyst Jim Petersen. Jim thanks so much for joining me. Let’s talk some Summer League action. I want to get your thoughts. You have been on the coaching side of things, the broadcast side of things and obviously on the court as a player. The process for these type of guys – the rookies, the undrafted players trying to get a job in the NBA – what is their mentality heading into a scrimmage-type atmosphere there in Vegas?
Jim Petersen: I have fond memories of when I was drafted by the Houston Rockets being a third round pick. We selected Hakeem Olajuwon with the first pick of the draft and he wasn’t asked at that time to go play on a summer league team. They drafted Ralph Sampson No. 1 the season before and Rodney McCray third. It was a situation for me, I was going in there with other draftees and back then there were 12 rounds of drafting so there were a lot of draftees that came in with the Rockets. but also some free agents and veteran players who they wanted to come and play and evaluate against the other players who were drafted.
I went down there and actually went to San Antonio, that’s where our summer league was. I played so well in that summer league that they offered me a guaranteed contract. I made the team based on summer league. I think summer league is one of those things you can really make your name. If you are sort of on the border line, people may not know you very well. You go there and you play well and you can do a good job, you can earn a spot on a team and for sure earn a camp spot.
The ultimate goal of summer league is to be invited back to camp. And then at camp you get to go against the veteran players when everybody is there. Then you can take it one step further and prove yourself.
Summer league is necessary. When you look at rosters, everybody is there for different reasons. Obviously Jonny Flynn is going to make the team. He’s the first round pick for Minnesota. He’s going to make the team. He’s there to learn the system, to familiarize himself with the coaching staff, with how Minnesota is going to run their system. Obviously with Minnesota right now in limbo in terms of coaches, it makes that a little different situation for Jonny Flynn. It’s an ability for at least David Kahn to be able to evaluate players. He’s for sure going to be there.
With other coaches though you are also thinking, I’m on Minnesota’s summer league. Other coaches are now also evaluating me and they may see me on this team over here and if I get released, they might pick me up. There’s a lot at stake. I know a lot of people maybe don’t pay attention to it that much, but it’s an important thing for these players.
Jonah Ballow: You mention that you basically started your career by your summer league play. What does that make as far as competition on the floor? These guys are not only playing for pride and to get to know the system and that type of stuff, but also for their livelihood. You get a mix like Ben Woodside, who is from North Dakota State undrafted. And he’s competing for a job. And then you have the type of guys who are drafted who are basically competing to get a feel for the game against other competition’s top draft picks. What kind of mix is that like on an NBA-type floor in a situation like that?
Jim Petersen: I broke James Ray’s tooth boxing him out because I wanted a job. James Ray had been a five, six year veteran. He had played for the Denver Nuggets and played the season before with the Rockets. I didn’t know who he was. I think sometimes ignorance is bliss and being young is bliss because all you know is this is my spot, that guy is in my way. It’s competition. Yeah, we’re on the same team in summer league but I’m still trying to do my best in practices and in the games.
The competition is fierce and believe me it’s palpable. You can feel it when you are there. Even though there’s camaraderie at least initially, you know that guy is after your job and you’re after his. It’s an important thing.
It’s gut wrenching in a lot of ways. You’re always nervous – am I going to make it? There are always the questions in your mind. But it goes away when you step on the floor. It’s amazing how players know when they don’t have it. Players also know who’s going to make it and who’s not going to make it. Sometimes there’s disappointment because you think you played well enough to make the team. I always made the team, so I didn’t have a problem with that. Your heart always breaks when somebody plays well. I just remember my second year in the league when we drafted Steve Harris out of Tulsa in the first round and Sam Mitchell in the fifth round. And Sam Mitchell came in and outplayed Steve Harris in training camp and Bill Fitch had to cut Sam Mitchell. Sam always says that was a seminal moment for him when he was cut because it made him work that much harder.
Even though for some of these players, it may be the end of the road at least right now, it could lead to something else – whether they go to Europe, whether they go to the D-League, whether they go to another team, whether they go wherever. It’s a destination and you can’t let this be the only thing. You have to have a backup plan and that’s what most of these guys will end up having to do.
Jonah Ballow: Looking at that roster, we took a brief moment to look at some of the top guys. In your opinion, when you look at that roster, who is somebody you would keep an eye on to see the results, obviously on Timberwolves.com – I’m going to be posting all of the information, video and audio so you can keep up to date with all of the games going on – who is somebody you want to keep an eye on to see whether he makes this team and maybe whether he will be a part of this Wolves franchise in the future.
Jim Petersen: We mentioned Ben Woodside from North Dakota State. I think that from an underdog perspective, he’s 5-11, being from North Dakota State, I think that he is a guy that I think people can identify with. Ben Woodside, very talented guy, he’ll be going up against the six-foot Jonny Flynn. I’d love to see those practices. I’d like to see those two guys go at it.
Paul Harris, played at Syracuse with Jonny Flynn. I think that’s an interesting thing. The fact that Wayne Ellington, who was Minnesota’s first round pick, the shooter from North Carolina, played against Gerald Henderson at Duke. The juxtaposition of Duke and North Carolina is always compelling. Henderson, of course, is not Minnesota’s property.
It’s a blend team with Charlotte. That’s one of the cost-saving measures. You don’t sit there and pay for everybody to come out and have a big team and try to field your own team. Teams have been melding teams together. Seeing those two guys go at it is going to be kind of interesting.
I also think seeing Corey Brewer come back is going to be big. I saw Corey after our last Lynx game in NBA City. I watched a number of his workouts with J.B. Bickerstaff and Corey looks great. He’s running at 100 percent. His jump shot is improved. J.B. has done a great job of working with Corey on his technique and form. I think he’s another one that Wolves fans should watch on Timberwolves.com and to check out and see how he is progressing.
Jonah Ballow: That’s great stuff. Thanks for your preview, Jim. And hopefully you will be checking out the coverage.
For more news and notes on the team follow the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jonah on Twitter.
