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One-on-One with Jazz Rookie Paul Millsap
By Bill Ingram and Steve Kyler
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Dec 22, 2006, 09:36
The most surprising team of the 2006-07 season by far is the Utah Jazz, and
a big part of their early success has been rookie Paul Millsap. Millsap is
earning better than 15 minutes per game off the bench and is contributing 6.5
points on 55% shooting for head coach Jerry Sloan. Some of his best games
include an 18-point, 10-rebound performance in a win over the Suns, and a 16
and 10 night in a win over Seattle. Not bad for the 47th overall pick in the
2006 NBA Draft.
Are you surprised by the great start your team has gotten off to?
"Not really. In preseason we saw that we had the potential to be good. Coach
just had to bring it out of us. We started out good, now we'll try to finish
that way."
You were really flying below the radar on draft day. What's helped you to
be so successful?
"I believe in myself. I want to show everybody that I can play at this level
at my size. I have confidence and coach has a lot of confidence in me, so I'm
just going out there and trying to do what I have to do."
Is Coach Sloan as hard on rookies as people say he is?
"Not really. If you're doing it right he's cool. But once you step outside
of the boundaries that he has set for you he comes down pretty hard. The best
thing is just to do what he tells you to do so you can stay out of the
doghouse."
Some of the best big men in the league are on this team. Are you learning a
lot from them?
"I just watch them every day in practice, every game. I'm just trying to take
some things away from them and continue to learn the game and learn things
off the court. They're good teachers to me so I'm trying to learn as much
as I can."
Carlos Boozer came to Utah in the midst of a scandal, got hurt, but is now
playing at an All-Star level. How does he help this team?
"He's a double-double guy. He's always working hard. Even on days after games,
when we don't feel like practicing, he comes in with energy and brings energy
and life to the team. He's a big part of our success."
Is there a better power forward in the league right now?
"I don't think so. Not to me. I'm looking up to him. It's a great inspiration
to me to watch him play and do the things he does. I just try to feed off of
that."
The way you're playing you might just earn an invite to play in the rookie
game in Vegas. Would you be surprised by that?
"I wouldn't be surprised. I'm doing what I thought I should be able to do
when I got here. Getting named to the team wouldn't surprise me."
What's been the hardest part of your rookie season so far?
"Late nights and the traveling. Traveling will get to you sometimes and your
body gets tired and that’s the main thing."
Does it help that you have so many young guys like Deron Williams on this
team to help you get through your rookie year?
"It does. They tell you how to eat, tell you how to do get your rest, get
your energy up, so I try to learn from them because they've been here for
a year. They've helped me a lot.
The Utah Jazz are currently 19-7 and sit atop the Northwest Division ─ just
percentage points behind the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the NBA.
For a second round pick to be an influential part of that kind of success is
unusual, and can only be a harbinger of great things to come for Paul Millsap
and the Jazz.
http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_20035.shtml
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