Sam Young interview: "I'm going to bring athletic ability and toughness"

What his natural NBA position is:
In college I did play a lot of four, but my last couple of years I’ve branched out and played the three and I’ve been successful. I just think it’s a learning experience but I think I’m a fast learner and slowly but surely getting it.

Do you think you couple play some shooting guard/wing in the right system?
Definitely, I think in some cases I can even bring the ball up. My ball handing has got to a point where I definitely am going to be able to play a lot of two or even on the right team remain as a two. So that’s what I’m improving on now and that’s what I’m working towards.

There are a lot of underclassmen in the draft. Do you see your experience and leadership qualities as things other guys don’t bring to the table?
I think a lot of guys now days are getting drafted on potential, and that’s great, but they didn’t really have to be a leader on their team. Being in college for four years you’ve earned that respect of being a leader and you mature as a player and as a person. I think that’s a positive for me and if you draft a player of my caliber that has that type of leadership, you know that player isn’t going to get into too much crazy stuff and is going to be mature as a rookie.

Do you see yourself as a guy that’s a good college player but has the perfect body type and style of play to break out in the NBA?
I feel like that all the type because the way the game is play and the floor is so spread. I’m a better one-on-one player anyway, so the one-on-one feel for the game of NBA basketball is going to help my game tremendously.

It’s been said you had the best pump fake in college basketball. Where did you learn to use the move?
I think that’s one of the things that’s going to help me in the NBA, because the floor’s so spread and if you can get a guy off their feet as much as I do, the lane is going to be wide open. But I got the pump fake when I was younger, playing at Friendly High School, me and a guy named Chris Howe used to do it a lot. I think I did it once or twice at Pitt and the guy flew out of bounds, and I started doing it ever since.

How playing in the Big East will help the transition to the NBA:
It was the best conference in the country. Every night we played Cincinnati, Marquette, UConn, Georgetown, so it helps out in the situation where teams and coaches know you have to be a tough-minded player to play in the Big East.

What’s your number one selling point to a team:
Toughness. Toughness. I’m going to bring athletic ability and toughness.

If someone described you as the “next blank,” who would that guy be?
Nobody. I wouldn’t want to be labeled as anybody. I think when I get to the next level I want to make my own mark. A lot of people might not look at my as the type of player that’s able to do something, but I have big expectations for myself, got the confidence and work hard.

What’s been your favorite part of this process?
Playing against the other guys that I’ve seen and heard about but didn’t get to play against and see their game in person. I think that’s been the most exciting part.

NBA Pre-draft Combine Results

Height w/o shoes: 6' 5.25"
Height w/ shoes: 6' 6.75"
Weight: 223
Wingspan: 6' 10.75"
Standing Reach: 8' 9.5"
Body Fat: 4.9 percent
No Step Vert. 27.5
Max Vert. 33.0
Bench Press: N/A
Lane Agility: 11.47
3/4 Court Sprint: 3.45 sec.