Sports Radio Interviews

Ty Lawson: From Tar Heel to Nugget

The transition from being the big man on campus to a backup can’t be easy, but Ty Lawson is doing it and doing it well.  Lawson is averaging 10.3 points, 2 boards and 3.2 assists in 21.8 minutes through his first 10 NBA games.  Stats are not what are wowing people around Denver and the NBA; it’s that “thing”, that basketball IQ that is doing it.  Coach George Karl, a fellow Carolina Tar Heel , even has admitted that Lawson is smart for a rookie and hustles like a veteran. These are good things to be said about a rookie or any NBA player that is not a superstar yet.  He is used to the limelight, playing almost every game the last few years on ESPN or national TV, so the NBA market isn’t getting to him.

Lawson also is backing up a guy who is nicknamed Mr. Big Shot and has won an NBA title and been to seven straight Conference Championships, Chauncey Billups.  Billups is not “done” yet in the NBA but I am sure is happy to have a backup like Lawson who wants to learn and become as good in the NBA as he was in college.

Ty Lawson joined 104.3 the Fan in Denver to talk about the start of his NBA career, the transition from college to the pros and the best player he has seen so far in the NBA.

Asked about the monster dunk he had the other night on D.J Mbenga:

“Oh it’s crazy, being in the NBA and finally dunk on somebody. I dunked on people in high school and stuff like that, but never at this high level. I was excited and I am still hearing from people, texting me and calling me talking about the dunk.”

Asked about the difference from college ball to the NBA level of competition:

“Basically everybody is taller and stronger. Maybe in college I was able to get away with just my speed, but in the NBA everybody is smarter, you got to think about your moves before you do them.  I mean there is a lot more to it then just actually playing. There are a lot of schemes to the game, instead of like in college you just might try and outscore a team. In the NBA it’s like football, you are seeing what kind of defense takes them out of their offense, there is a lot of stuff behind it.”

Asked what he wants people to say about him as a player after his rookie season:

“I probably want all the NBA analysts to be like ‘yeah he was better then we thought he was’.  That’s why I am playing so hard right now; working so hard, just to get haters and stuff like that to eat their words.  That’s the main thing I want to hear at the end of the season.”

Listen to Ty Lawson with Alfred Williams and Dmac on 104.3 The Fan in Denver

Tags: Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets, DJ Mbenga, NBA, North Carolina Tarheels, Ty Lawson