Post-Draft Availability l Jonathan Mogbo – June 28, 2024

Post-Draft Availability l Jonathan Mogbo – June 28, 2024

tell us about your draft party I guess we all saw Scotty there how did that all happen uh it was you know just bringing the family friends um you know I told Scott about it uh before the draft happened and I was like you know because I didn’t know a schedule so I said you know if you can come out he said I’ll be there no doubt so you know it was just good to have him and uh you know when my name got called you know looked around and I think I saw him crying so uh yeah you know it was it was it it was tears of joy um I didn’t shed a tear you know I could I had to be the stronger one but uh it was good it was just a good uh you know good see embracing the moment um you know just excited to get to work you know be in the same Arena as him you know just going and competing it’s time to comp compete against him um so it’ll be fun you know uh just embracing the moment it was a it was a great feeling I know I know the Raptors had reached out to you and visited with you uh during your college season did when you were still on the board at 31 did you have any indication that you were going to be their pick um there’s been talks about it um I Tred not to really stay into social media but you know there’s been talks and then um I remember um there was a clip that went viral um I think I was at Scott’s house and he was live streaming and uh he was saying welcome to the chat you know future Toronto Raptor and uh you know it was just speaking into existence and it happened so I it it’s just crazy how everything turned out um but I didn’t know um but I had a feeling um so you know de grade my workout you know did what I had to show so you know just that was the most important thing coming in here being myself um you know showing the best uh you know J Jonathan mobile so you know all turned out great how far does your friendship with Scotty go when when and how did you meet him when did you start playing with him uhu uh he goes way back to fourth grade I think I was in fourth grade he was in third grade um so first time I met him uh we went to his house uh we was late for an aou game and I think that his first game playing with us and I remember him coming out the house he had the Kobe jersey on Gray uh he had gray Kobe uh sixes on and um you know just seeing him uh he came in the car acting like he was tired and we was like like you know waiting on you so you know just having that first interaction with him and then from then you know we’ve been best friends since then so uh High School uh I went like I said I’ve been in high school 5’9 510 and I think the first day when he was there we took a picture of school and um he was about 66 and you know we just kind of posted up together and I remember seeing him in the hallway and we just got excited to see each other you know uh it’s been a long time so just having that friendship you know along the road you know it was great Jonathan you had your own growth spurt uh going from 5’9 to 68 I’m wondering how that helped you evolve yourself throughout College like what kind of areas of the game did you learn through that time yes sir um I feel like you know it my game just kind of expanded um I was a guard growing up my whole life so you know growing into the 68 66 body um you know there was more stuff for me to do on the court which I cuz old me you can ask anybody to just shoot threes in the corner and uh play defense so um you know it was just a great change um you know uh knowing my body understanding my body seeing that growth that I had of me so um fres freshman year of uh junior college um I played small ball big so you know just trying to adjust it you know seeing how I can impact the game right away and I did a great job of my quickness and you know just knowing the game and knowing how bigs operate you know learning that and I feel like you know it definitely helped me along the along the way so coming into SF you know I feel like I had all of it combined together now so you know just embracing that you know embracing my body you know and keeping my mindset the same so that was the most important thing how many times have you and Scotty played one-onone see I knew this question would get asked uh probably twice to be honest um we played his rookie year um and then we played I think after his second year if I’m not mistaken but only I think we only played twice one time serious one time Ser what were the results uh I’m going let him answer that I’m G let him answer that cuz we G to have two different answers so you know you know how that goes so I’m G let him answer that your journey has been so so unique uh the lake growth spur going to the schools he went to when did you start to think that you know making it if not to Toronto somewhere in the NBA or or the next step was possible was there a point in time where you’re like actually this might happen this could happen mhm I’ll probably say um my sophomore junior college um you know it sounds crazy hearing that where you’re at right there but um you know I feel like my freshman year was Co year so there’s a lot of adversity um only played like 26 games 20 games so you know trying to get that exposure back um you know I thank my uh junior college coach coach Jackson Jeremy Jackson um you know he just let me you know play uh the system was great over there uh he was a great coach great team made a great environment you know I feel like you know when I have that environment with me you know I do great things and I you know kind of started to put my name on the map a little bit uh over there so I feel like you know I was like you know I can finally do this you know just I just had I just needed that chance and then uh probably the start of my uh hit again the start of my uh last year at uh University of San Francisco you know when I when I finally earned that respect from my coach uh my coaches you know cuz you know I had to prove a lot coming from Missouri State you know Missouri state was you know short screen uh dunker spot screen roll so you know I had it was more in my game that people didn’t see so when I got the chance to you know throw packs passes back door passes you know bring the ball up and transition you know just doing that um kind of open my eyes a little bit and I was like you know what you know if I can get in the system you know I can do great things and you know now I’m here today so blessed are there any uh other players around the league that you’ve kind of looked up to over the years or that you’ve trained with that you kind of learned about the NBA process from I mean I’ve been around a lot of guys um I don’t really say I’d look up to anybody specifically or like take pieces from like one person specific person but I take like different stuff from all different guys uh for example like NZ Reed his size his Mitch matches you know just reading the game getting the transition you know making Mitch matches like I said and Scotty with his passing his IQ and you know his hunger for the game uh PJ Washington a little bit you know great role player you know knowing what he does well in his role so just his small stuff you know nothing like I’m not going to say Kyrie or anything like that but you know just the small stuff you know guys what guys can’t teach so it’s great it’s your uh introduction like been like to the city of Toronto and the Raptors organization so far uh I mean I got love since day one when I first came with Scott uh I came to visit him his rookie year so funny story uh we went to ride the scooters around town and uh we went into a pharmacy to get some snacks or uh yeah a little snack store and uh so we were walking through the aisle and uh someone was like is this precious and Scotty I’m like what is it is in my hair but it was obviously my hair cuz uh I heard precious likes to wear his hair in a ponytail so I always wear my hair in the ponytail so it was a funny uh interaction um but I didn’t know like because that was the first time that happened so I didn’t know if I should take the picture and he was like bro take the picture so I’m like all right and he tried to step out the picture I was like no you got to come in the picture so you take the picture and then like you know times when I come back and stuff you know it always happens at least one time and then uh you know it’s been great and then finally happened I met precious at dinner and then they told him the story and he was like he does kind of L at me so it was just funny um but it’s been great you know since I’ve been here you know great fans great City so can’t complain there’s a photo of you on the court from marcha last here what do you remember about the fan base in that game but also your impressions in the organization from that game oh it was crazy um you know the funny part is uh Scott was forcing me to take that picture so um I just went uh to the back you know seeing the players and everything thing um it was great A great experience you know I came to the game and I think like we were there like maybe 30 minutes an hour early and like the the the arena was packed so I’m like man this is crazy I got to get here earlier you know get some a little better seats you know what I’m saying but uh it was great you know environment was great you know the atmosphere was great um I feel like the culture is very diverse here so you know um you know people get along well uh so after the game you know just showing love and everybody um and it was great going on the court taking pictures you know was trying to make fun of me but you know all I did was just smile on the court and I didn’t even know that picture came out so it was a great you know uh can’t complain and you know it was it was it was happy to have that feeling you know and then he was like maybe one day you’ll be here so and today’s I’m right here so it’s crazy is there an area of your game that you think you can show more of or want to show more of or develop um since College uh develop me most definitely my shooting um you know I feel like that’s the talk around uh Jonathan Mobo and his you know pre-draft stuff so um you know I’m not trying to go out there shoot 33s but um you know I’m going to do do my role well play my hardest be myself that’s the most important thing try not to change who I am you know you know and it comes down you know hit an open three you know I’m I’m going showcase that so you know just believing in that you know all comes down to repetition confidence so I feel like I have a great process with that you know it’s going to stay in the gym and get right with it your story doesn’t often end here um sort of the opposite of Eric’s question was there a moment where you were like maybe I should consider doing something else uh yeah most definitely uh probably in high school when I still didn’t hit my gr spray yet you know I saw my brother hit his gr spt uh you know all my friends hit the grber you I was the shortest one out all my friends um on my aou team I was the one that didn’t get a lot of playing time you know funny story um so about eighth grade uh we played against Oak soldiers in uh Las Vegas and it was like probably like 4 seconds 10 seconds left and our coach was looking for somebody to put in the game and I’m on the end of the bench I’m like uh you know he looking down he’s coming down I’m like oh please don’t please don’t pick me like I’m not even looking at him and we made our contact and he put me in the game I’m like oh man so I’m like okay uh most important thing was for me to be ready when my name was called so winning the game you know I thought you know I was just going to be a decoy s in the corner and you know just you know not get it but uh it was a it was a play for me to get a pass in the corner and either shoot it or you know Skip it cuz uh our point guard was going to beat the guy guy one1 so they’re going to be in rotation so I got in the corner pump fake the guy jump and I swung one more and uh my teammate hit the game winner and then we won so I’m like like that was that was the first thing I did was but it was just a great moment um you know I feel like you know down the road uh back then it was about confidence and just staying patient um I didn’t have to rush my girl bir or anything you know just being patient stay in the lab you know that was the most important thing and you know God works a mysterious way so um you know it’s a miracle what he did for me and my family so I thank him to this day just being blessed and you know now I’m here so it’s been good thanks for watching Toronto Raptor YouTube channel check out our latest videos and subscribe for more Trent answers back Gary s side step great got it

Toronto Raptors 31st pick Jonathan Mogbo speaks with the media#Raptors #TorontoRaptors