The Clippers Select Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie

[illastrate]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYGqQ1PjvtE[/youtube]

[adiedanny]

Incredibly smart picks for the Clips. It shoul motivate all three to play harder and stick around. Everyboy is down on leslie because of Bledsoe. This guy is a perfect sub for EJ. He can continue the defensive presence when EJ is on the bench. Bledsoe is our pg sub for now

[playaloc916]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYGqQ1PjvtE[/youtube]

It's crazy how Thompkins and Aminu knew each other from middle school. I thought they gave off a similar, laid back vibe, and even a similar look with the glasses. But it looks like Thompkins actually encouraged Aminu to start playing ball. And Thompkins said he knew a few of the other players for years.

Sounds like chemistry will be a nice benefit of the picks. Whether that translates to anything on the court, we'll see.

[thanumba2clippersfan]

I like the numbers they chose

[mkwest]

Clippers Introduce Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie

“It is definitely a blessing to be on a team like the Clippers,” Thompkins said. “I’m looking forward to playing with this young nucleus. I feel like we will be an exciting team, and then just to add Travis, to that makes it so much easier. To have someone that I have spent the last three years of my career with who is actually my best friend, it is great.”

“Trey’s skill is very impressive,” Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro said. “The way he can shoot the basketball, he’s got a soft touch. This week that they are here working out is very important for him, and for both of them, so we will be able to get to know each other and get them to feel as comfortable as possible.”

“He’s one of the best dunkers in the NBA,” Leslie said about his new teammate Blake Griffin, “And I was one of the best dunkers in college basketball, so I’m just going to bring what I’ve got to the table here. I’m up for the challenge. I know that it is going to be hard, but I’m up for it and I’m going to work my heart out.”

“It’s important to get that work in,” Thompkins said. “I want my teammates to know that I’m ready to work and ready to be a good teammate. I feel like we will be an exciting team and our record is going to skyrocket.”

Seth Burton, Clippers.com

Here are videos from the Q&A session from the training facility shortly after the draft last Thursday. Neil and Vinny answer the media's questions and breakdown Thompkins, Leslie, the scouting process, the team's goals, the Minnesota pick (2nd video) and more. Neil pretty much confirms that he's going after Paul, Howard and/or Williams within the next year.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xrd31mZEdY[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TG0EEwUpuU[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXNKbmwGvk4[/youtube]

[mkwest]

Draft Night: Behind the Scenes

Take a look behind the scenes with Clippers officials on draft night 2011.

It's an interesting look at the whole process/system. I'm glad to hear that we have an advanced stat guy, because I have had my doubts.

Beat the clock: Clippers draft picks get cram session before likely lockout

“Honestly, it really hasn’t hit me yet that I’m playing for the Clippers,” said Thompkins. “Probably when I’m practicing and start playing with Blake [Griffin], I think it will hit me.”

Thompkins plans asking Griffin, the NBA’s 2011 Rookie of the Year plenty of questions.

“I’m just going to pick his brain every day, the next couple of days before I leave,” Thompkins said. “I’ll be in contact with him just seeing if we can link up and work together and become closer and become better teammates.”

Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro felt that there has been enough of a foundation put down in May and June so that his players wouldn’t all go their separate ways and quit working together once July 1 hits.

“I don’t think that will be the case with Blake’s intensity in terms of his workouts and the way DeAndre [Jordan] is improving,” Del Negro said. “With the veteran leadership of Mo [Williams] and Eric Gordon and the guys we have, that won’t be the case and that’s something that has been instilled in them so far."

Lisa Dillman, LA Times

[Ranma]

Pedro Moura, ESPN Los Angeles (6/28/11)

The two are more than just college teammates -- Thompkins calls Leslie his best friend. Both hail from the suburbs of Atlanta, and both have long known Clippers 2010 first-rounder Al-Farouq Aminu.

Those connections were indeed part of the reason the Clippers selected the teammates with both of their second-round selections in Thursday's draft. But the main reason was simple: They were, at both picks, the highest-rated players still available.

"We're really happy," Clippers general manager Neil Olshey said Monday, repeating his sentiments from draft night. "Anytime you can walk into a draft room and get two players that you have rated well ahead of where you got them drafted, the value and the ability they have to impact your roster -- it's exciting for us."

Leslie and Thompkins teammates again

[mkwest]

I was a little disappointed on draft night (I was looking at Jeremy Tyler and Josh Selby), but these two are growing on me. I love the fact that they are already with the team working out and will likely do so during the lockout. They both fill needs and can be valuable to the rotation in due time. For needing a back-up 4, Thompkins fills that role very well imo. I don't think that he's grossly overweight like he has been criticized about being, but he does need his conditioning to be improved. That was an issue with DJ in the beginning, but that changed after hanging out with Blake. With Cook having 1 more year, an uncertainty around Rhino and Ike, Thompkins is in a favorable position. He just needs to get fit.

Leslie was interesting from the start. The dude has high aspirations for himself and I feel that he's competitive. He's ruffled some feathers before playing an exhibition game by saying he feels he could be better than Tony Allen (who would be a great player to have btw). He's in practice challenging Blake to dunk-offs on the first day. Guarding players like EJ, Foye or even Bledsoe in practice is going to be tough and hopefully will prepare him for NBA-level defense. The 2 position is crowded on this team, and hustle and effort (well, those and injuries) are about the only way that is going to get him onto the court there. Vinny does like playing the 3-guard line-up, so there may also be an opportunity there at times.

All-in-all, I like the potential that these 2 bring. I like that they are already familiar with some of the other guys and especially Aminu. They should be able to fit right in with the vibe that others already have and I would think that their presence would motivate the other young players that will be coming off of the bench to not lose their minutes in the rotation. The lockout situation is terrible, but I'm optimistic about this squad when the CBA is finalized and the season actually does start.