Every year, there is a player whose name doesn’t start to get mentioned until it comes to individual team workouts. Usually it is because they are from a smaller school, and they come into the workouts and outplay the players who are projected to be drafted. This pre-draft season, the player whose name I have heard pop up the most in this regard is Boston University’s Darryl Partin. Partin, a 6’6 point guard who spent two years at BU after transferring from LaSalle, capped off an excellent senior season by being named America East Player of the Year and AP Honorable Mention All-American. Now, given the chance to work out against some bigger name guards in the draft, Partin has already impressed personnel from the Celtics (who worked him out twice) and Clippers, and was preparing to see some other teams. I had the chance to talk to Partin recently about his game, the workout process, being from a smaller conference, and more:
Darryl on how his game developed in college:
“I matured a lot as a player. Definitely, I matured physically. I was 6’6 and real skinny when I got to college, so I needed to bulk up. Plus playing with some great players taught me a lot. When I got to LaSalle, I was playing the 1 behind Rodney Green, who was also a big point guard. It helped me a lot playing behind him. ”
Darryl on his strengths as a player:
“I think my biggest strengths are getting to the rim, and making reads off of the pick and roll. The NBA is all about the pick and roll, so I think my ability to know how to run it well has helped me.”
Darryl on what parts of his game he still wants to improve:
“I have been working on improving my ability to catch and shoot from NBA 3-point range. I have also been working on improving on the defensive end, especially improving how to keep my man in front of me. The speed at the NBA level will be an adjustment for me.”
Darryl on what role he can fill for a team immediately:
“I think I definitely can come in right away and help defensively. I can guard the 1 through 3, and I am a smart player who understands the game very well. Also, as a 6’6 guard, I can provide a team with some versatility.”
Darryl on going through the Pre-Draft process:
“The process has been very exciting to me and something I have looked forward to for a long time. It gave me the chance to go against some great players and also let teams see what I could bring to their team.”
Darryl on whether he felt overlooked playing in the America East:
“In some ways I did. It’s a very different game playing in the smaller conference. The game is very guard-dominant; you don’t have the real big men you have at a lot of bigger schools. So it is tough to get noticed unless you can win a game against a big name team or get into the NCAA Tournament.”
Darryl on what he wants teams and fans to know about him:
“I am a very hard-working player. I am not a problem, on or off the court. I can be a great teammate and locker room guy. There is no difference between me and a lot of guys who are projected to be drafted, and I am ready to step onto the court and prove it. I will definitely be playing with a chip on my shoulder.”
I want to thank Darryl for his time and I wish him the best of luck as he looks to fulfill his dream of getting to the NBA. Though college fans, especially in the Northeast, may have known some about Darryl, the impression he is making on NBA teams is beyond what any of them could have expected. He is a unique player and that is very appealing to many teams, and as he pointed out, his versatility makes him even more so. Even better, when you talk to Darryl, you really get a sense that he understands what work needs to be done, and he isn’t going to back down from it. Darryl is certainly a player you need to keep your eye on throughout the summer and into training camps, because even if he doesn’t happen to hear his name called tomorrow night, it won’t be the last we hear of him.
Check back this week for more great interviews and scouting reports as we head towards the 2012 NBA Draft. Follow me on Twitter – @NBADraftBlog – for updates, leave your comments below, or feel free to email me at [email protected]
