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Q&A With First-Round Prospect Kevon Looney

June 8th, 2015 at 1:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Leading up to the draft, Hoops Rumors will be talking with some of the most intriguing prospects in this year’s class. Today, the Hoops Rumors Draft Prospect Q&A series continues with UCLA forward Kevon Looney, who is ranked No. 19 in this year’s class by Chad Ford of ESPN.com and No. 20 by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

Coming out of high school, scouting services collectively had Kevon Looney as the No. 11 player in the nation and he had offers from just about every elite program under the sun. Now, after one year at UCLA, Looney is making the jump to the pros and is widely projected to be a first-round selection.

Looney is blessed with great size for the power forward position at the next level. Standing at a shade over 6’9″ in shoes, Looney boasts an almost freakish wingspan of 7’3.5″. With that length, Looney can grab loose rebounds with the best of ’em and has the potential to grow by leaps and bounds on the defensive end. On offense, Looney showed last season that he’s getting more and more comfortable with his jump shot, a skill that helped to spread out the floor for the Bruins.

On Saturday, Hoops Rumors caught up with the very busy 19-year-old between flights to talk about his stock heading into June 25th, and his NBA future.

Zach Links: What was it like coming to UCLA as a freshman and immediately jumping into a starring role?

Kevon Looney: It was a great experience for me and a great learning experience for me. I think I got better as both a player and as a person. I made a lot of strides and I made a lot of friends while I was there.

ZL: What were some of the strides you made on the court?

KL: I would say my biggest improvement was probably my shooting. As the year went on, I shot better and it continued to get better. I don’t know if I got better at rebounding, but I showed that I could do it for sure. I proved that I could do it in high school but to show that to the world in college was important to me. That was probably my greatest strength this year.

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

ZL: Did you consider staying for another year?

KL: Yes, a little bit. I figured I could stay at UCLA for another year and get better. I mean, everyone wants to win a college National Championship and I felt like if I came back, we could have won even more as a team. But, at the end of the day, I wanted to pursue my dream and become a first-round draft pick.

ZL: You’ve shown that you can rebound over bigger and stronger opponents. What’s your secret?

KL: It’s just something I always had a knack for. I’m really long and I have good timing for it. I’ve always been good at it and I’ve always wanted to be the best at it.

ZL: Are you looking to add muscle to your frame? How much weight are you looking to put on?

KL: I’m not sure what my goal weight is. Right now I’m playing so much that it’s hard to get in the weight room. But, as soon as I’m done with the draft, I’ll talk to whatever team drafts me and get a plan for my body. I’ve never had a problem putting on weight before, so I think I’ll be able to put on weight pretty fast.

ZL: What workouts have you had so far and what workouts are coming up?

KL: So far, I’ve worked out for the Thunder, Suns, Jazz, and Pistons. Coming up, I’ve got the Hawks, Heat, Bucks, Raptors, Hornets, Celtics, and Knicks.

ZL: Do you have an idea of where you might get drafted?

KL: My agent tells me anywhere from No. 7 to No. 20. That’s my range right now.

ZL: What NBA player would you compare yourself to?

KL: I don’t know if I’m all that similar to anyone but I can tell you that I try to play like Anthony Davis and LaMarcus Aldridge. I don’t know if I’m exactly like them but I’m trying to be [laughs].

ZL: You shot the ball well from three-point range (41.5%) last season, but you only attempted 53 three pointers in total. Could you see yourself shooting from outside more at the next level?

KL: Yeah, I think I’m comfortable shooting from NBA range and I think I’ll be called upon to spread the floor out. That’s one of my strong suits, and I really zoned in on that this offseason.

ZL: It seems like there’s a perception that you have a good amount of upside but that you’re still a little green and won’t make a big impact right away. Do you disagree with that assessment?

KL: I think so. I don’t think I’m that far away from making an impact at all. I know I have a lot of work to do, but once I get stronger, I’ll be much better. I know I can gain weight fast and once I get stronger, I know that I can make an instant impact.

ZL: What kind of things are you doing day to day to get ready for what’s ahead?

KL: Before I got busy with all these team workouts, I was doing yoga in the morning and then going to the track to do sprints. Then I would run a couple miles and come back and play some basketball.

ZL: How long have you been doing yoga?

KL: I did yoga in high school, I did some at UCLA, and I’ve been doing it every day ever since the season ended. It helps me a lot. I do hot yoga all the time and that helps me to keep my core strong and helps my breathing for some reason. I learned how to breathe and get rid of tension pent up my lungs.

ZL: What led you to choose Aaron Goodwin and Todd Ramasar to represent you?

KL: I let my parents pick out a few people that would be the best for me and I met with the people that they picked. Those two guys were the best fit for me. … When you look at someone like Aaron, he has some big-name people there but he also has time for me. He’s a great guy with vision and I really feel like I’m going to benefit from his experience.

ZL: What are your plans for draft night?

KL: Hopefully I’ll get an invite to the green room! Even if I don’t, I’ll probably end up going to New York to get the full experience.

Central Notes: Prigioni, Bucks Arena, Draft

June 8th, 2015 at 11:28am CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavaliers made an aggressive play at trading for Pablo Prigioni at the deadline, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. Instead, the Knicks sent him to the Rockets instead, leaving Cleveland’s backup point guard duties to Matthew Dellavedova. That worked out just fine for the Cavs on Sunday, when Dellavedova, set for restricted free agency this summer, started in place of the injured Kyrie Irving and hit the game-winning free throws. There’s more on the Cavs, who’ll look to take the lead in the Finals on Tuesday, amid the latest from the Central Division:

The deal that state, county and city leaders struck last week for a new Bucks arena must still meet Wisconsin Legislature and Milwaukee Common Council approval, so construction remains far from assured, as Tom Daykin of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel points out. Still, the Bucks have promised to pay for operating and maintenance costs by selling naming rights, as Daykin examines. The NBA is pressuring the sides to ensure a new building, lest the league exercise its right to buy the team and move it to another city.
UNLV power forward Christian Wood will be among those working out for the Cavs today, league sources tell Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops (Twitter link).
Scotto also hears that Syracuse big man Rakeem Christmas will show off for the Pistons today (Twitter link). North Carolina shooting guard J.P. Tokoto, Virginia power forward Darion Atkins, Georgetown small forward Greg Whittington, and point guards Marcus Thornton from William & Mary and Pierria Henry of Charlotte will be in Detroit’s workout, too, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com (Twitter links).

Central Notes: Pistons, Howard Jr., Middleton

June 7th, 2015 at 12:56pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Team President Stan Van Gundy believes the team’s hiring of Arn Tellem will help the franchise attract free agents, but that’s not the only reason that the former agent was added to the payroll, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press writes.

“It’s certainly an advantage that some of his guys probably have a high level of trust in him and great loyalty to him. I don’t think there’s any question about that. I think that could be some help, but I think that’s different from thinking Arn’s going to go out and use that relationship and be manipulative. I don’t see that,” Van Gundy said.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Juwan Howard Jr. worked out for the Pistons on Saturday, according to Terry Foster of The Detroit News. Although Howard Jr. is not expected to be drafted, Foster speculates that Detroit could sign him as an undrafted free agent. The scribe also suggests the Heat could bring him aboard because they employ his father.
Khris Middleton would like to re-sign with Milwaukee this offseason, Gene Sapakoff of The Post and Courier writes. “We have a lot of great pieces with the Bucks,” Middleton said. “If we can stay together, we can do something special.” It was reported that Middleton could command an annual salary in the range of $13MM to $15MM.
Devin Booker is definitely on the Bucks‘ radar, Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times writes. Booker met with the team during the pre-draft camp in Chicago. Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors has the guard going to the Hornets with the No. 9 pick in his latest Mock Draft.

Central Notes: Middleton, Pistons, Cavaliers

June 6th, 2015 at 6:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bucks‘ Khris Middleton can expect a huge jump in salary when he hits restricted free agency next month, according to Gene Sapakoff of The Post and Courier. The versatile 24-year-old, who made $915K last season, could command an annual salary in the range of $13M to $15M, Sapakoff writes. After seeing limited playing time as a rookie in 2012/13, Middleton blossomed into a valuable player the past two seasons, ranking among the top 10 this year in ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus ratings. “I didn’t play too many games my first year,” Middleton said. “I was a little nervous. Well, I wouldn’t say nervous but I just wasn’t comfortable I guess. Now I feel like I know what I’m doing out there and I know my style and the game comes to be a lot easier.” Milwaukee is hoping to keep Middleton as part of a young foundation that includes Giannis Antetokounmpo, Michael Carter-Williams and Jabari Parker.

There’s more news from the Central Division:

The Pistons aren’t counting on signing Golden State’s Draymond Green in free agency this summer, tweets Vincent Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. Although Detroit would love to add Green to its roster, the front office believes the Warriors will match any offer the restricted free agent receives.
Tristan Thompson has eased the Cavaliers’ pain after losing Kevin Love to injury in the first round of the playoffs, according to Carl Steward of the San Jose Mercury News. Love, who can opt out of his contract and become a free agent July 1, tore his shoulder while chasing a loose ball in an April 26 game against Boston. Thompson stepped into the starting lineup and has averaged a double-double in his place. “It’s my job to be a little nasty, bring the energy, protect the paint and protect our guys,” he said. Thompson will be a restricted free agent this summer.
The Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving had successful surgery this morning on his fractured left kneecap, the team announced. He is not expected to resume basketball activity for three to four months.

Eastern Notes: Hawks, Wade, Woods

June 6th, 2015 at 11:30am CST by Eddie Scarito

With the sale of the Hawks nearly completed, the situation regarding embattled GM Danny Ferry is still waiting a definitive resolution, Jeff Schultz of The Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. Schultz predicts the most likely outcome is that Ferry simply resigns and Atlanta gives coach Mike Budenholzer a new contract and more autonomy, and places assistant GM Wes Wilcox in charge of the basketball operations department, at least for the 2015/16 campaign.

Here’s the latest from the Eastern Conference:

The Cavaliers announced that point guard Kyrie Irving suffered a fractured left kneecap during the first game of the NBA Finals, and he will require surgery to repair the damage that will keep him out of action for a minimum of three to four months.
In his weekly mailbag, a reader asked Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel if he felt that the Heat‘s personnel mistakes have fueled Dwyane Wade‘s concern moving forward. Winderman believes that Wade has lost a good amount of trust in the front office and if the team was winning now, salary might not be such a sticking point for him. The question is whether the Heat are “all in” for 2015/16 and, at present, Winderman isn’t sure that’s the case.
The Magic have expressed interest in Butler big man Kameron Woods, who is not projected to be picked in the upcoming NBA Draft, David Woods of The Indianapolis Star writes. The team interviewed Woods last week, and could be looking to sign the forward as a free agent after the draft, the Indy Star scribe adds.
The Pistons are holding workouts today for Bobby Portis (Arkansas), Kevon Looney (UCLA), Sir’Dominic Pointer (St. John’s), D.J. Newbill (Penn State), Will Cummings (Temple), and Juwan Howard Jr. (Detroit), Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops tweets.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Pistons Hire Arn Tellem

June 5th, 2015 at 8:25am CST by Zachary Links

The Pistons announced that they have hired prominent NBA agent Arn Tellem to a senior position. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports first reported that the two sides were finalizing a deal. Tellem, an industry veteran, has been crowned the vice chairman of Palace Sports and Entertainment. He is expected to join the organization on August 3 after transitioning his current responsibilities as Vice Chairman of Wasserman Media Group.

“Arn is one of the most accomplished and respected sports executives in the world,” owner Tom Gores said in a press release. “He has great passion, integrity and honesty, and he shares my belief that sports can be a catalyst for change in the community. He is an outstanding addition to our leadership team who will help us make a real difference in Detroit.”

The addition of Tellem will not affect the sovereignty of team president and coach Stan Van Gundy, who joined Detroit on a five-year, $35MM deal last year. Sources tell Woj that Tellem will answer directly to billionaire owner Tom Gores, but will not become the ultimate authority on basketball decisions. However, Gores is busy with other business ventures and it appears that Tellem will basically become the Pistons’ ownership face in Michigan.

Tellem’s deal with Gores could include an ownership stake, according to sources who spoke with Yahoo Sports. Meanwhile, Tellem will leave Wasserman Sports behind in a transition that should take place over the next few months. The agency has over 50 players and $300MM+ in player contracts on the books, including Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Derrick Rose, as shown in the Hoops Rumors Agency Database. Some of the top free agents of the summer are also WMG clients, including Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Draymond Green.

In 2012, former agent Jason Levien helped Robert Pera assemble a group of investors to buy the Grizzlies and was appointed CEO of the team. His tenure came to a close in 2014 in a front office shakeup that saw the dismissal of assistant GM Stu Lash but did not affect another unorthodox hire in former ESPN scribe John Hollinger.

Central Notes: Hoiberg, Calipari, Pistons

June 4th, 2015 at 11:15am CST by Eddie Scarito

During his introductory press conference, new Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg gushed about the talent on Chicago’s roster, Sam Smith of NBA.com relays. “I love this roster,” said Hoiberg. “I absolutely love this roster. I love the versatility of the players. The different lineups that we’re going to be able to play; can play small, can play big, You’ve got lineups that I really think can get out and play with pace. You’ve got a great group of veteran players that know how to play. I think Tom Thibodeau is an excellent, excellent basketball coach and I think he instilled a lot of unbelievable qualities in this team that hopefully I can build on.”

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Kentucky’s John Calipari was one of the names linked to the Cavs‘ coaching search prior to David Blatt being hired. But despite Cleveland making it to the NBA Finals this season, Calipari says he doesn’t regret his decision to remain with the Wildcats, Chris Fedor of The Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. “No. No, nope. Because what happened, and the reason I did what I did, was based on having guys come back who wanted to be coached. I didn’t feel comfortable not being at Kentucky,” Calipari responded when asked if he had any second thoughts about passing on the chance to coach LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Calipari also said that despite all the offers he has had to return to the NBA as a head coach, the only job opening that made him seriously consider leaving Kentucky was the Cavaliers‘ post last summer, Fedor adds.
Despite the presence of center Andre Drummond, the Pistons won’t hesitate to grab Willie Cauley-Stein or Myles Turner in the draft if the front-office believes either big man is the best player available at the No. 8 spot, David Mayo of MLive.com writes. “They like to play two bigs,” Cauley-Stein said of the Pistons, who often played Greg Monroe and Drummond together. “That’s a big lineup. Both super-athletic, both do similar stuff, so it’s kind of like how me and Karl-Anthony Towns played this year. I get the same kind of sense out of it.“

Central Notes: Hoiberg, Pacers, Martin

June 2nd, 2015 at 6:43pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the Bulls‘ current lack of financial flexibility, changing coaches was the best way for the franchise to shake things up after a disappointing playoff run, Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com writes in his breakdown of what Fred Hoiberg brings to the team on both the offensive and defensive ends of the hardwood. Doolittle also opines that it would serve the team well if Hoiberg were to retain assistant coaches Ed Pinckney and Adrian Griffin, both of whom could maintain the roster’s defensive focus while Hoiberg revamps the offense.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Kansas swingman Kelly Oubre will work out for the Pacers today, Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops tweets. You can view our full prospect profile for Oubre here.
Also scheduled to work out for the Pacers today are Anthony Brown (Stanford), Cady Lalanne (UMass), Luis Montero (Westchester Community College), Jon Octeus (Purdue), and Gabe Olaseni (Iowa), the team announced.
Cartier Martin‘s teammates on the Pistons encouraged him to swallow his pride and exercise his player option worth nearly $1.271MM for next season, Terry Foster of The Detroit News writes. The forward was unhappy with his playing time this past season, having only appeared in 23 contests for Detroit.
The solid play of Tristan Thompson and the Cavs‘ success in the playoffs this season has changed the narrative regarding Kevin Love‘s player option for 2015/16, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com writes. Instead of wondering if Love would return, talk now centers around whether the team needs or wants him to return next season, Berger notes.

Draft Notes: Towns, Russell, Ashley, Haws

June 2nd, 2015 at 11:33am CST by Chuck Myron

Karl-Anthony Towns answered affirmatively to DraftExpress in a video interview when asked if he thinks he should work out for the teams with the top four picks in the draft, adding that he has no preference that he be drafted by any team in particular. That lends further credence to what sources close to Towns told Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders when they denied a report that he wouldn’t work out for any teams. D’Angelo Russell also said to DraftExpress (video link) that he expects to work out for the top four teams, though he’s not 100% sure that he will. While we wait to see what the teams in possession of those picks — the Timberwolves, Lakers, Sixers and Knicks — do, here’s more on the approaching draft:

Arizona power forward Brandon Ashley told reporters that the Spurs, Bulls, Suns and Warriors are among the teams on his workout schedule, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (on Twitter).
The Lakers, Warriors and Grizzlies will audition BYU shooting guard Tyler Haws, as Haws told reporters, including Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).
Pincus adds the Mavs, Trail Blazers, Warriors, Suns, Grizzlies, Jazz, Wizards, Celtics and Cavs to the list of teams known to be among those working out UC Davis shooting guard Corey Hawkins (Twitter link).
Louisiana Tech point guard Kenneth “Speedy” Smith has auditioned for the Mavs and Suns, in addition to his Monday workout for the Lakers, and he’ll next show off for the Blazers, Pincus tweets.
The Spurs and Pistons are among the teams working out Nebraska swingman and Lakers fan Terran Petteway, as he said to reporters, including Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
Bosnian swingman Nedim Buza, an early entrant from overseas, is in talks about a potential deal with Telenet BC Oostende of Belgium, according to David Pick of Eurobasket.com (Twitter link). Buza can withdraw from the draft anytime between now and June 15th, or he can remain in the field and perhaps become a draft-and-stash pick if he indeed signs to continue his European career.

Central Rumors: Pistons, Thibodeau, Bucks

June 1st, 2015 at 9:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Arizona small forward Stanley Johnson could be a perfect fit for the Pistons if he’s available with the No. 8 overall pick, according to David Mayo of MLive. The team’s biggest weakness is at small forward, which was manned by aging Tayshaun Prince and Caron Butler during the second half of last season. Prince, an unrestricted free agent, is expected to sign elsewhere this summer while the team holds a $4.5MM option on Butler’s contract. Johnson has the ability to create off the dribble, make mid-range shots and defend multiple positions, attributes that coach Stan Van Gundy covets, Mayo continues. Johnson is also the bulkiest of the small forwards expected to go in the first round, which will allow him to play a physical style at both ends, Mayo adds.

In other news around the Central Division:

The Pistons are unlikely to move their first-round pick to accelerate their rebuilding process because Van Gundy has long-term security, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press tweets. Instead, they are taking a long look at stretch fours with the pick, particularly Kristaps Porzingis and Frank Kaminsky, Ellis reveals in a separate tweet.
Tom Thibodeau will likely take a year off and then explore his coaching options, Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders opines. The recently-fired Bulls coach will likely wind up with an Eastern Conference contender, where the path to the NBA Finals is easier, Brigham continues. The Wizards, Raptors and Hornets are potential suitors for Thibodeau, depending upon how next season unfolds, though it’s conceivable that a team like Washington could pull the trigger this offseason if it feels Thibodeau is the missing link to a serious title run, Brigham adds.
The Bucks would like to draft an athletic big man who can play power forward and center, and failing that, a guard who can shoot, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, who writes in his NBA PM piece that Georgia State shooting guard R.J. Hunter seems like a fit.