We’ll post the videos as soon as their processed. But along with the audio, here are some excerpts from Kings president Geoff Petrie and coach Keith Smart addressing media at the conclusion of the 2012 NBA Draft.
Geoff Petrie Excerpts
- Petrie says they had Thomas Robinson ranked second on their big board behind Anthony Davis. “We’re really thrilled to be able to draft Thomas Robinson. We felt, going into the draft, he’s one of the top couple talents in the draft overall, particularly at his position. (We) thought he would, you know, even as of this morning, were fairly sure he would not be at five. But that’s why the draft is the draft. And we certainly have a need there as far as our depth up front. And he’s going to bring a lot of competitive spirit. He’s a ferocious rebounder. And has a lot of quickness and a lot of speed, quick feet. Think he’ll be a great addition to the team.”
- Petrie says they weren’t really looking to trade down. “To be honest, we didn’t really look at that. The price to do that is generally very, very high. Obviously, we would trade up to get the No. 1 pick, but nobody traded up. It’s just a difficult thing to do.”
- Despite the selection of Robinson, Petrie says that Jason Thompson is the Kings’ top priority when free agency starts Sunday: “We’re in a position here of adding too, not subtracting from at this point. Our goal is to go out when free agency starts and Jason is still a very important part. I actually think DeMarcus (Cousins) and Jason and Thomas can be…really fit well together because both Jason and Thomas can run like the wind for big guys, and we want to play a running style. They both rebound and along with DeMarcus, it could be a real interesting combination.”
Keith Smart Excerpts
- Smart on Robinson’s personality: “Even when I met him in Chicago, he had a presence about him that just dictates I’m going to work. For everything that’s going to be given to me, I’m going to work for it first…He’s going to bring that attitude to our basketball team, which is exactly what we want, what I want and what our basketball team wants.”
- When did Smart think that Robinson could be available for them at pick no. 5? “I think it started when No. 2 changed. Because now it started to move at a different little pace. It started to pick up a pace that ‘it could be, it could be.’ And then finally as he continues to evolve, once that four hit, you knew he was going to be in your lap.”
- Smart says there was no question of selecting anyone but Robinson. He was going to be the pick. “It was clear cut. Everyone in the room was there, so it was no thought. Like I said, you do so many of the scenarios (of) what ifs. And here’s a what-if case if someone moves into a position of being drafted in an area where you thought a player like him would be. And all of a sudden that scenario played itself out. And so he’s obviously the guy that you thought about because you looked at what could happen if that guy is there.”
Listen to the audio after the jump.
Petrie Audio
[podcast]http://www.cowbellkingdom.com/sound/geoff_petrie_2012_draft.mp3[/podcast]Smart Audio
[podcast]http://www.cowbellkingdom.com/sound/keith_smart_2012_draft.mp3[/podcast]
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