I apologize if someone linked to this already, but I didn't see any discussion. Cluchcity.net's nationally renowned reporter, Clutch, did an exclusive interview of Kenny. Great Quotes. Excellent work!! <blockquote><hr><h3>Rocket Four Seeing Time At Three</h3> <b>By Clutch</b> Kenny Thomas has come to camp slimmed down and in such great shape that Rudy and company will have him playing small forward some this season. Entering the 1999 NBA Draft, the knocks on Kenny Thomas were that he didn't work hard enough, couldn't keep off the weight and didn't "bring it" every night. Now, in his fourth season, it's amazing how much KT has proved the critics wrong. The 6-foot-7 forward has come in to camp in such great shape the past two seasons that you're left asking yourself what he's doing in the summer to get the results. "I go back to Alburquerque where I went to school," Kenny told ClutchCity.net Friday. "Then I go out to Philadelphia for a month and play with the Sixers and some other guys, local guys up there. I have a trainer, which I've had for 3 years now, and he helps me out. I pretty much just work out three times a day and stuff like that." And his no. 1 goal this offseason? "<b>Pretty much to get more and more consistent on my jump shot, which I've done." Yes, he has. In Friday's team scrimmage, Thomas knocked down the mid-range jumper with alarming consistency.</b> In fact, KT's workouts are paying off so much that already the team is talking about him seeing time at the three this season. "Yeah, the thing about it is I played some small forward a little bit last year, like the last 15 to 20 games or so," said Thomas. "<b>I think I am able to guard some threes. It's something that I have had to basically get familiar with, but I don't think it matters. I just want to get on the court.</b>" Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich admitted he will be playing Thomas at the wing spot "some" this season, and raved about the versatility he brings to the game. "Kenny is just a competitor," said Rudy. "He's skilled. He's a little bit of this and a little bit of that and that's how we're going to use him. He can play some three and we know at four he's a hard guard for people because he's got great footwork and he attacks the basket. He's guarded centers at times." <hr></blockquote> So much for Kenny being sour about moving to the 3, or unable to shoot behind 10' (which was never true, even last year). Also, he works out in Albuquerque and Philadelphia. Someone mind explaining where Maurice was "demolishing him" this summer.
I didn't see the part of the interview where Kenny said that he was never in Houston during the summer. You're reaching, HP.
Why are you selling Clutch short? Clutch's stuff is shown in China. He's more than national, he's international!
MoT: not cleared to play until July 1st, joins Rockets in the Summer Leagues for 2 weeks in July. KT: goes home to train and condition, three times a day. Working mainly on his jumper. Goes to Philly for a month "to play." besides: I never said KT didn't help workout MoT a few times, but I thought the reports were demolishing "all summer."
I don't really remember the exact quote, nor do I really care. I guess I was just hoping that this discussion wasn't reopened again.
HP. it is very appropriate that you reopened it in an attempt to set the record straight; especially when the misleading info came from a respected senior poster.
guys, please don't assume I brought this up for only one reason. The MoT destroying Kenny is a good reason, because it is telling of our biggest discussion this summer (ie, who is the odd man out, if one exists). But that is not why I brought up this article. I brought it up because it is full of great quotes, and Clutch did an excellent job of interviewing an apparently hard Rocket to interview. I am more interested in his focus on his outside shot and willingness to play the 3 than to carry on a conversation about Maurice destroying him, when if it happened, it was based on some source's limited viewing of them between July 1st and Summer Leagues that Mo attended.
One thing we have learned this summer, is that Jeff and Clutch have different sources, that occassionally tell the guys different things. Earlier Clutch learned that Mo was a fatboy that had had setbacks, while Jeff learned that he was ripping Kenny up. Sometimes conflicting information will come about.... I'm not sure if we should shoot the messenger(s). We should instead impugn their opinions and discern their motives. ie... Jeff, why do you hate KT so much?
The interview with Kenny answered exactly some of the questions I'd been wondering just last week, the main one being what does Kenny think of the switch? Thanks, Clutch. That was, I feel, an extremely pertinent interview for members of this BBS. I'm ecstatic that Kenny worked on his mid-range jumper and feels he has it down. I know I'm jumping the gun, but I'm extremely confident that Kenny will have as big a year as last year if he gets the minutes. That's a huge if, because while people were flaming NewYorker in another thread, I think the problem he brought up of minutes this year is a very significant one, although I don't see it as much of a problem after two years. God forbid we have any more injuries, but if everyone's healthy, we can't possibly give meaningful minutes to all seven of Yao, Cato, Eddie, Mo T, KT, Rice, and Nachbar. Someone is not going to be happy, and even if by some miracle all the players are okay with it, I'm certain a significant number of vocal fans on this BBS will not be (because Nachbar or Eddie isn't getting enough minutes). But back to Kenny. I'm extremely excited about trying him at the 3 this season within the new offense. I'm incredibly optimistic about the experiment working with the news about his improved shot. As long as Kenny can hit the open mid-range jumper, there's no reason he won't be an important part of our nucleus.
14/7/2002 "Here's the scoop on Taylor. I just heard this so here's what I know. Taylor has 10 pounds to go before he is down to his playing weight. He is working out like crazy. He apparently took it very personally that KT had his job last season and that some had suggested (some, meaning media primarily) that KT might keep the job. I was told that Mo has been KILLING Thomas in practices. He is EXTREMELY motivated to come back strong this season. He is working his ass off. People have been really impressed with his attitude and workouts. He seems very happy and motivated. Should be an interesting season." No one said all summer. this is not just a senior poster, this is Jeff. There was nothing conflicting with his news and Clutch's. MoT was still 10 lbs overweight at the time hewas killing KTin practiceS, and clutch reported that he's overweight. very accurate, very clear.
14/7/2002 ???? HP is right, where is the proof MT was even playing against KT? It's not that anyone doesn't want to believe, it's that it is hearsay at this point...
When in doubt... 1) Follow the money... 2) Determine who had the motive, the opportunity, and the means... 3) Do some DNA testing, and then subject the suspects to a grilling, insinuating that the tests have them cornered, until one of the ring breaks...A little good cop/ bad cop can't hurt. OR...We can assume that both Jeff and Clutch are honest guys with integrity, and that two people can report honestly on a given situation with the result seeming to be two different interpretations. This occurence does not require one or the other to have some sort of bias, as they were both just reporting what they had heard. Sometimes we have to lighten up....
I'm glad to see Kenny has worked on his shot. I'll believe it's improved once I see it in a game. I've always liked Kenny, just like Mo more. Also, how much do you think Kenny would want to resign (next year, right?), would it be as much as Mo has?
Sane, first off, this is a great topic to me. The 4 controversy is about the most important topic this Summer and camp. We are all confident that the Westside scoop was reported as provided. But there was only one week (between July 1st and the summer leagues) for KT and MoT to play against each other before the initial scoop. What happened is the scoop continued to be repeated by more and more people who were just repeating, and not adding. It snowballed to the point that it seemed KT and MoT were playing all summer. It became a matter of fact in any discussion about the PF controversy, which is an important Rox discussion. I feel that is worth putting into perspective. Hell, I would have asked Kenny that question directly, to hear him laugh. My intention was never to prove someone wrong for repeating a Westside scoop, like it is a jealousy thing or something, which some people claimed...my intention was to categorically reject the scouting report and conclusions based on what was clearly only a few days of workouts in early July. I think it would be *great* if Mo could "kill" Kenny (lol), that would make him a huge stud, but he can't, didn't, and won't kill Kenny. And now we see that in Clutch's first camp report MoT and KT were going at each other fairly evenly, and this interview makes it logistically unlikely they had more than a few workouts, where Kenny is conditioning 3 times a day and working on his shot...ie, working at his own pace for his own results. KT was probably giving Mo token pressure to help Mo get his legs back and timing down.
Well considering Rice was injured and Langhi was playing at the end of last year, I would say he did just fine. Isn't nitpicking so much fun.... DD
Kenny is a winner(has heart & pride)so he will do whatever it takes for him to make it in the NBA.But he's a 4. He knows it and the Rockets know it.Therefore, i would not be surprised, that for his own good, if the Rockets trade him. But that's just my opinion.
Heypee, I have nothing against Kenny. I'm a Rockets fan just like you are, and this competition at the 4, as you agree, is excellent for our team. I do think that Mo T very possibly destroyed KT in practices. But that does not necessarily mean that he's the better player. Basketball's a team sport, and KT may or may not be the better team player. All I was trying to say is that Jeff has VERY high credibility, and that MoT very possibly, and meaninglessly, killed KT in practice. With 10 extra lbs., he could've backed KT down on every shot, WHO KNOWS? I'd love to keep KT, but our team seems better flowing when MoT is on the court. KT, in my eyes, is a much better version of Corliss Williamson, but still, his height is a huge disadvantage, barring him from being a starter. I feel, rather than creating chemistry problems, we should trade KT so that he can be happy, MoT can be happy, Griffin can be happy, and the whole team can be happy. Griffin and MoT is enough competition at ONE spot on the floor, there is no need for OVER-motivation. Nachbar is our future 3, and Rice is our only veterean. Something's gotta give, and KT is the odd man out. But, again, I agree that KT would be much better at backing up Griff than MoT can be. If we could unload MoT, that would be great. But he worked just as hard as KT, and has the same numbers, probably better per-minute. So let's solve this problem, and make KT happy already....
