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Buckskin86
Moderator
The Q, with Utah Jazz rookie center and ex-Buckeye Kosta Koufos
by Mary Schmitt Boyer/Plain Dealer Reporter
Saturday January 24, 2009
Steve C. Wilson/Associated Press
Utah rookie Kosta Koufos (left) tries to prevent this drive to the basket by Antonio Daniels of the New Orleans Hornets. Koufos is averaging 5.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in his debut pro season.
Q: What's the most important thing you've learned from Jerry Sloan?
A: Be patient and whenever my number is called, whenever I get an opportunity to play, be ready at all times. I just want to work hard every day and get better as a basketball player.
Q: He has been coaching the Jazz since before you were born. How does he relate to young players?
A: He's a Hall of Fame coach. He's been around a lot of players and knows the game very well. I'm a student of the game, a big sponge, so I just want to soak up as much information as possible. I'm having a really good rookie year so far. I just want to get better every day.
Q: What has been the hardest adjustment for you coming into the NBA?
A: I wouldn't say it was a hard adjustment from college to the NBA. I'm actually having a lot of fun in the NBA. I'm blessed to be part of a great organization. The only adjustment, and I wouldn't even call it an adjustment, was just getting acclimated to the area.
Q: If you could vote for anybody but yourself, who would you vote for as Rookie of the Year?
A: Probably Derrick Rose. He deserves it. He works hard, and he's a good person.
Q: What is it like living in Salt Lake City? Have you been homesick?
A: I love this city. I always miss home [Canton], but at the same time I'm here, I'm focused. I'm enjoying the city life, great fans. I've got it all here.
Q: Have you found any good Greek restaurants there?
A: There's a lot of them. There's a huge Greek population here, and they've taken care of me. It's a very, very good place for me to play basketball.
The Q, with Utah Jazz rookie center and ex-Buckeye Kosta Koufos - Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball NBA News - cleveland.com
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naptownbuck
Da Truth :)
Kosta Koufos said:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiHWMWbZCB4"]YouTube - Kosta Koufos Dancing[/ame]
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Awesome.
PtownBuckeye
You killed my father. Prepare to die.
lol, thats great.
How come we never saw any of that when he played at tOSU?
But I'm glad hes playing under Sloan and I think he's going to be a very good NBA player as his game continues to evolve...
How come we never saw any of that when he played at tOSU?
But I'm glad hes playing under Sloan and I think he's going to be a very good NBA player as his game continues to evolve...
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leroyjenkins
Choose positivity
Ohio State Buckeyes College Football Recruiting, OSU Big Ten Football, OSU Basketball - Bucknuts.com
'Kicking It With Kosta Koufos'
Short little video clip interviewing KK.
'Kicking It With Kosta Koufos'
Short little video clip interviewing KK.
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Buckskin86
Moderator
Sunday Special: Koufos holding his own as Utah Jazz rookie
By Todd Porter
CantonRep.com staff report
Feb 14, 2009
AP / Eric Gay
Utah Jazz center Kosta Koufos grabs a rebound over San Antonio Spurs forward Matt Bonner during a recent game. The GlenOak High School graduate is making quite an impact in his rookie NBA season with Utah.
Home for the NBA All-Star break, Kosta Koufos is getting a much deserved rest from the grind of professional basketball.
The GlenOak High School graduate is exceeding expectations in Utah and has carved a nice role for himself as a rookie with the Jazz. And that?s not easy, because veteran Head Coach Jerry Sloan doesn?t often like rookies, much less play them.
But Koufos has proved he can hold his own on the court. In fact, when ESPN.com?s David Thorpe came out with his rookie rankings, Koufos was 16th. Brook Lopez of the New Jersey Nets was No. 1.
Regarding Koufos, Thorpe wrote, ?The big guy is one of the fastest risers in this class, averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds in just 20 minutes per game over his past five games. He has his motor revving high, which greatly helps his cause, thanks to the Jazz?s offensive system and unselfish players. ... How?s this for helping out a teammate: Koufos has dunked on 9 percent of his shot attempts, and 100 percent of his dunks have come off an assist.?
Koufos is one of the hardest-working rookies in the league. He?s always early to practice and late to stay. Living by himself in Utah has its advantages for a young player learning the game.
His improvement and work ethic have been noticed, too. He recently signed endorsement deals with Nike, Topps, Upper Deck, Press Pass and Mercedes Benz of North Olmsted (more on those later). The marketing side of his NBA career is taking shape the way veteran agent Mark Termini promised it would.
Termini told Koufos to worry about the on-the-court aspect of the NBA, and the endorsements would come. It?s to Termini?s credit that he sold a rising NBA rookie, with drawing power in Greece, to Nike, and the shoe empire is paying Koufos nicely. With the state of the economy, even Nike has backed off on shoe contracts, signing only those who have shown they deserve it.
?All I?ve tried to do is just focus on the court,? Koufos said after watching high school alma mater, GlenOak, lose to Hoover on Friday. ?The marketing stuff is gonna come. ... The Mercedes deal is cool. It?s a little bit of a step up from the Blazer.?
Koufos hasn?t lost his sense of humor. In fact, he?s turning into somewhat of a fan favorite in Utah.
He won a dance-off with fellow Jazz rookie Kyrylo Fesenko. Koufos, who was involved in Greek line dancing as a kid, was the clear-cut favorite, based on fan cheers. Check out the video on YouTube. There?s nothing quite like watching a 7-footer do the worm.
?I told them I could dance,? Koufos said.
All kidding aside, Utah is poised to make a playoff run. If the Jazz do, they?ll need Koufos to be a contributor off the bench.
That?s more than some people thought. There was a school of thought that believed Koufos should have stayed at Ohio State another season. Now he?s a 19-year-old player for Sloan and developing an NBA game.
?I wouldn?t say I?m surprised,? Koufos said. ?I knew I could perform at this level. ... The Jazz aren?t known for playing rookies, but I think I?m showing I can play at this level when given time. I?m just living a dream.?
Playing for Sloan is the best scenario for Koufos. He could have been drafted by an undisciplined organization where, on game nights, they roll the ball on the floor and play. Instead, Sloan has a disciplined system, and Koufos is learning how to play in it.
?There is no doubt in my mind this is the right place for me, and there is no doubt in my mind coming (out early) was the right decision,? Koufos said.
When Koufos gets time, he plays well and has the stat lines to prove it. He is averaging 4.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in just less than 12 minutes a game. But when Koufos gets 20 minutes in a game, he usually scores double figures. The Jazz are plus-6 with him on the court.
Sunday Special: Koufos holding his own as Utah Jazz rookie - Canton, OH - CantonRep.com
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OK. He made the money, and that is nothing to sneeze at, but I still think that he would be far better prepared if he had waited another year to go pro.
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