NBADraft.net caught up with Daniel Orton for an interview after the combine in Chicago. There are a lot of people who aren’t happy with the Orton situation and the way he left the Wildcats. Most folks also think he should have stayed another year to mature. Daniel and the coaching staff felt as if he was ready so off to the draft he goes. During this interview, Orton provides some insight into how things are going and I want to take the opportunity to dispell the inaccuracies that people are posting online.
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Here are some interesting points from the interview:
[quote][B]NBADraft.net:[/B] In the interviews you had in Chicago, did any of the scouts or GMs have any advice for you, or was it more just getting to know you?
[B]Daniel Orton: [/B]Yeah it was more getting to know me. The advice they did have was just to work hard and stay positive.
[B]NBADraft.net:[/B] Talk about the season at Kentucky, was it a frustrating experience knowing that you could bring more to the team and not getting the minutes and touches to show what you could do?
[B]Daniel Orton: [/B]Yeah, I mean it was frustrating. I think it would be frustrating for anybody. So I just tried to develop and tried to make the best of the situation, make it a positive and have fun with it instead of letting it get to me.
[B]NBADraft.net:[/B] How was going up against Patterson and Cousins on a day to day basis?
[B]Daniel Orton: [/B]Playing against Josh and Perry as well, all four of them helped me. Just together it turned out to be a great learning experience. Playing in high school I was going against guys 6’4, 6’5, and then now your going against guys 6’10, 6’11 every day, it’s a great change.
[COLOR=blue][B]NBADraft.net:[/B] With the lack of opportunity this past year at Kentucky, if you had to do it over again, would you have gone to a different school?[/COLOR]
[COLOR=blue][B][B]Daniel Orton[/B][/B][B]Daniel Orton: [/B]If I had done it differently I would have gone to Kansas. But with the way things have worked out, in the end, no I wouldn’t have done anything differently.[/COLOR]
[/quote]I highlighted the last question and answer to point out something specifically that needs to be cleared up. Some people are saying that Orton said he would have gone to Kansas if [B]he could[/B] do things differently. Clearly, that is not what was said. Daniel is simply saying that [B]if he had[/B] done it differently he would have went to Kansas, basically saying that Kansas was his second choice. Clearly he is not suggesting that playing at Kentucky was a mistake or that he wished he played at Kansas.
