Roy Discusses July Workouts, Berry, Pinson & More
CHAPEL HILL – Roy Williams met with a few members of the media Tuesday morning after getting a new identification card as part of a promotion for new federally mandated law passed by Congress to improve travel security in the United States.
But aside from one question about the process of getting the new driver’s license, the Hall of Fame coach was asked several questions about his basketball team, which can work out four hours a week in July and in August will be going to the Bahamas for a pair of exhibition games.
Here's Some Of What Williams Had To Say:
On practicing this month…
We practiced two weeks ago today and we practice today. Introductory things. We work out and do a lot of individual stuff right now and we go once a week for the next three weeks.
On Theo Pinson and Joel Berry not getting drafted but signing free agent deals…
I think both of them have landed in good situations. If you’re going to be drafted middle-to-late second round you’re better off not being drafted because you may have some better options where there’s a need for you.
Theo with Brooklyn, he has a good possibility there. He played pretty well in the summer league out in Vegas. And Joel with the Lakers, and I spoke to the Lakers’ front office and they were excited about him. But, he’s been hurt and hasn’t been able to play in the summer league so far. He’s hoping to get into a game but I hope he doesn’t try to rush it back just to play in a summer league so he can get himself healthy for fall training camp.
But, I feel good about both youngsters and the chances that they have. But it’s hard, it’s a hard league.
On Jacque Vaughan coaching Pinson in Brooklyn and if he’s spoken to him…
Yeah, yeah. Jacque is one of the great individuals in the world – he’s an assistant coach there. I did not go out to the summer league this time. Usually, three out of every four years I go but I take a year off, too. So I sent Sean (May) and Eric (Hoots) out and they had a chance to visit with like 12 guys of ours that were out there and watched them play. So hopefully it will work out.
On what he’s seen from the freshmen (Nassir Little, Coby White and Rechon Black) so far…
I can’t tell you anything, guys. I don’t do the individual workouts and in practice we just introduced things. If you ask me how they look sliding their feet going from this spot to that spot (I can), but we haven’t gone up and down with them at all, we haven’t done any competitive drills with them at all until tonight.
On how quick and easy it was getting this new license…
I thought it was a wonderful process. It was very easy, it was eight minutes. It was a really neat deal. I don’t think we should act in a panic-mode all the time, but I think anything that is good for security I’m all for it. I think it’s a great idea and didn’t have any problems with it at all. People were fantastic.