Josh Minott focuses on NBA dream
Published:Sunday | March 27, 2022 | 12:08 AMDaniel Wheeler - Staff Reporter
JAMAICA INTERNATIONAL basketballer Josh Minott’s singular focus is now the NBA, hoping to get the chance to display the talent he felt he did not show off enough at the University of Memphis.
Minott declared for the 2022 NBA draft on Thursday, ending his time with the Memphis Tigers after one season. While he has decided, for now, to retain his college eligibility, he says that he has no plans to return to Memphis.
In an interview with ESPN on Thursday, Minott said he felt his skill set and discipline would put him on the radar of NBA teams for a potential high selection, as he prepares to take the next step in his career.
“I don’t plan to need my eligibility,” Minott said.
“My work ethic and talent should be able to propel me to a standing in the draft I’m comfortable with.”
Minott is coming off a season where he averaged 6.6 points per game with 3.8 rebounds.
While he got valuable minutes earlier this year, with key players out injured, he only played 25 minutes in total for the last four games of the season, which included the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first and second rounds. Still, Minott said he feels ready to showcase his full abilities
SACRIFICE
“At Memphis what they needed was sacrifice, to wait my turn. I knew we had a loaded roster coming in and that I’d be pushed every day to get better,” Minott said. “I feel like I could have shown more with that talent I know I have. But that is what the future is for.”
Born in Florida, Minott represented Jamaica at the youth level as recently as 2019 at the CentroBasketball Under-17 tournament. In his rookie college season, he was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Freshman team. Despite the challenges of the year, he says he is ready to answer his critics, hoping to be a surprise first-round pick, similar to San Antonio Spurs player Joshua Primo, who was selected 12th overall in last year’s draft.
“Sometimes throughout the season, I was performing at a level below what I knew I could do. It was a mindset. It’s exciting now to show people the kind of player I am. I’ve been proving people wrong and climbing up the ranks my whole life. I did it throughout high school, and I’m going to do it again now,” Minott said.
Minott helped Memphis make their first NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament appearance since 2014, but the team was beaten by Gonzaga University in the second round.
The 2022 NBA combine will be held from May 16-22 in Chicago while the 2022 NBA draft will be held on June 23 in Brooklyn, New York.