Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld and the Wizards organization introduced guard/forward Nick Young to the local media today. Young was drafted 16th overall by the Wizards in the 2007 NBA Draft. Last season at Southern California, Young ranked among the Pac-10 leaders in scoring (17.5 ppg, 2nd), three-point field goal percentage (.440, 2nd) and field goal percentage (.525, 5th).

QUOTES

WASHINGTON WIZARDS GUARD/FORWARD NICK YOUNG
On his arrival in Washington:
“I am very happy to be here. This is a good opportunity for me. Mr. Grunfeld and the coaching staff are just unbelievable. I am very excited to be here and I want to thank everyone for welcoming me here to Washington. This is a great situation for me, and I’m looking forward to getting on the court with my new team and contributing however I can.”

On being drafted:
“The support of my family and my surroundings helped me get to this point. I had a dream and goals and everyone kept pushing me. I never gave up, and I’m never going to give up. This is the start of a lot of things for me. I reached a goal to get here, but I have new goals now, and I’m just happy and ready to give it my all here.”

WASHINGTON WIZARDS PRESIDENT ERNIE GRUNFELD
On Young’s experience:
“Nick is more mature than a lot of the players in the draft. He has had three years of college experience in one of the top conferences in the country. He is probably a little more prepared to come in and play right away than some of the guys, and that was a big factor for us to consider. There are very few players in this league that can get their own shot and create for not only themselves but for their teammates as well, and Nick has the potential to do that.”

On Young’s ability:
“He is a good catch-and-shoot player. He can spot up and make a shot and he has good range on his jump shot, and his athleticism is off the charts. He has long arms, a 7-foot wingspan, and a 39-inch vertical. That is substantial. He brings a lot of things to the table, and he has a good attitude and a very good work ethic.”