Donté and His Mentor

During his Sacramento Kings introductory press conference last month, Donté Greene mentioned having a mentor. After learning Greene’s mentor is Rob Murphy, an assistant men’s basketball coach at Syracuse University, Kings.com caught up with Murphy to discuss his relationship with Greene. Following the Murphy Q&A there are a few quotes from Donté that didn’t make the previous Kings.com video Q&A — topics include summer movies, what player he’s looking forward to playing against in his rookie season and giving back to the community.

During his Sacramento Kings introductory press conference last month, Donté Greene mentioned having a mentor. After learning Greene’s mentor is Rob Murphy, an assistant men’s basketball coach at Syracuse University, Kings.com caught up with Murphy to discuss his relationship with Greene. Following the Murphy Q&A there are a few quotes from Donté that didn’t make the previous Kings.com video Q&A — topics include summer movies, what player he’s looking forward to playing against in his rookie season and giving back to the community.

Syracuse Assistant Coach Rob Murphy

When did you meet Donté?
“It all started with the recruitment process at the end of his sophomore year (in high school). Going into that summer I noticed his talent at the Nike Camp. Obviously he could play, but as the recruitment process went on we developed a very strong relationship because we had a lot of similarities. Things that were going on in his life were some of the same things I went through growing up in Detroit. So we were just talking about life experiences and things that he was going through, and it kind of developed a strong relationship between us starting at that point.”

Aside from his ability on the court, why should Kings fans be excited about Donté?
“He is a very skilled player but outside of playing when it comes to being a people person, I think he is second to none. He loves dealing with kids, signing autographs and taking pictures. He’ll be great for the community because he’s a very exciting guy. Win, lose or draw, he finds a way to keep a smile on his face and keep his head up at all times.”

We’ve heard a lot about his scoring ability, what else can you tell us about his game?
“He has to improve some defensively and I think he will when he puts his mind to it. I know we played zone but, because of his athletic ability and because he can slide his feet (so well) with his length, I think he can become a lockdown defender. He’s also able to rebound from the 3-position, so once he adds that part to his game he’ll become a complete player.”

How did he decide he was ready for the NBA after one year at Syracuse?
“His long, long dream, as most kids who play basketball, was to get to the NBA. And when we recruited him, we said that was something he could try to achieve if he came to Syracuse. We told him that we would like him to stay two to three years and then see, but if he was ready after one year, we would support him. So after coming in and being fourth in the Big East in scoring, averaging 17.8 points and seven rebounds a game, he just felt that he was more comfortable at that point toward the end of the season to make the jump. So we supported it. He had his workouts, he’s working hard, so it’s working out for him and he’s in a place where he’d like to be.”

Donté’s Dish — Summer Flicks, Friendly Foes
and Community

What’s the best movie you’ve seen this summer?
“This summer it’s definitely “Step Brothers.” “Step Brothers” was hilarious from beginning to end. So, “Step Brothers” right now is my funniest one and coming in a close second is “Pineapple Express.””

You’ve already had a chance to do several community events since joining the Kings, how important is getting out in the community to you?
“It’s very important. It started with me when I was in high school. My high school was one of the top high schools in my area for awhile, so just going to my high school, it was a Catholic school, so we used to go to elementary schools and middle schools all the time and interact with the kids. Even when I got to Syracuse, it was big. I had my own elementary school that kept my stats, and we gave out T-shirts and jerseys. So, I love to do things like that.”

For those who haven’t seen you play before, can you give us a scouting report on your game?
“I’m a 6-foot-9, 6-foot-10, shooter that can definitely get to the rim. I play with a lot of energy. I love to have fun and keep the crowd in it, and I’m an overall good teammate.”

Which player are you looking forward to playing against most this season?
“Definitely my man Carmelo (Anthony). We’re both from Baltimore and we’ve got a lot of trash talking going on right now, so just to get out there against him is going to be fun.”