Posts tagged ‘Micheal Curry’

Mystery Guest Revealed!  Episode 60

When we recently spoke to Walter Sharpe he said his mindset would separate him from all the other 2008 Draft Picks. All 59 other picks. He feels that his self confidence and desire will make him a very valuable Detroit Piston. We caught up with Walter Sharpe who was out to dinner at home in Alabama on his way home. (That should speak to you about his character.)

Off the Cuff Audio Chat with Walter Sharpe

http://www.pistonscast.com/podcasts/pistonscast060.mp3

Interview Recap

Pistonscast: Thanks for coming on to the show. When you were drafted by the Detroit Pistons, Joe Dumars, you knew he was going to pick you the whole time…

Walter Sharpe: I had an idea but you never know, with things like Darrell Arthur falling in the draft you never can be too sure.

Pistonscast: How did you feel when you saw guys like DeAndre Jordan, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Bill Walker go after you?

Walter Sharpe: It wasn’t amazing to me, but with nobody really knowing me, it made it a big thing, but I never felt like any of those guys were head and shoulders above me or anything like that. You know I go into every workout just like I don’t know anybody.

Pistonscast: You definitely carry yourself in a poised manner. A lot of people are comparing you to Tayshaun Prince. What do you think about that?

Walter Sharpe: Aww man Tayshaun is a great player man. So being compared to a player like that how can you complain.

Pistonscast: Are their any players in the league now or in the past that you would pattern your game after?

Walter Sharpe: That’s tough man, because it makes it so different because I’m playing the three now, what I used to play the 5 and 4, a three man, a small forward in the game, I like McGrady man.

Pistonscast: Walt, you played inside a lot in the past, in high school, at Mississippi State and at University Alabama Birmingham you played the four and five. Then Joe Dumars and the Pistons are like we need a backup to Tayshaun Prince, What is that transition like?

Walter Sharpe: Its been tough, its not tough like so much as just having the ability to do it, I think I have the offense ability to do it, it’s the transition with the little things like defense, the positioning, moving all the time. Its so much constant movement with the guard spot that it is with playing the 4 and 5. Its more than just shooting the ball and offense doesn’t get you on the court its more defense.

Pistonscast: Walt how would you rank yourself as a defense player, do you consider yourself a defense stopper, do you enjoy playing defense?

Walter Sharpe: Its new to be playing the three, but defense stopper… I wouldn’t quite say im a defense stopper yet…

Pistonscast: Not Yet! But you will be, because the buzz that going around is look at him now and he still doesn’t know how to play the position yet..

Walter Sharpe: Exactly…

Pistonscast: What thoughts when through your mind when you saw guys like DeAndre Jordan not get drafted, and the Pistons selected you at the 32^nd pick?

Walter Sharpe: Well first, what people don’t realize is that those guys are a lot younger than me. I don’t really watch a lot of college basketball, I know Bill Walker and the big name guys but I never really knew them from watching them play. So I never really had the fear or question myself like that. It’s basketball. That’s what I have been doing all my life. I’m looking at players in the NBA who I think I might be able to match up with not really college players.

Pistonscast: Who are you looking at? Are you looking at KG…

Walter Sharpe: Yeah! Yeah! I’m looking at KG and guarding guys like Kobe and T-Mac Im not really concerned with those (college) guys.

Pistonscast: If you can guard KG one night then T-Mac another night and then Kobe the next… They don’t have a digit made up for the amount of money that you are gonna be worth.

Walter Sharpe: Those guys its about containing its not about stopping Kobe, we wont even bring that up right now we’ll wait like two or three years to bring that conservation up…

We not even gonna talk about that man, Kobe and T-Mac man, I’m just saying that’s what I’m looking at as far as those guys should go before me. I looked at the guys in my class, I was in the class with Josh Smith and Dwight and all those guys. I was in the class of ’04 coming out of high school. I really like seeing their games and seeing them play.

Pistonscast: What is like then when you see Josh Smith and Dwight Howard guys you were in the high school class with, already excelling in the NBA?

Walter Sharpe: It’s like I seen them in high school and through out that process and all them was good now, I played with Dwight and all them guys but it makes you think like man, I should be there. It’s almost like motivation to go out and work harder and get there myself.

Our thanks to Walt Sharpe! We will catch him another time on Pistonscast.

Stay tuned for Episode 61 when Marcus Stout a member of the 2008 Detroit Pistons Summer League team will be a special co-host, only on www.pistonscast.com

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com