Redick, Augustine Press Conference Quotes
AUDIO: J.J. Redick & James Augustine Press Conference
Otis Smith: “First off I’d like to welcome you all here. And welcome our new teammates to our family. I think Dave and I sat down a couple of nights ago and said if we could have a slam-dunk draft what would it look like. And this is it. J.J. at 11 and picking up James at 41. We had a very successful draft. And we’re happy to have these guys in our family.”
J.J. Redick: “I’m very excited to be here. Orlando is a team that I wanted to go to. I’m very grateful to Otis, Dave and Brian for allowing me to come down here last week and meet with them. I really like the family atmosphere here and the character of the guys on the Orlando Magic. And I’m glad to be part of this organization.”
James Augustine: “I just want to thank everybody that was involved with this and giving me the opportunity to play at the next level. I’m excited to be down here also with a player as good as J.J. and to be a part of this team and this organization. I’m very excited about being able to play here.”
On what the last two days have been like:
Redick: “Yesterday was the first day I wasn’t too nervous. It was finally the day of the draft. The past few months have been full of so much uncertainty that it was awfully nerve-racking. But I was pretty calm yesterday and obviously very excited when I heard my name called as the 11th pick by the Magic. And from then until I got here this afternoon its pretty much been a whirlwind.”
Augustine: “Yesterday I was pretty calm also. Everybody else I talked to was pretty nervous about the situation. But, I just did my part going to the workouts and trying to show what I can do and the rest was in everybody else’s hands. I was just happy when my name was called to become a part of this organization. Then I looked back to see who they had in the first round and it was J.J., so I was very happy about that, to come in with him and be able to play with such a good player.”
On how Redick felt after the meeting last week:
Redick: "I definitely tried to read into stuff, but they didn’t let on too much. But I had a good feeling that I was definitely in the mix here, and a fairly good idea on the day of the draft that this was where I was going to go.”
On if Redick feels he’s a good fit here:
Redick: “I do think it’s a good fit. When we had dinner last week we talked about fit, and how I thought I would fit in here. They expressed a need for a shooter and I think I can fill that role.”
On the depth and versatility of the Magic backcourt:
Brian Hill: “I am very optimistic about it. Getting J.J. gives us that extra piece that night in and night out is a consistent perimeter shooter and a highly competitive guy. For these guys it will be just like going to college. You get thrown into the fire and compete with the guys in the program for a starting spot. They each bring something different to the table and I think that both of them have a good opportunity to play in this league.”
On if he had back issues at Duke:
Redick: “No, I didn’t. It’s something that just developed towards the end of May or early June. I guess I injured myself the week before Orlando pre-draft camp when I was working out at Duke. I was just in a shooting workout with one of my assistant coaches at Duke. It got real tight and I experienced a little bit of pain, and over the next few days the pain got worse and then I got an MRI.”
On if Augustine had a feeling he would be chosen by the Magic:
Augustine: “I had no clue. I didn’t get any hints from anybody – from any teams, my agent – anybody. I was just watching the TV to see when my name would pop up. It was actually during the commercial break and I missed it. There was a lot of confusion. My parents were like, ‘I think they picked you.’ And then it took us 10 minutes to figure that out. So I pretty much had no clue what was going on.”
“I was at home with my family, and my agent called me and said, ‘Hang in there, everything’s going to be good,’ and he hung-up and that’s when it flashed I guess. I had no clue.”
“Once the later round came I was kind of hoping (I would end up in Orlando). I thought that it’d be a good fit and I really enjoyed it when I came (for my workout). I was just happy with the situation, but I had no idea what was really going on. I’m just really happy with how it turned out in the end.”
On why Augustine was a good draft choice:
Dave Twardzik: “I think the nice thing about both of these guys is that you have a four-year body of work that you can evaluate. The pre-draft camp is something we look at as being important, but I don’t think it’s the thing to evaluate on. We liked James from the beginning because he brings some toughness, doesn’t need the ball to be effective, he’s a rebounder and he was very content to play the role that he had at Illinois.”
On transitioning to the NBA:
Redick: “I always feel like I have something to prove. Even my senior year at Duke, I had a great junior year but I wanted to prove more. I wanted to prove that I was a more complete offensive player and a solid defender. And moving on to the next level I know it’s going to be a huge challenge but I feel like I have a lot to prove.”
On what will be different in the NBA:
Redick: “The strength and overall athleticism of the game. In college I usually got guarded by a great defender and a great athlete. But, it’s not to the level that it is in the NBA. Every night you’re facing elite athletes.”
Augustine: “Like J.J. said, every step is an adjustment. From high school to college and from college to the NBA it’s another adjustment. I think I have to gain some weight and get stronger. You play elite athletes everyday. You have to have your A game and be ready to play. I think I’ll adjust well to it.”
On if Redick will miss the heckling:
Redick: “I don’t know. Last night I got booed pretty heavily. I think I still may get it, I don’t know. I’m hoping I do. I like it. I had to make an adjustment. It helped me grow as a player on the court and it made me mentally stronger. Overall, I think playing at Duke helped me mentally and in my toughness because you have to be pretty tough to play for Coach K for four years.”
On if Redick is looking forward to playing with Dwight Howard: “I’m definitely looking forward to playing with Dwight. He’s one of the rising stars in this league. He had a great year last year and obviously he’s only going to get better.”
On not being able to draft high school players:
Twardzik: “I think it’s helped a little bit, not being able to take a high school kid. The process really evolves the closer to the draft you get. You start talking more about the flaws you see as opposed to what he can bring to the table. Obviously having a four-year body of work you can evaluate on makes it a little easier. You basically know how a guy has progressed over a four-year period as opposed to projecting what a guys going to be like after one or two years.”
Redick on his conditioning:
Redick: “I think it was an overall commitment and dedication. I just improved my discipline in all aspects, both on and off the court. I really focused on my conditioning the summer after my sophomore year and by the preseason I was winning most of the conditioning drills. I’m a slow white guy, so that tells you something. And after my junior year I liked the results so I basically kept the same conditioning program the summer after my junior year going into my senior year. I did pilates my senior year. Preseason I did it three times a week and during the season once or twice a week.”
Otis Smith: “First off I’d like to welcome you all here. And welcome our new teammates to our family. I think Dave and I sat down a couple of nights ago and said if we could have a slam-dunk draft what would it look like. And this is it. J.J. at 11 and picking up James at 41. We had a very successful draft. And we’re happy to have these guys in our family.”
J.J. Redick: “I’m very excited to be here. Orlando is a team that I wanted to go to. I’m very grateful to Otis, Dave and Brian for allowing me to come down here last week and meet with them. I really like the family atmosphere here and the character of the guys on the Orlando Magic. And I’m glad to be part of this organization.”
James Augustine: “I just want to thank everybody that was involved with this and giving me the opportunity to play at the next level. I’m excited to be down here also with a player as good as J.J. and to be a part of this team and this organization. I’m very excited about being able to play here.”
On what the last two days have been like:
Redick: “Yesterday was the first day I wasn’t too nervous. It was finally the day of the draft. The past few months have been full of so much uncertainty that it was awfully nerve-racking. But I was pretty calm yesterday and obviously very excited when I heard my name called as the 11th pick by the Magic. And from then until I got here this afternoon its pretty much been a whirlwind.”
Augustine: “Yesterday I was pretty calm also. Everybody else I talked to was pretty nervous about the situation. But, I just did my part going to the workouts and trying to show what I can do and the rest was in everybody else’s hands. I was just happy when my name was called to become a part of this organization. Then I looked back to see who they had in the first round and it was J.J., so I was very happy about that, to come in with him and be able to play with such a good player.”
On how Redick felt after the meeting last week:
Redick: "I definitely tried to read into stuff, but they didn’t let on too much. But I had a good feeling that I was definitely in the mix here, and a fairly good idea on the day of the draft that this was where I was going to go.”
On if Redick feels he’s a good fit here:
Redick: “I do think it’s a good fit. When we had dinner last week we talked about fit, and how I thought I would fit in here. They expressed a need for a shooter and I think I can fill that role.”
On the depth and versatility of the Magic backcourt:
Brian Hill: “I am very optimistic about it. Getting J.J. gives us that extra piece that night in and night out is a consistent perimeter shooter and a highly competitive guy. For these guys it will be just like going to college. You get thrown into the fire and compete with the guys in the program for a starting spot. They each bring something different to the table and I think that both of them have a good opportunity to play in this league.”
On if he had back issues at Duke:
Redick: “No, I didn’t. It’s something that just developed towards the end of May or early June. I guess I injured myself the week before Orlando pre-draft camp when I was working out at Duke. I was just in a shooting workout with one of my assistant coaches at Duke. It got real tight and I experienced a little bit of pain, and over the next few days the pain got worse and then I got an MRI.”
On if Augustine had a feeling he would be chosen by the Magic:
Augustine: “I had no clue. I didn’t get any hints from anybody – from any teams, my agent – anybody. I was just watching the TV to see when my name would pop up. It was actually during the commercial break and I missed it. There was a lot of confusion. My parents were like, ‘I think they picked you.’ And then it took us 10 minutes to figure that out. So I pretty much had no clue what was going on.”
“I was at home with my family, and my agent called me and said, ‘Hang in there, everything’s going to be good,’ and he hung-up and that’s when it flashed I guess. I had no clue.”
“Once the later round came I was kind of hoping (I would end up in Orlando). I thought that it’d be a good fit and I really enjoyed it when I came (for my workout). I was just happy with the situation, but I had no idea what was really going on. I’m just really happy with how it turned out in the end.”
On why Augustine was a good draft choice:
Dave Twardzik: “I think the nice thing about both of these guys is that you have a four-year body of work that you can evaluate. The pre-draft camp is something we look at as being important, but I don’t think it’s the thing to evaluate on. We liked James from the beginning because he brings some toughness, doesn’t need the ball to be effective, he’s a rebounder and he was very content to play the role that he had at Illinois.”
On transitioning to the NBA:
Redick: “I always feel like I have something to prove. Even my senior year at Duke, I had a great junior year but I wanted to prove more. I wanted to prove that I was a more complete offensive player and a solid defender. And moving on to the next level I know it’s going to be a huge challenge but I feel like I have a lot to prove.”
On what will be different in the NBA:
Redick: “The strength and overall athleticism of the game. In college I usually got guarded by a great defender and a great athlete. But, it’s not to the level that it is in the NBA. Every night you’re facing elite athletes.”
Augustine: “Like J.J. said, every step is an adjustment. From high school to college and from college to the NBA it’s another adjustment. I think I have to gain some weight and get stronger. You play elite athletes everyday. You have to have your A game and be ready to play. I think I’ll adjust well to it.”
On if Redick will miss the heckling:
Redick: “I don’t know. Last night I got booed pretty heavily. I think I still may get it, I don’t know. I’m hoping I do. I like it. I had to make an adjustment. It helped me grow as a player on the court and it made me mentally stronger. Overall, I think playing at Duke helped me mentally and in my toughness because you have to be pretty tough to play for Coach K for four years.”
On if Redick is looking forward to playing with Dwight Howard: “I’m definitely looking forward to playing with Dwight. He’s one of the rising stars in this league. He had a great year last year and obviously he’s only going to get better.”
On not being able to draft high school players:
Twardzik: “I think it’s helped a little bit, not being able to take a high school kid. The process really evolves the closer to the draft you get. You start talking more about the flaws you see as opposed to what he can bring to the table. Obviously having a four-year body of work you can evaluate on makes it a little easier. You basically know how a guy has progressed over a four-year period as opposed to projecting what a guys going to be like after one or two years.”
Redick on his conditioning:
Redick: “I think it was an overall commitment and dedication. I just improved my discipline in all aspects, both on and off the court. I really focused on my conditioning the summer after my sophomore year and by the preseason I was winning most of the conditioning drills. I’m a slow white guy, so that tells you something. And after my junior year I liked the results so I basically kept the same conditioning program the summer after my junior year going into my senior year. I did pilates my senior year. Preseason I did it three times a week and during the season once or twice a week.”
