SUMMER LEAGUE SOUND: COACH AMEER BAHHUR, JASE RICHARDSON, NOAH PENDA PRESENTED BY ADVENT HEALTH

SUMMER LEAGUE SOUND: COACH AMEER BAHHUR, JASE RICHARDSON, NOAH PENDA PRESENTED BY ADVENT HEALTH

What stood out to you tonight uh about the team’s performance? Yeah, I thought uh the slow start made it kind of hard for us to get back in the game, but really proud of our guys and the effort they showed. We talked about being the most resilient team and uh these guys did a great job of fighting back that second through the fourth quarter. So, we get off to a little bit better start. We clean that up next time. I think we’re in good shape. What stood out to you about Jay’s performance tonight? First of all, his toughness. Like, obviously, he’s not completely 100%. Uh but his his willingness to keep fighting. Uh it was a really physical game we just played. He did a great job handling it for his first time out there. Uh he didn’t really look sped up too much or rushed and he was in control. So definitely something to build on. I know he’s been battling through some stuff, but just the growth that you’ve seen from him since you have had him so far, Jace. Jace. Yeah, in one week span, tremendous growth, just like I said, picking up everything that we’re doing and and from that point guard position, being able to get everybody else in their spots as well. So just really impressed with his leadership so far and his resilience, his toughness so far, and we’re just going to keep building on it. because of his height, can he expect a lot of physicality coming at him that maybe other guards won’t see? Definitely 100%. But I think he’s ready for that. I think he’ll embrace that challenge. Uh and I think he does a really good job of of kind of giving that physicality right back. And so that’s what we’re going to demand from him and I know he’s up to the task. Dude, it seemed like Noah got more comfortable perhaps as the game went on. What What stood out to him? What stood out to you about him? Yeah, I thought Noah was really comfortable the whole way. got better as as we continued. Uh for me, just like his instinct, his feel, his knack for where to be uh and his IQ on the floor was really impressive and uh I think uh he did a lot of things that maybe don’t show up in the stat sheet, but but he did a great job for us. Given his heft and just his overall size, how much does he bring that to bear on the way he plays? For sure. I mean, we talk about physicality being our brand of basketball and that just fits right with who he is and what he does and the way he’s built. So, uh, like we’re going to ask him to continue that on both sides of the ball and as we go, I think, uh, you know, his role and his understanding of it will keep growing. What do you think he contributed the turnovers to? Just kind of generating chemistry still or Yeah, I think a little bit of that, a little bit of maybe some first game jitters, but I thought we cleaned them up as the game went on. Um, like we tell these guys, we’re asking them to play fast, but but under control and uh, I thought it was a little bit out of control to start the game, but I thought it got better as we went. And we’ll look at the film and clean it up. How did Tristan help maybe get that game under control for you guys? Yeah, I thought he did a great job. Like like I’ve been saying this whole week, our our mission for him is to be aggressive. I thought he was definitely aggressive offensively. Thought he did a good job defensively. I thought he had some buckets that kind of settled us down when there was a drought. So, uh, again, really happy with Tristan. Thought he did a good job. What was the moment like for you getting to coach the team, you know, kind of make your summer league coaching debut for this organization? Yeah, like I’ve said, it’s always an honor to represent this organization. And uh for me it was just about seeing our guys out there and and and getting their you know for some of them their first taste for some of them uh get another chance and like we told these guys it’s all about opportunity. So whatever I can do to help these guys get a little bit closer to their goals and capitalize on their opportunity and that’s what I’m trying to do. I know Jay mentioned that he was battling through like I believe an ankle injury. Was that something that he hurt like doing summer league workouts or what? I believe it was a workout after summer league. Um I’m sorry after the draft. Um, but yeah, he’s he, you know, he he had got back to 100%. I think he might have retweaked it again, but but like I said, toughness, resiliency to come back in the game and and it was really impressive there. But how did you feel like the team just functioned in terms of what you guys saw set out to do? I think it was good. Um, it was a little ugly in the beginning, but I think at the end we looked really promising. Uh, we know what this group can offer and, uh, the talent that we have. So, I think we started seeing that at the end and we started getting more comfortable as a team. What was the adjustment like for you? What did you notice out there? Uh, for me just, you know, the pace of the game and the physicality. Um, you saw it early. It was super physical, guys picking up full court, a lot of body checking, a lot of bumps. So, you know, just getting used to that and I started feeling more comfortable with it as the game went on. Did you How How wide a difference is it from what you have played with all your life up to this point? Uh, basically the same. I mean, I’m I’m a smaller guard, so I’m used to people trying to be physical with me. So, uh, kind of expecting that when I came in here, guys try to go at me, um, be physical, try to body check me, you know, all those bumps. So, you know, just getting my body ready for that. How do you feel physically a after that one? Uh, feel good. Um, messed up my ankle a little bit, the one that’s been lingering, but I feel fine. But other than that, I feel great about the game. You talked about the full circle moment when you got drafted going to Orlando. Now coming back to Vegas has to be kind of cool, right? To get your first burn in the NBA. Definitely. Um, I still remember my last game. I played uh I played here actually. Uh, I remember playing a game here at Cox Pavilion and uh, you know, it’s just good to see familiar faces in the crowd sometimes. So, it’s amazing. You talked about your ability to make those second half adjustments. How much of that how much is that kind of go into you um, the teachings and the lessons that you got from Tom Dizzle being Tom at Michigan State? Oh, a lot. Um, you know, going into halftime at Michigan State, it was it was a war in there. So, uh, just taking that in here, just remember that the adjustments that we have to make as a team. Uh try to talk to my teammates and see what they see. Were your mom and dad here? No, they’re they’re in Augusta. They’re watching my brother play PGM right now. Yeah, I’m second on the priority list right now. Yeah, definitely. When when you Okay, so you have some time to before the next game. What are you personally looking to improve on from the jump there? Uh I think for me just uh the pace. Um it’s a lot of up and down. So, just getting used to pace uh in practice, you know, going hard with the guys and uh just building that chemistry. I think that’s one of the biggest things for us. Uh we only been together for about a week and a half, a lot of us. So, just building that chemistry and getting used to guys and how they play. What did you see out of Noah tonight? Physical. Uh super physical. He can get to the basket. He can drive and he plays really well defensively. How do you feel about your overall performance today? I feel good. I feel like I could have done a lot more in my opinion. You know, I’m still not fully 100% but I feel like I can give more to this team. Jay, I talked to your mom this week about being your coach growing up. What’s kind of a memorable moment from her coaching you and getting uh like as far as your development as a player? There’s been there’s been a lot. Uh I think one that really sticks out to me um every practice that we had when we were younger, we had a group of small guards and we basically just run and gun defense. So uh for us, we did shell drill every day up and down full court 94 ft every day. So I think that’s kind of one thing that sticks out to me from that. And what did it mean to have your mom as a coach? Uh, it’s special, you know, to have somebody in your household other than, you know, your dad that who’s played the game and knows the game well. So, just having her in my corner was super helpful. I feel like majority of my basketball IQ comes from her because she she’s just coached me for so long and it’s been me and her a lot. So, just, you know, reading the game from her and uh, taking any keys I can. Since being drafted, have you heard from Tom Mizo? And if so, what are some of the advice that he gave you about moving on to this next next next level? We we’ve had a couple calls. I probably should call him like I think I missed a call last week, but um you know he’s super proud of where I’ve gotten to this point, but he knows the work doesn’t stop here. So, uh just keep working, keep my head down, and you know, keep working hard. How well was your dad in terms of your basketball development? Uh I would say towards high school, he’s he really started helping a lot. um you know, with him, you know, being in the NBA a lot. He wasn’t really around as much when I was a kid, but high school, I really started taking taking it super serious. Um a lot of workouts with him and actually a lot of film with him, just watching a whole bunch of games, uh dissecting film with him, uh watching plays, stuff like that. So, he really started getting really involved my freshman year of high school. Is everybody good? No. What was the first summer league game like for you? You know, how how’d it feel to to be out there for summer league action? Uh it was actually pretty great. Uh even if we lost uh I learned some new rules. Uh um just being able to play some high level game, high intensity like that just feels really nice. Um we got to like get on with the atmosphere cuz it was a bit hurting at the beginning but it was uh yeah a a good game. Uh good game to learn, good way to learn for first game and uh I think wish on good signs for the future. How would you evaluate the way you played and maybe grew more? How would you evaluate your own individual play? Evaluate. Yeah. Um I mean I’d say um got to do better honestly. Uh I know what I’m capable of. Um just you know maybe that little excitement for the beginning had me like a little bit tight a bit sometimes. Uh but yeah, I think uh second’s game going to be better. Uh the the most important thing is uh to keep improving and uh for me just keep keep learning. Uh and I know I know my abilities and uh especially my ability to to learn and be a sponge on the court. So improvement is going to be the big thing. What did what areas are you looking to improve next game? Um a little bit of everything. Uh I think uh shot making first. Uh cuz I know they going to need me to I mean every teams that I’ve been uh in uh need me everywhere. So I say it’s just an an overall improving uh improvements uh on every every every aspect of the game. uh crashing the rebounds, have some more steals, some more blocks uh in offense, uh keep doing the the right thing, stay aggressive, and uh just uh keep trusting the the my shooting ability. So, I know I worked on it. So, just be confident in the fact that I have the the right to take those shots. You know, we talked about the special bond you’re already building with Jace. You know, what did you see out of out of him tonight? Say what? What did you see from Jace tonight? uh that he’s he’s not afraid of anything. Uh he he keep playing like even though he’s like not 100% I think. Uh so he just gave everything on the court and uh it’s encouraging for us and it it pushes us also. Uh so it’s just great to see him um being that that leader. You guys good? There we go.

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