Kentucky’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist smiles while talking to reporters moments after being picked No. 2 by the Charlotte Bobcats during the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 28, 2012, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Bobcats picked up on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s quiet confidence during pre-draft meetings.
“He’s a high character person,” Bobcats general manager Rich Cho said. “Out of the 17 years I’ve been in the NBA and all of the draft interviews I’ve been involved with, his was definitely in the top five.”
The Bobcats are confident in his ability on the court, too. Owner Michael Jordan this week compared Kidd-Gilchrist to a younger version of former teammate Scottie Pippen.
“He’s going to be fine in the NBA,” Jordan said.
Kidd-Gilchrist isn’t afraid of the challenges ahead of him — on or off the court. He knows he’ll be counted on as a cornerstone of a rebuilding franchise and is quite aware of the obligations that come with that.
“I hope that I can become a role model for kids” with speech disorders, Kidd-Gilchrist said. “That’s my goal. … You just have to take your time. You’ll find the words.”
4 Responses to Charlotte official places Kidd-Gilchrist in top five of interviews he has done in last 17 years
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God Bless You Michael…Not just a Role Model for young kids, but for all Men and Woman…I’m learning a lot more than just Basketball from this True Blue Kentucky Gentleman…Thank You for being a Wildcat…
What wonderful sentiments Larry T Clemons, I feel the same way, MKG is a very exceptional young man. Unselfish, considerate and of course, talented. It is so hard to let some of these young men go after only one year but this one is really hard. He is like a son to everyone of the BBN.
MKG was clearly a man of complete class from the word go. Maybe it comes from winning so much. Maybe it comes from his family. I’m betting on family. That’s a lesson too many are willing to forget these days. I feel sorry for those people. One look at MKG and knowing it was his uncle that stepped in when his father died and that his mother was his “best friend” that tells me the guy had the second best training center of all, the nuclear family. Church holds the top spot there and I would guess that played a role in his life too. Whatever he had the ingredients for developing a high grade character. And I also am thankful he chose to represent UK. We need lots more young men like him. LOTS more in every walk of life.
Kidd-Gilchrist was a man’s man with a boy’s charm.