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Draft Mailbag: George Hill, James Gist & Malik Hairston
Spurs.com recently opened up the mailbag for new additions George Hill, James Gist & Malik Hairston.
Name: De La
Location: San Antonio, TX
Question / Comments: The Spurs pride themselves on defense, what are your strengths on defense?
Malik Hairston: Very long, for my position. So being able to use my length to defend smaller guys, it kind of discourages guys from just trying to pull up or shooting over me.
Name: carlos sanchez
Location: home
Question / Comments: first i would like to say welcome to san antonio. what do you think you bring to the spurs? are you going to play the 2 or the 3 position? i know you will like our fan and the city is a great place to play with all the history and latin food.
Malik Hairston: Thank you. I think I can bring versatility or whatever the team needs me to do no matter the position or whatever the area is, I’ll be willing to do it.
Name: MJ
Location: San Antonio
Question / Comments: I have seen some of your highlights on YouTube and you have potential to be an all-star. How have you prepared yourself mentally to handle/survive the daily grind of Pop's coaching style and get you ready NBA?
Malik Hairston: Not sure if you can prepare yourself for it. You just have to be ready to go in and learn as much as you can and know you’re learning from a legend and you’ll also be playing with some of the best players of all-time. So it is just going in open-minded, ready to work.
Name: Michael
Location: San Antonio
Question / Comments: What aspect of your game will surprise some people?
Malik Hairston: I think I have sneaky athleticism that some people may not know about. Also I love to compete.
Name: "Uncle Keith" Harris
Location: Clinton Md
Question / Comments: Jay, Congratulations! Look forward to seeing you against the Wizards at the Verizon Center! Now that you have been drafted, do you think your stay at Maryland for 4 years has prepared you for a NBA career?
James Gist: Oh yeah definitely. I feel that going through four years of college really helped me. It really helped me mature and helped me learn a lot especially on and off the court. It really made me into a better person and I feel like coming to an environment like this, especially when the team is experienced and mature.
Name: logan jones
Location: frederick maryland
Question / Comments: hello i am logan jones. I am 13 years old and a very big fan of the spurs, and i have seen u play at college park a couple times, i was wondering how it felt to be apart of the best modern era team in all of sports.
James Gist: It is a great accomplishment I think, for myself, my family. To be able to play with a team that is a championship contended every year it is a great accomplishment. And to play with a group of guys and great veterans like this, I can learn a lot from. It’s huge.
Name: carlos
Location: work
Question / Comments: how do you feel you fit with the spurs? what position do you think you will be playing? can you play the 4 and the 3?
James Gist: I think I fit in real good. I think those are positions I feel comfortable with playing the four or the three. It is really going to help me out to work with the other guys on the team and the style they play is really beneficial to me.
Name: Michael
Location: San Antonio
Question / Comments: What aspect of your game do you think you need to improve to really contribute to this team?
James Gist: I would say my strength, and get strong and then I would say ball handling. I feel like everything else will come along as I get stronger and grow with the team.
Name: Billy Powell
Location: Houston Texas
Question / Comments: You went to Broad Ripple high school in Indianapolis, Indiana. What kind of impact did your high school coach William R. Smith, sr. have on your game today? Did you ever want to transfer to a bigger Division 1 school? Did you know the Head Coach of the Atlanta Hawks Mike Woodson went to the same high school? And could you do us all a favor - show us that wingspan! PS-I despised the Spurs until you selection! Now I am orderering tickets and merchandise - thanks and great success Billy
George Hill: I think that he played a big part in my life. He is a very emotional guy and I think that there were plenty of times I could’ve went to another high school or a better high school, but he stuck with me four years and kept me humble. He told me to never think to highly of myself and always work hard. He really played a big part in my life.
Name: Jimmy Garcia
Location: San Antonio TX
Question / Comments: George, What is the one single most exciting thing about coming to play in San Antonio TX?
George Hill: The most exciting thing about coming to San Antonio is just being a part of the organization. I think it is great to come into an organization where you have the chance to win a title every year and being able to help. That all I can really say right now.
Name: Bryan
Location: san antonio
Question / Comments: Do you feel like you can create off the dribble effectively?
George Hill: I can create off the dribble, coming from IUPUI we did a lot of coming off the ball, screens and stuff like that. That’ll be something that I can bring to the table, coming off the dribble and ball screens, I have seen the Spurs do that a lot.
Name: Raul B.
Location: Hondo, Tx.
Question / Comments: Comming to a "small market" in San Antonio, knowing the tradition of defense and playing with heart. What are 2 attributes that you think you can bring to this organization?
George Hill: The two things I can bring to the table, like the two things I have tat on the back of my arms. They say "heart" and "desire" I think that is one thing I really live by. Having the heart to do anything and never backing down from any situation that comes in my way. And the desire, the desire just to move on. You know just be the best player I can in whatever role I’m asked to do. I just have a desire to fulfill the dream of my life and fulfill the dreams of becoming a Spur.
Name: Robbie
Location: Brownsville, Tx.
Question / Comments: George, who do you compare yourself to in the nba?
George Hill: One player in the NBA I’d probably compare myself to would be probably Monta Ellis. He is very combo, likes to play the passing lanes, athletic, I think that is one person I’d compare myself to.
Name: Chris Scott
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Question / Comments: what is he going to miss most about college and his teammates?
George Hill: I think probably what I’ll miss about my college teammates is the good times we had. The bus rides and the plane rides. We were very team-oriented and all of us got a long. That is one thing, I’m going to miss them because those were my teammates but I’m here now and will have other great teammates. So hopefully I can just be a great teammate to the Spurs now.
Name: Wade aka Bedisi
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Question / Comments: George, Can you explain the meaning of BALLOUT and what it means when you hear that word on and off the court?
George Hill: "BALLOUT" is something me and my godfather came up with. "BALLOUT" is nothing bad. It means go hard and give it the best you can in whatever you do. So that’s why we say "ball-out" because you "ball-out" till you just can’t ball no more.
http://www.nba.com/spurs/news/mailbag_080710.html
