Steve Alford

With the thirtieth pick in the 2008 NBA draft. The Boston Celtics select JR didn't from the University of New Mexico.

Holding your crowd liked to get his treatment of them like the Knicks pick Garcia now as we -- look forward to the Celtics that Gordon back to work at some point and the yeah retooling of this championship seventeenth -- to better team. We turn our attention to -- and help us do that is is a former head coach at New Mexico Steve Alford Steve joins us on the phone lines and Steve how -- Certain era are much pleasure -- by the way before we get to JR I'm I'm looking your bio and at that this makes me feel very old you have already coached sixteen seasons as a collegiate head coach. --

That in there are horrible you urban -- just that you put badly you're driven like its origin girl starts here a little bit.

Well you don't okay your teams who qualified for postseason play eleven times you produced thirteen winning seasons and reached twenty wins on eight occasions. Got to play the Sosa getting in J argue and Steve.

Well I think again a very special now tollbooth. Organization and it's several conversations that I have with that I think it's very unusual where you get probably arguably the best athlete. That's in the draft but also. Somebody can really make shots most signs a lot of players have one or the other but ZR -- personal salad and their. -- he's extremely athletic. He can make shots Eric good thing that they were really impressed with lute starters competitive nature. There and to be out sort of my one year would JR that's what I was impressed -- but -- the Walt -- Bible are. He's really compete to win and he's got a great desire to wear and obviously he had to get drafted with the organization understand that a.

We always so older than most of the -- is draft and on on in the first round at 23. Is C us will he be able coming here Steve and played defense. The way the Celtics hoping Q and a and the way the Celtics did in the finals it's Lakers. Or is that something that takes years of experience do you think he'll be an NBA caliber. Two three and three men on the defensive end right away.

Well -- to stay McCargo threw an awful lot of work outs we're talking about arguably the best defensive team and their. It won't leave him in the world -- and so nobody just -- that team. I have not talked JR about this you just all the sudden all this just like -- last year but. It's different for all those -- European draft but I -- yards got a much better opportunity because you think college five years he's over. He's got that bother -- right now public and garden stands out so a hundred being seat and then gave her some stumbles Hitler in 1920 years page. I think that's what the struggle what most of that -- be considered -- the -- sport and there're there are adults you know hadn't -- you know.

Did you put him on the best player that you played against generally.

Every game. There are every we told him from the beginning at what was going to be and I just with a -- or talking about Lamar led the league in scoring every batting average nearly nine rebounds -- game in the -- He guarded well all the best lawyer he was just terrific for us is very consistent. And that team won fifteen games and you're still in our engineer with the leader of this used to you know -- point four and -- understood the grass in more on the individual.

Stayed offered in your estimation his ability to lead the league in rebounding at six feet five. Is that a tribute to his intensity when the ball goes up on the glass or his athletic ability to jump out of the gym.

I think it's a combination of body -- well look at the all the and competitiveness. We -- an awful lot of it will slow involving competitive defensive rebounding and then that's another thing about it is regarding -- we're not talking about a bye that was just. Are going after loose re ground that the offensively and to get points the majority does regarding world would be sent to their -- So I would say it's the combination of those competitive all the.

Our guys can be called scorers -- discussed called a verbal score talk about it he will be offensive. Portion of his game the versatility that he brings with the ball in his hand.

Well he can score transition because he runs extremely well doesn't matter what desperate or -- at all year you want everyone album -- the old guys who can do -- go wouldn't go -- go. Through three -- well practiced doesn't affect this kid -- options so he's got that extra year warning and just continue to go sort of sports in transition. Are you can score all the backboard obviously the NB a little bit different as reported -- to a three -- orders that -- and so. -- will be an 89 rebound guard NBA but he could score backboard he can shoot the three. In his game Alston dribbled it a lot better I think that was an issue a year ago. It's up on the east still got a wore on but he's really urged a lot of will include multiple.

I'd tell us how you go about getting a kid away from Kansas is it all. Did you recruit a kid when you find out he's not happy he wants to transfer.

Solo home JR what we can't lose I was in Iowa and that he trades were with coach Richard Richard was -- New Mexico and that I -- this -- so I -- our board RJR for one year.

He sat out the year before you got there.

Pushed it out. Three years four got certainly pulled one you're under coach K did you hear that his senior year was with --

Blondie did you have a sense of what kind of kid he was before he got there because when you. It when you leave Kansas under the kind of conditions he left and and he admits decent you know I was a victim but I put myself in a bad position when he gets stabbed. In the leg did you have did you even bother looking into that or was it something that took place before you got there.

What can you bring up the bigger sport than -- the spot with the meat from the league about -- considerations there and he did he is the victim and he's right he put himself such situations but a lot of 1940 year old do that want to go to college and I didn't think you'd be transferred from anywhere else other than Kansas. You don't have a lot of character issues because we knew we can't lose automatically great series some bullets and why why do you leaped in the air and it was a long target that have also to have them all I can tell you that. In large yeah also looking plus years of coaching oval -- Porter. On one individual or made -- order to stay on the team. That's what I've made it would carry all our -- and secure the what the class ever day you never missed class -- at best you're academically from the GP experience or. Number light on the floor will. The best the vigorously somebody shot 36 which three years ago from the field that you're built fifty positions. This is somebody that I admit it really really difficult Bart. He did community service work or they but also our team. He really matured not just -- the fastball for a more orders post.

Do you watch you feel compelled to make it's a tough on him.

Just because -- that saying that. This what was you guys mentioned all the things that -- there and there was somebody didn't go our favorite I kind of felt bad and yet now. Looking back but I still think the tough what was the first approach what are -- Still going to bet because the older cattle or you're with them. I just doubled how much doubles through. Also he was just a tremendous hit the -- with a senior that he'd purely fortunate there are regular guys Bagwell will Turkey. You know he -- driver -- just without his way to be trying little body and this'll be optional what I heard about your distance and you -- models that that we bring the shoot.

Is there any doubt your mind that he'll be good row. In and if so how how good -- mean if not.

No doubt and I think you'll sit here and took the Celtic organization -- Walt was what he loves to win any sport blue winningest organization and professional basketball also they are great diplomats standpoint because the kid just loved the wind doesn't do. What -- that is the -- five minutes of Gordon the best player on the floor for five minutes with that Sutton did rebound to supplement the shot he took double teams. Are just go work extremely you know he's very -- blast. What he -- support that you get drafted by the Boston Celtics. It's almost -- he feels let them understand that the priest and and that I think military has been ever. Under the wing bill Garnett pierce and -- these guys that are are picked on veterans and understand it pitched well -- you what you got to be normal. War to be successful they -- are very very toward.

Who's a better shooter him or you mean you now or him.

Well well all after. And there are you are luck you're given the death without love birdied it's beat him.

Get a better computer than they let. With with JR gives god and whoever else who lost to graduation is the cupboard bare at New Mexico I mean yeah the New Mexico.

Well we hope we can -- returning starters and then Tony Dandridge you would -- leading school or during. Yeah -- due to yourself out last year with a fractured -- so -- backs little. We've got to -- fifteen recruiting class with -- the guys. So pretty excited -- that this'll part B in my seventeen years coaching the most what is being I've had -- I'm very excited about coaching.

Steve -- we appreciate the time head coach at the New Mexico and saying to by the -- get a seat. Arrives in Boston C thanks for the time we appreciate it you're appreciate it all out. The golfer --

in the year. And he stole -- you forget came to an easy -- you know we do this every year but I can't help but feel like it's a little different this year we do this for personal do you with the Patriots and the Celtics are so -- is always flawless in every look at the flaws. He just picture come and plan to all great things in justice and their abilities Euro no no -- story all the -- yeah I was the first one -- this year. I walked behind only in the garden in the Briscoe in the middle there was club yeah and he was -- in the back walkin' on the sidewalk because was pregnant and leave and and I -- Its feet point in the wrong direction -- literally -- a panic I mean -- and three Colonia note tend to be given to an outside days and they are huge like postal beat. -- Play in the -- with feet like that and he never could mean he knows I'm. Scored forty some violently the video of that but he was not physically capable of on the floor plan yet. Not understand that this was the head coach talking about his star pupil is star pride is coming to the NBA -- what he said his opening comment it's not often you get. The best athlete in the draft. He called him the best athlete in the NBA draft. And Derrick Rose OJ Mayo Regis called him the best athlete the draft again it's his kid. It's his kid had him a year yeah he loves them that much yet but we think about is a guard. Who's leading the league in rebounding over in the best player in the of the team right. In doing his homework on a class there in the -- guys bag Olmedo like Nomar Ryan -- if we get to Kansas State coach themselves and things of Bill Walker. Florida but it would have been a first rounder. He had -- lottery pick his -- on it's only element along for this but it's -- with a squad of these articles -- gone that is often unrestricted area and he's gone but when you think about it it's here that he delayed yet but the way the Celtics -- it just feel like their -- rule and the sky is part of that role in -- as part of that -- could be wrong probably wrong but right now feels like Jack Gibbons is going to begin