When Wesley Witherspoon first arrived in Memphis to play for John Calipari, many expected him to be another in a line of stars to play for the Tigers. But, after 1 year Calipari left, and new coach Josh Pastner never seemed to really know how to use the long, athletic wing effectively. Playing all over the court, Witherspoon never seemed to settle into a comfortable role, yet when he was involved on offense, you still saw flashes of what makes him still a promising prospect. With college behind him, Witherspoon can now focus on molding himself into an effective NBA player. Don’t be fooled by the numbers, Witherspoon is still a player with a promising future. I recently had the chance to speak to Witherspoon about his college experience, his game, and more:
Wesley on how his game developed at Memphis:
“It was definitely a process. There were a lot of trials and tribulations, but you can only get past them. As a player, the ability to play and learn multiple positions made me much better. ”
Wesley on playing for both John Calipari and Josh Pastner:
“They are two very different types of coaches. They decided to use me in different ways.”
Wesley on the strengths to his game:
“Being able to guard multiple positions is definitely my biggest strength.”
Wesley on what parts of his game he still wants to improve:
“I need to get my motor back, being able to play the whole game at my highest level.”
Wesley on how he sees his role at the next level:
“I can be someone who comes in and plays tough defense, and also knock down the open shot when needed.”
Wesley on training in preparation for the NBA Draft:
“I have been living in the gym, working out, using weights to get stronger. After I graduate, I will then be going to Cleveland to work on my game and getting stronger and in better shape.”
Wesley on playing in the Portsmouth Invitational:
“It was a great experience. I got the chance to play with a lot of great players, and it gave me a chance to showcase what I can do in front of a lot of the NBA guys. Being able to play well there definitely helped me out. ”
Wesley on what he wants teams and fans to know about him:
“Everyone just needs to know that I am an extremely hard worker and I am ready for the opportunity to show what I can do. I have been working to get to this point for a long time and I want to make the most of it.”
I want to thank Wesley for his time and I wish him the best of luck as he looks to fulfill his dream of getting to the NBA. Thank you also to his agent, Lance Young at Octagon for setting up this interview. Wesley has a lot to still show people and I think once he gets the opportunity, we will see a much better player than the last few years.
Make sure to check over the next few weeks for many more interviews with this year’s NBA Draft class. Follow me on Twitter – @NBADraftBlog – for updates and feel free to send me your questions/comments – [email protected]
Photo Credit: AP/Humphery
