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In an interview just before the Armor went on a season-ending road trip, coach Bob MacKinnon said he thinks Kris Joseph, about to be called up by the Nets, has the "potential down the road to be a very good NBA player."
MacKinnon was asked about Joseph, Willie Reed, Toko Shengelia, and Tyshawn Taylor during an interview with a local reporter. The interview took place before news of Joseph's call-up leaked out. MacKinnon also had good things to say about his assistant Chris Carrawell, who Nets insiders say has developed as a coach the last two years after leaving the Duke program.
The Armor, 18-28 with four games to go, had a disappointing season from a record standpoint but with Shengelia and Taylor playing well while on assignment, Joseph about to be called up and Willie Reed developing, the season wasn't so much of a loss.
Here's the highlights of the interview, including comments on the Nets putting development ahead of record...
On Kris Joseph
He spaces the floor for us. and he's a threat out there with the ball and he's a good wing defender and all of those things we were lacking ... and a wing scorer... and he's also a young guy. He's a first year out of college, so someone who has potential to down the road, I think, be a very good NBA player.
On Willie Reed
We're really proud of what Willie's done, and the professionalism more than anything he's gained this season. He's a guy who if he's not the youngest guy in the league, he's one of the three youngest guys in our league and has been all year. He came in, didn't understand the work ethic, the day-to-day professionalism needed and I think he's learned a lot and I'm really proud of the fact that if you look at some of our players last year - Jeff Foote not really on anybody's NBA radar and he was an NBA call-up; Willie Reed, not on anyone's NBA radar and now has put himself in that position. And for our big guys, I think it's a great testament to what our assistant, Chris Carrawell, does with our big people and the mentorship he provides to those guys.
On Toko Shengelia and Tyshawn Taylor
It's always an honor to coach NBA players and to coach players at that level and of that magnitude, it's always a thrill for me. You always want to coach the best and the most talented players in the world are the NBA players. So it was an honor to coach those guys and try to help them develop their games and develop their professionalism and becoming pro's and I think we did that and I think we helped them and helped them toward the Nets cause. I think they're both guys who if you look down the road 10 to 12 years I think they're still going to be playing and being very productive NBA players.
On Development and the Nets
That's the thing the Nets stress with us the most. They want development to be first and again, you look at a Willie Reed, you look at a Willie Reed who's gotten better, Justin Johnson, who's gotten better better since he's been here. Kris Joseph, his numbers speak for themselves. They've gotten better since he's been here. So I think our players have developed since they've gotten here and again I'm proud of that fact.