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Indiana third-year forward Jordan Geronimo goes in-depth about the improvements he's made this summer, playing on the perimeter, goals and more.
Above is the full Q&A:
Below is the full transcript.
Q. On skill development during the summer…
GERONIMO: During this off-season, I am really just working on, or I have seen improvement in just making the right decision on the perimeter and just also my jumpshot has been getting better. Also, handling is getting better. I would say overall, I see a lot of improvement in just my decision-making and just knowing when to make the right play and move the ball wherever.
Q. On playing the small forward spot…
GERONIMO: I'm more likely just trying to expand my game where I'm able to play as a three so I can be more productive from my team and just be able to produce more. That's really the idea of it, but mostly just expanding my game to the point where I can play the three and the four.
Q. On adjustments to playing more on the perimeter…
GERONIMO: Yeah, the that's actually the harder part, really. But it's learning things like transition defense. As a big man, as a four I guess, I would just run to the rim, you know what I mean, protect the rim on transition. As a guard or as a three, as a three would be able to try to stop the ball in transition, you know what I mean. So that's something that I keep in mind. Also, I'm fighting over ball screens now, you know what I mean, so that's the kind of stuff that's different. But also, the plays. The fours and the threes have different positions and plays, so I have to remember all that kind of stuff. So, it's a lot to it.
Q. On the competitiveness of the roster…
GERONIMO: Oh, for sure. I mean, like I feel like everybody is competitive, you know what I mean. Especially Indiana Basketball. We all want to win and we all know what we're fighting for, so we all try to push each other to play our best. One of our mottos is "iron sharpens iron." That's from Coach Clif Marshall, you know what I mean, so we are supposed to push each other to be better and I guess it is a sign that, you know, there's talent throughout all different people in our roster.
Q. On the impact of the Wyoming game…
GERONIMO: That game was needed. I feel like just, you know it, just kind of told me like, hey, you know, I can do this, you know what I mean. Like it's not, you know, something that I can't do. I just kind of used that game as like a foundation to like, you know, just work on my game, you know, outside of that. So, I would just watch the film and just try to expand on my game, you know what I mean, and try to see how I can do better.
Q. On his decision to come back to Indiana…
GERONIMO: Well, the ultimate factor of me coming back was I have trust in Mike Woodson and I have trust in the program that, you know, like it's bigger than myself, really. I want the program to be successful and to -- we're fighting for a championship. We're fighting for that. So, I want to be a part of that program, and seeing other players that came in, everybody that's coming back, and I'm like, I feel like it's something I can't be not a part of. I trust the coach and I trust the staff, the players, and I feel like it's a good decision to come back.
Q. On the next step to living up to the potential he has flashed…
GERONIMO: I think the key is more of a mental kind of standpoint. Because I feel like I'm already athletic. I'm already athletic. I feel like if I was to always just be consistent and keep pushing myself and play hard every single time, the athleticism is going to like, shine, you know what I mean. So, I feel like the next step into improving my game or showing my actual game is just being positive, always having like a battery, always just trying to, you know, make the extra play, you know what I mean. I feel like that would really show my potential.
Q. On his improved confidence…
GERONIMO: It feels great. I mean, because it's just a testament of showing that hard work pays off. When I first came here, I feel like I had to prove myself and I put in the work to be able to prove myself. You know, what happened, happened. So, I feel like me in the position where I'm at now is just proof that, hey, just keep your head down and work hard and you'll get to where you want to go eventually.
Q. On Coach Mike Woodson this summer…
GERONIMO: I wouldn't say it's much different than last summer. I mean, he's still taking the freshmen under his wing. This summer is really just working on our games and getting our game better. But also, it's just to get the freshmen and the new people accustomed to the system. So that's really what has really been going on in the summer.
Q. On the process of improving over the offseason…
GERONIMO: I guess I would say film would be the main reason, main way to just get better. I watch film a good amount and I feel like film can be as helpful as practice sometimes. Just, you know, knowing, figuring out, how -- just watching yourself is a really good learning tool. I feel like I would say film is really important, and -- I was going to say something else, I had a brain fart, not going to lie. Lost me. My bad.
Q. On what improvements to decision making and ball handling look like…
GERONIMO: I guess I would say spacing is something that I really worked on. In terms of decision-making, like that goes both ways, on-ball and off-ball. On-ball, meaning like I'm getting better at just, you know, knowing when to try to attack, knowing when to shoot the ball, knowing when to pass the ball, you know what I mean. That's the on-ball kind of stuff. But off-ball, knowing when to cut and knowing when to set some actions like down screens, off-ball screens, something like that. But those are the kind of improvements I mean when I say I'm getting better in decision-making. In terms of handle, it's just reps, really. I mean, I'm not going to say I'm like Kyrie Irving but it's just better, you know what I mean. It's getting better and seeing improvement is a good sight.
Q. On his NBA player comp…
GERONIMO: I like to watch a lot is De'Andre Hunter from the Hawks. I've watched his games since Virginia. My sister went to UVA; that's how I found out about him. Just watching his game, he keeps expanding and keeps getting better as a two-way forward. He can bring the ball up. He can defend, you know, get a bucket. I like his game a lot so that's somebody who I watch a lot in NBA.
Q. On the decision to expand to the small forward role…
GERONIMO: It was more of me asking that question and me bringing it up. It was more me bringing it up because I wanted to expand my role as a player.
Q. On the urgency a tough non-conference schedule brings to the offseason…
GERONIMO: I feel like those big out of conference games doesn't really add urgency to this off-season because we are already working hard, you know what I mean. One thing our coach always says is stay ready so you don't have to get ready, you know what I mean. So, it's a point to always just work hard regardless of what's going on. But of course, those big games are going to really help us in conference play because it's going to just -- playing against good opponents like that is only going to help us get better, so that's good.
Q. On any personal goals set…
GERONIMO: I don't really have any specific goals because I kind of stay away from that. So, like I won't try to like, you know -- because I almost have too high expectations, and sometimes I meet them and sometimes I don't, and I'm kind of hard on myself. I tend to kind of avoid creating goals for myself but focus on trying to get better, really. Just trying to be more of an impact. That's really the answer to that.
Q. On a potential breakout player for this team…
GERONIMO: Someone's not talking about? I like Kaleb Banks a lot. I feel like he has game. The rate he's working out and just getting better and what he has right now, his physical abilities, I feel like he's going to be a sleeper.
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