Bauman: A 44-inch vertical, plus other notes from NBA pre-draft camp

Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky: Are you surprised you’re still considered the Number 1 pick in the draft?

“I’m not surprised. I have God-given talent and I’ve used it in the best way I can and I think that through this injury it’ll definitely make me a better player. I think the silver lining is that it’ll help me bring different parts of my game along, so I’m very thankful for that. Just a lot of skill work and definitely getting stronger and putting on some good weight. Just doing a lot of things that will help my game.”

How are you handling the interviews?

“I’m just being myself. Not too much emphasis, really. I’m just coming in here and being who I am and what I’m about and what I’d bring to their team.”

(RELATED: Check out Joe Kotoch’s Mock Draft 2.0.1. Mock Draft 3.0 coming May 21) 

Trey Burke, PG, Michigan: Have you heard any concerns so far?

“I haven’t heard any real concerns. I’ve just heard defense, picking up the intensity. Being a smaller guard, I understand I need to be a pest on defense. There’s no doubt in my mind I can be. If you see guys like Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo, the way that they play defense, I think it all comes from your inner will inside and that’s an area I’m growing in.”

How did you get your jump shot to the point it’s at today?

“I think my dad was pretty much the main person who helped my jump shot. Growing up I had an awkward jump shot because I shot with two hands [as a result of being little]. I didn’t really have good rotation on my shot. That changed about five years ago and ever since then just more repetitions, more repetitions. It’s helped me develop a more consistent jump shot. It’s still not where I want it to be but it’s consistent enough in my opinion.”

Cody Zeller, C, Indiana: Why didn’t you shoot more at Indiana and are you excited to show that at the next level?

“Yeah, I mean it wasn’t in our game plan for me to shoot outside as much but I have that ability and I think I’ll be able to show that ability in the workouts with the NBA teams and I’ll be doing a lot more of that at the next level.”

Mason Plumlee, C, Duke: Do you pay attention to mock drafts?

“I don’t. You know it’s crazy. My first three years in college I knew all about them but this year I was like, ‘I’m leaving regardless,’ so I’ve put no stock into what the boards online say.”

Ray McCallum Jr., PG, Detroit: Describe your strengths.

“One of the strengths of my game besides, being a leader, is that I’m more athletic than people think. That’s one of the questions everyone had: ‘How athletic is he?’ I’m just trying to show them that I’m a true point guard, that I’m still working on and improving my shot to get it cleaner and be more consistent with that. Just really, my form and technique is pretty clean, but just trying to get consistent with it through reps and reps. Keeping my elbow up and flicking my wrist and making my shot go down.”

Shabazz Muhammad, SG/SF, UCLA: Do you want to go high or to the best fit?

“I mean, I want to go as high as I can. Everybody wants to go as high as they can, but the best fit is perfect. If you get the best fit, it doesn’t really matter if you go high. You can look at the guys who’ve gone 10^th who got a great fit and make a big impact right away.”

How would you describe his lone season at UCLA?

“A journey. Coming from a program in UCLA who was really different in style of play and not up-tempo at all, I thought I learned a lot there in the half court, how to come off picks, and how to get my shot off and create space off the screens.”

Do you prefer the shooting guard or small forward position at the next level?

“I prefer the 2. I think if I play the 2, I’ll be one of the tallest guys playing the 2. I was here with the 3’s today and I had good size. I think if I’m with the 2’s, I can do a lot of damage from the guard position.”

How relieving is it to finally get to this part after its been talked about with you for so long?

“It’s really relieving. I’m so blessed to be out here. That’s why I love just playing. Some of the guys are sitting out, but I want to play. If I’m a lottery or not, I want to play against the guys and compete. I’m not running away from anybody. That’s one thing I love about my game; I want to play.”

Dennis Schroeder, PG, Germany: What are your strengths?

“I think my first strength is defense and then run the fast break and try to lead the team and find the open guy.”

How did the Nike Hoop Summit game help your stock?

“I think that helped me a lot. Before the Hoop Summit, nobody knows me, so it helped me a lot. I played good in this game and now the scouts want to work out. It helped me a lot.”

Who do you play like?

“I think Rondo. Everybody says I play like Rondo, so I guess I play a little like him.”

DeShaun Thomas, SF, Ohio State: How do you feel about going in the second round?

“It’s all about just getting with the right team, having the right team get you and go from there. Are you gonna work out, keep going? That’s what my motor is and if I go second round I’m gonna get in there, work out and try to be great.”

What can you bring to a team at the NBA level?

“I can bring great energy. I can bring the toughness, the competitiveness and the will to win. Everyone says ‘You can bring in the scoring but what else can you do?’ I can go out there and give you the extra rebounds, the extra assists, the little things. I learned that at Ohio State, that it’s about the little things to help your team win.”

Jeff Withey, C, Kansas: How does the game change on the defensive end from college to the NBA?

“It’s not too different. I think the way we played at Kansas is with a lot of help defense and that’s where I was able to get a lot of my blocks. Obviously Kansas wasn’t the same competition as the NBA but the style of play was similar.”

Who do you model your game after?

“I try to model my game after a lot of guys. I try to take certain things from certain people. I want my defense to be like Tyson Chandler and I want my offense to be kind of like Kevin Garnett. Hopefully I get there some day.”