00:00The Rook is stopping by. Ryan Conwell is here. What's up, man? Welcome to your first media day.
00:04Yeah, no, I'm overly excited right now.
00:06It has been fun seeing the work you put in this summer. It was exciting. Everybody was jacked up when
00:12you got drafted down here.
00:13But what has the summer been like, being around the guys and getting ready for your first heat season?
00:18Man, it's been great just being able to be around. I got some great vets, and obviously I'm with, you
00:24know, one of, if not the best organization in the NBA.
00:26So it's just been a blessing to be around, just greatness and being able to see how to work every
00:31day and just get used to the NBA.
00:34I'm sure you're not shy of work, right? I'm sure your guy works hard.
00:37But Davion Mitchell, when he tells you we're going to go find a hill to run on, you're like, what
00:41are we doing?
00:42Yeah, no, Davion, he's definitely different in terms of that work ethic.
00:47You know, he's just wired differently.
00:49And, you know, I just aspire to, you know, just achieve greatness, you know, like him and so on.
00:55And so, you know, why not, you know, just put some extra work in and go around hills when you
01:00don't have to, you know,
01:01because it's only going to pay off in the long run.
01:03So, you know, I'm just really just trying to soak it all in and just, you know, grasp as much
01:07knowledge as I can and continue just to work.
01:10Is basketball one of the only sports?
01:13Like, so football, you do a lot of stuff outside of football.
01:17Yeah.
01:18Basketball just seems like a sport where you get better at basketball and in great shape by playing basketball.
01:26And you're just pounding playing basketball constantly and always on the court.
01:31I can't think of anything, another sport that's like that, that you don't really do a lot of work off
01:39the court.
01:39So when you go run a hill, you're like, oh, no, I don't have the right shoes for this.
01:49It's definitely different.
01:50You know, obviously, basketball is just a whole different, like, ball game in terms of being, like, it's a basketball
01:57shape.
01:58Yeah.
01:58You know, and you're right, like, most times, like, you can only get in basketball shape by playing basketball.
02:04But you really just try to do all you can in terms of, like, doing sprints, running hills, doing, like,
02:08speed and agility, things like that.
02:10But, yeah, I honestly also feel like you don't really get in the flow of basketball shape unless you play
02:16basketball a lot.
02:17So it's something you just got to, you know, really love, you know, just because it is very consuming your
02:23time and your energy.
02:24But, I mean, basketball to me is just so fun.
02:27Have you ever been in a situation where you're like, man, I've been running these hills, I've been doing all
02:32this stuff,
02:32and then you get on the basketball court and you're like, oh, damn, I can't.
02:36Yeah, for sure.
02:38You're like, oh, for sure.
02:39Just because basketball happens so fast, it's not like you can just stop on the court and just catch your
02:44breath, you know, or just take a break.
02:45You don't know how long you're going to be running.
02:47Like, you know, when you're running a hill, once you get to the top of the hill, you can, then
02:51you got to come back down.
02:52But basketball, you offense, then you go on defense, then you get a steal,
02:56then you push in a fast break, then you got to get back on defense.
02:58So, I mean.
02:59Yeah, I do.
03:01We're talking to Ryan Conwell, Miami Heat's draft pick from this season,
03:05getting ready for the training camp starting tomorrow at FAU.
03:09Ryan, you noticed for your shooting, everybody talks about, like, this kid can shoot the lights out already.
03:14You got some, I mean, shooters like Klay Thompson on this team, Tim Hardwood Jr.
03:18Were these guys that you ever modeled your game after?
03:20Or who did you model your game after?
03:22And what's it like to have guys like that who are such prolific volume shooters around you?
03:26Yeah, definitely.
03:27You know, obviously, like, you know, I'm playing with some of the best shooters, you know, in the world.
03:32So, like, growing up, you know, I modeled my game after.
03:37I just watched a lot of basketball in general.
03:39Stephen Curry's, you know, is my favorite player.
03:41So, I mean, I feel like that's kind of why I started shooting the ball so much.
03:45But, you know, I watched a lot of Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, just different guys like that.
03:50And, you know, it's being able to be around, like, Klay and Tim and just being in the gym with
03:54just all my teammates.
03:56You know, I've just grown and learned so much just even over this past summer.
04:00Just, you know, different ways to pick up the ball, how to get your shot off quicker, just different things
04:05like that.
04:05And I'm also just competitive.
04:07So, you know, I like to compete with them and try to out-shoot them every day, you know,
04:11and just trying to make, you know, make them better and just ultimately make myself better.
04:15So, yeah, I'm super excited just for what's to come and thankful for the position I'm in for sure.
04:20Is the transition from college to shooting the NBA 3, is it, like, do you feel it?
04:27Like, it's only a couple of feet, but does it test your range a little bit?
04:33I would say the range of it is not different.
04:38I feel like, you know, I've always been someone who can, you know, shoot from farther distances.
04:43I would say the difference is having to get it off quicker and get it over longer arms.
04:50You know, like, everybody in the NBA is like, like, you have, like, a split second to get it off.
04:54It's not like you can take forever.
04:56So, I would say just with that and then that's pretty much, like, the only, like, real difference for real,
05:03for sure.
05:05What are the things of your game that you think are underrated?
05:07Because watching you in summer league a little bit, like, man, you had some really nice passing to your game.
05:12You had a lot of different factors.
05:13You're not just, like, a spot-up guy, even though I know that you got up a lot of shots
05:16in Louisville this year
05:18and you were one of the best in the country during your reign in college.
05:21But what are the things that maybe you think that people sleep on your game a little bit?
05:24Yeah, well, I take a lot of pride in being a versatile player and just being able to provide what
05:28the team needs,
05:29whether that's, you know, being able to pick up full court and just play defense
05:33or whether that's, you know, like you said, spacing the floor and knocking down shots.
05:36And I also think, you know, because of my gravity and being able to shoot, I can –
05:40it makes it easier for me to get downhill and, you know, facilitate to my teammates.
05:44So, you know, I'm just really just trying to evolve my overall game, just not being one-dimensional,
05:49but being able to do a lot of different things on the floor.
05:52And whenever my numbers call, you know, obviously we have the best shooters in the world,
05:56so it's not like I'm going to get caught for the shot every time.
05:59So I have to figure out how to be effective on the floor without, you know,
06:03putting the ball in the basket and, you know, I've just been working on those things as well.
06:07Do you speak to any of the guys about what their rookie experience was like?
06:11So, like, Pella, a couple years ago, second-round pick, earning his way more minutes.
06:15Bam always jokes about Spoh never played in his rookie year,
06:17even though he did play more than he thinks he does.
06:18But, like, do you talk about those journeys of what it's like, what it takes to get the coach
06:23to notice you, to trust you, and maybe produce in your rookie year?
06:26Yeah, I do.
06:28You know, I just kind of pick their brain, you know, talk to Clay, Bam.
06:33Just, you know, and they also just, you know, tell me different things just about, you know,
06:37coming to the NBA and just kind of help me out in that area in that sense.
06:41And then, you know, the coaches, you know, help me as well,
06:43just kind of understanding, you know, like, things are different than, you know,
06:47it's been in college, like, you know, being a guy and you kind of got to find your way in
06:52this league
06:52and, you know, just take what's given to you and not, you know, try to overcompensate, you know.
06:57But just being thankful for the position you're in and continue to work your way up.
07:02So that's really all I'm focused on and trying to do,
07:04just really just get better each and every single day.
07:07And just, you know, ultimately, you know, I believe I'll reach my ultimate goal in the end.
07:12Are you handling the iguanas better than Giannis's?
07:16Yeah, I haven't really.
07:18You know, one thing I have seen, though, it's like a lot of, like, chickens and stuff.
07:23Oh, yeah.
07:26I thought he was going to say, you ever seen the little Jesus lizards, the ones that stand up and
07:31run?
07:32I ain't seen those.
07:33I ain't seen those.
07:33It's just chickens.
07:34Yeah, there's one that, like, roams, like, right behind Bayside.
07:38Like, every time you're trying to go over there and park, I'm just like, this chicken does not care.
07:42Yeah, and they're, like, they'll, like, you know, make noise and stuff.
07:47So that's, like, new to me, and they kind of just run the street.
07:51You ain't even saying, did you say, we're not even in the country?
07:55You know, that was one surprising thing.
07:57But, you know, welcome to Florida.
07:59Did you, what was the minicamp experience like?
08:01Like, you guys, what did you guys, you guys went out to L.A. and kind of had, like, a
08:04team, was it a retreat, a minicamp?
08:06And then what was that experience like learning your teammates?
08:08Yeah, no, the minicamp was super fun.
08:10You know, just being, we would just go out there, work out in the mornings, hoop, play pickup, and then
08:15just, you know, hang out in the evenings, go out to eat, do different things like that.
08:18And that was really cool, just being able to get to know, you know, my teammates better.
08:22And that was probably, like, the first time we were all together.
08:25So that was really cool, and being able to learn the different personalities we have and being able to relate
08:30to them, you know.
08:32So that was really good, and I enjoyed it a lot, you know, just growing.
08:35Ryan Conwell, can't wait to watch your first season of Miami, man.
08:37Welcome to the Heat.
08:39Get ready for camp, and we're excited to see you.
08:42Yes, sir.
