Syfo-Dyas
08-14-2008, 04:14 AM
Aug. 11, 2008
As the start of a new season -- and a new era -- of New York Knicks
basketball draws closer, NYKnicks.com will sit down with the players,
coaches and others closely associated with the team to discuss their
thoughts on the outlook for 2008-09.
We begin the series with Knicks forward David Lee, who discusses the
off-season roster changes and his thoughts on playin g head coach Mike
D'Antoni's system.
NYKnicks.com: You recently had your first practice with the other guys
when you were in Las Vegas, and had an opportunity to start to learn
Mike D'Antoni's system. How did that go?
David Lee: I've been around Coach D'Antoni a little bit when I
practiced with the Olympic team last year, and he's got a specific way
that he wants the game to be played, and that's up-tempo and intense.
It's a different speed than the one which you play, and the only way
that you learn that style of play is by doing it in practice. Even
when we had those practices out in Vegas, everything was that you've
got to run, run, run. We've got to learn that style of play now if we
want to do it and do it well during the season, so that was a good
experience.
NYKnicks.com: Right after D'Antoni got hired, did you talk to any of
your teammates about what to expect?
Lee: Well, when we ran into each other of course it's going to come
up, but the key is that we are all on the same page in that we are
excited about it and what we can all do together. From the outside
looking in, everyone says it's got to be fun to play that kind of
style of play. I don't know too many basketball players who don't
enjoy getting up and down the court and fast-breaking. Now, I know it
takes a high level of commitment to be in shape, and that's why I've
been working as hard as I have this summer. But it's a fun system.
NYKnicks.com: What were your thoughts in the past when you would go up
against D'Antoni's Phoenix teams?
Lee: Oh man … tired! (laughs) They wear you out! That style of play --
or I should really now say our style of play -- it's something that if
you don't prepare for every single day, it's ridiculous. I mean it's
just flat-out tough. There were times where we would come back from a
game where we would face a half-court team and then have to play
Phoenix, and it seems that they are going 1,000 miles per hour, but
they are used to playing that way. You can usually handle it for a
quarter or two, but then about the third quarter, they are still going
full speed and you are getting tired and are sucking wind. So it's an
interesting style to play against and I'll be happy to be playing for
it this year.
NYKnicks.com: Last summer, you were coming off a season-ending injury.
How has this year been different in getting a chance to prepare for
the season?
Lee: Last summer, I was trying to work out really hard, but at the
same time, I was really conscious not to overdo it so that the injury
wouldn't linger. This summer, I've been going full blast. I was able
to play 81 games this past year, and I'm really focused on getting
better with my jump shot, getting better with my ball-handling and
really just improving my overall conditioning so I'm ready to go and
have a great year.
NYKnicks.com: You recently finished running your own summer camp for
kids. How was that experience?
Lee: That's really fun for me because it's amazing how much I can
learn just from teaching kids in camp. Just being around the game, its
fun. The opportunities I've been given -- what can I say? I am trying
to give back as much as I can, and I want to show kids just how much
fun basketball can be, how enjoyable the game can be and, of course,
teach them a couple of things. The biggest thing with camp is that you
can pick up little things here and there, but, of course, enjoying
yourself is a huge part of it.
NYKnicks.com: You had a chance to play with Anthony Roberson in
college at Florida. Now, he will be a teammate with the Knicks. What
can you tell Knicks fans about him?
Lee: Well Anthony, he's a heck of a scorer. I'd almost relate him to a
Daniel Gibson or Jannero Pargo. He's one of those guys that can come
off the bench for you, and even if he doesn't come in until the third
quarter or so, with all the veteran guards we have, he's a guy that
can come in and give you 12 or 14 points in a quarter without even
warming up. That's a very rare player, especially at this level to do
that. He's also a great guy, and a guy that I think will really help
our team.
NYKnicks.com: What did you see out of Danilo Gallinari in your
practices, as well as his limited playing time during Summer League?
Lee: I'm really excited about him. He's going to be fun to play
alongside of. I've been working out with him for a couple of weeks,
and I think his skill level is what made me initially very excited
about his future. His ability to shoot, pass, dribble and everything
he can do, and it makes him a huge threat from the outside. And being
a threat at the three spot at that size, it's a pretty special
combination.
NYKnicks.com: Speaking of new players coming into the fold, what are
your thoughts on getting a chance to play with Chris Duhon?
Lee: Chris is a guy that I've played against for three years here now,
and I also played against him in college. I've seen what he can do.
The first thing that comes to mind where he can really help our team
is having a guard at the one and two spot that can really defend. I
think he can guard a couple of different positions. And I'll say that
he's a consistent guy offensively that is a pass first style of guard,
but he can also hit the open shot. You know, I think he's going to be
a good guy character-wise and everything, so I'm excited.
NYKnicks.com: Have you set any specific personal goals for this
season, and if so, what are they?
Lee: You know, it's tough to say at this point. It's going to be
interesting to see what happens, what moves are made in the next month
or two or if any moves are going to be made at all. I think Mr.
(Donnie) Walsh has a great mind and knows the pulse of this team. I
think from there, we'll be able to see what our team can do.
NYKnicks.com: You mentioned before that you are really working hard on
your jump shot this summer. Towards the end of last year, you clearly
started to add that to your repertoire and really began to hit it
pretty consistently. Are you comfortable with where you are at with
your jumper or do you still consider it a work in progress?
Lee: That's basically what I start my days working on and finishing
the day working on. It's something that hopefully people in the next
couple of years are going to say 'I can't remember when that guy
didn't have a good jump shot.' Yeah, I was more comfortable using it
last year, but I want it to be one of the strengths of my game. That's
why I keep working on it.
NYKnicks.com: A lot of fans keep coming up to you and it seems they
all want to know your thoughts on the team's future.
Lee: Yeah, and I keep telling them the truth -- we are heading in the
right direction. Whether they want to believe it or not, that's
another story (laughs), but I think when the season rolls around they
will see a Knicks team they can be proud of.
NYKnicks.com: When you talk about a team headed in the "right
direction", what sort of specifi things are you referring to?
Lee: Well, everywhere I've been, people are asking me about
(D'Antoni). And I keep telling them it's going to be exciting. When I
was out in Vegas, we were running a lot and getting ready. Guys are
getting in shape. We're excited and we're ready. The biggest thing is
that the positive change is on the way, and I think we're going to
have an exciting group this year, and the fans that have stuck with us
like last year, it's going to be great times ahead for us.
As the start of a new season -- and a new era -- of New York Knicks
basketball draws closer, NYKnicks.com will sit down with the players,
coaches and others closely associated with the team to discuss their
thoughts on the outlook for 2008-09.
We begin the series with Knicks forward David Lee, who discusses the
off-season roster changes and his thoughts on playin g head coach Mike
D'Antoni's system.
NYKnicks.com: You recently had your first practice with the other guys
when you were in Las Vegas, and had an opportunity to start to learn
Mike D'Antoni's system. How did that go?
David Lee: I've been around Coach D'Antoni a little bit when I
practiced with the Olympic team last year, and he's got a specific way
that he wants the game to be played, and that's up-tempo and intense.
It's a different speed than the one which you play, and the only way
that you learn that style of play is by doing it in practice. Even
when we had those practices out in Vegas, everything was that you've
got to run, run, run. We've got to learn that style of play now if we
want to do it and do it well during the season, so that was a good
experience.
NYKnicks.com: Right after D'Antoni got hired, did you talk to any of
your teammates about what to expect?
Lee: Well, when we ran into each other of course it's going to come
up, but the key is that we are all on the same page in that we are
excited about it and what we can all do together. From the outside
looking in, everyone says it's got to be fun to play that kind of
style of play. I don't know too many basketball players who don't
enjoy getting up and down the court and fast-breaking. Now, I know it
takes a high level of commitment to be in shape, and that's why I've
been working as hard as I have this summer. But it's a fun system.
NYKnicks.com: What were your thoughts in the past when you would go up
against D'Antoni's Phoenix teams?
Lee: Oh man … tired! (laughs) They wear you out! That style of play --
or I should really now say our style of play -- it's something that if
you don't prepare for every single day, it's ridiculous. I mean it's
just flat-out tough. There were times where we would come back from a
game where we would face a half-court team and then have to play
Phoenix, and it seems that they are going 1,000 miles per hour, but
they are used to playing that way. You can usually handle it for a
quarter or two, but then about the third quarter, they are still going
full speed and you are getting tired and are sucking wind. So it's an
interesting style to play against and I'll be happy to be playing for
it this year.
NYKnicks.com: Last summer, you were coming off a season-ending injury.
How has this year been different in getting a chance to prepare for
the season?
Lee: Last summer, I was trying to work out really hard, but at the
same time, I was really conscious not to overdo it so that the injury
wouldn't linger. This summer, I've been going full blast. I was able
to play 81 games this past year, and I'm really focused on getting
better with my jump shot, getting better with my ball-handling and
really just improving my overall conditioning so I'm ready to go and
have a great year.
NYKnicks.com: You recently finished running your own summer camp for
kids. How was that experience?
Lee: That's really fun for me because it's amazing how much I can
learn just from teaching kids in camp. Just being around the game, its
fun. The opportunities I've been given -- what can I say? I am trying
to give back as much as I can, and I want to show kids just how much
fun basketball can be, how enjoyable the game can be and, of course,
teach them a couple of things. The biggest thing with camp is that you
can pick up little things here and there, but, of course, enjoying
yourself is a huge part of it.
NYKnicks.com: You had a chance to play with Anthony Roberson in
college at Florida. Now, he will be a teammate with the Knicks. What
can you tell Knicks fans about him?
Lee: Well Anthony, he's a heck of a scorer. I'd almost relate him to a
Daniel Gibson or Jannero Pargo. He's one of those guys that can come
off the bench for you, and even if he doesn't come in until the third
quarter or so, with all the veteran guards we have, he's a guy that
can come in and give you 12 or 14 points in a quarter without even
warming up. That's a very rare player, especially at this level to do
that. He's also a great guy, and a guy that I think will really help
our team.
NYKnicks.com: What did you see out of Danilo Gallinari in your
practices, as well as his limited playing time during Summer League?
Lee: I'm really excited about him. He's going to be fun to play
alongside of. I've been working out with him for a couple of weeks,
and I think his skill level is what made me initially very excited
about his future. His ability to shoot, pass, dribble and everything
he can do, and it makes him a huge threat from the outside. And being
a threat at the three spot at that size, it's a pretty special
combination.
NYKnicks.com: Speaking of new players coming into the fold, what are
your thoughts on getting a chance to play with Chris Duhon?
Lee: Chris is a guy that I've played against for three years here now,
and I also played against him in college. I've seen what he can do.
The first thing that comes to mind where he can really help our team
is having a guard at the one and two spot that can really defend. I
think he can guard a couple of different positions. And I'll say that
he's a consistent guy offensively that is a pass first style of guard,
but he can also hit the open shot. You know, I think he's going to be
a good guy character-wise and everything, so I'm excited.
NYKnicks.com: Have you set any specific personal goals for this
season, and if so, what are they?
Lee: You know, it's tough to say at this point. It's going to be
interesting to see what happens, what moves are made in the next month
or two or if any moves are going to be made at all. I think Mr.
(Donnie) Walsh has a great mind and knows the pulse of this team. I
think from there, we'll be able to see what our team can do.
NYKnicks.com: You mentioned before that you are really working hard on
your jump shot this summer. Towards the end of last year, you clearly
started to add that to your repertoire and really began to hit it
pretty consistently. Are you comfortable with where you are at with
your jumper or do you still consider it a work in progress?
Lee: That's basically what I start my days working on and finishing
the day working on. It's something that hopefully people in the next
couple of years are going to say 'I can't remember when that guy
didn't have a good jump shot.' Yeah, I was more comfortable using it
last year, but I want it to be one of the strengths of my game. That's
why I keep working on it.
NYKnicks.com: A lot of fans keep coming up to you and it seems they
all want to know your thoughts on the team's future.
Lee: Yeah, and I keep telling them the truth -- we are heading in the
right direction. Whether they want to believe it or not, that's
another story (laughs), but I think when the season rolls around they
will see a Knicks team they can be proud of.
NYKnicks.com: When you talk about a team headed in the "right
direction", what sort of specifi things are you referring to?
Lee: Well, everywhere I've been, people are asking me about
(D'Antoni). And I keep telling them it's going to be exciting. When I
was out in Vegas, we were running a lot and getting ready. Guys are
getting in shape. We're excited and we're ready. The biggest thing is
that the positive change is on the way, and I think we're going to
have an exciting group this year, and the fans that have stuck with us
like last year, it's going to be great times ahead for us.