After earning Second Team All-SEC Honors as a Freshman, Jordan Mickey and the LSU Tigers came into this season with a lot of hype and expectations. Most picked the Tigers to finish behind Kentucky and Florida in the SEC and get back to the NCAAT for the first time since the 2008-2009 season. Mickey and the Tigers have delivered and although they have suffered some tough losses in conference over the last few weeks, they are clearly the second best team in the SEC at this point and are on the right track to get back to player meaningful basketball in March. Mickey is the team’s leading scorer (16.7 per game) which also ranks him third in the conference. He has really taken a big step forward in his progression this season and has become a more consistent scorer both on the block as well as on the perimeter. We got a chance to catch up with Mickey and ask him a little about the season, his game/development and what his plans are for the future.
NBADraft.net: You were able to attend the Nike Big Man Camp last year. What was that experience like for you and how do you think it helped you develop and grow coming into your sophomore season?
Jordan Mickey: It was a great experience for me. It was a great honor to even be invited to the camp and be considered one of the better players in college basketball. It was a real eye opener for me though, playing with those guys. It showed me that I can play with those guys and that I can be one of the better big men in college basketball.
NBADraft.net: You were playing alongside some elite talent (Bobby Portis, Perry Ellis, Georges Niang and teammate Jarrell Martin), what was it like going up against those guys on a daily basis? You had a couple of great player/coaches there as well between Davis and Cousins. What types of things did they share with you guys?
Jordan Mickey: It was really great. I’m a player that loves competition. I don’t back down from it. Going against all of those guys who are all considered NBA players was a great challenge. I was able to do some good things against them. I was able to score the ball and defend against all of them. But overall it was a great experience for me. As far as Anthony and DeMarcus, they really stressed that you have to work hard. You have to just do whatever the team asks you to do and start when they want you to start. Learn how to play your role to the best of your abilities, work hard and continue to get better.
NBADraft.net: There were some high expectations for this team coming into this season. Thus far, it has been a successful one for your Tigers. Tell us a little bit about this season, how you’ve improved and what you are doing differently both on and off the court with you game as well as being a leader for this team.
Jordan Mickey: I did a lot of hard work during the summer, really trying to improve my offensive game. I’ve been really trying to expand the range on my jump shot and try to be more consistent. I’ve been working a lot on my post moves as well and working on learning how to be a scorer from every spot on the floor. Really, I’ve just been trying to become a better overall player. And I embrace the leadership role. I love when the guys on the team look to me to make a play or to get a basket when we need it. I’ve always embraced that role and I look forward to it. I like putting the team on my back and taking responsibility for our successes as well as our failures.
NBADraft.net: You’ve got some great players around you in particularly Jarrell Martin, what is it like to play alongside another premier big man? Does it make the game that much easier for you and vice versa?
Jordan Mickey: Absolutely, it definitely makes the game easier on both of us. Teams can’t really double team you when you have another player of that caliber on the other side of you. It takes some defensive attention away from me and allows me to have more space to work. He can knock down open shots and get to the goal as well, so I definitely think it helps both of our games to play together.
NBADraft.net: One of the knocks on you after last season was your rebounding, which has increased significantly this season. Is that just a product of you trying to be more aggressive crashing the boards on both ends of the floor?
Jordan Mickey: It’s an aggression and an effort thing. I felt like last season I wasn’t as aggressive as I needed to be on the glass. When I went back and watched film, I definitely saw that there were some boards that I let get away from me. I didn’t want that to happen again this year so I decided that I was going to be more aggressive this season. I want to go after every lose ball. I want to try and get all of the rebounds (laughs).
NBADraft.net: You are known for your shot blocking ability. You are one of, if not the premier shot blocker in the SEC (especially for your size). Aside from your athleticism, what is it that makes you such a great shot blocker?
Jordan Mickey: Shot blocking is a lot about timing. Knowing other guys’ release points and just being able to time that and go up and get my hands on the ball. I just feel like I’ve got great timing when it comes to blocking shots. You have to know who you are going up against and know where and how they like to release the ball.
NBADraft.net: You have a big game with Kentucky coming up this week. It is the biggest game of the season for you as you’ll be going up against the #1 team in the country and a team that has tremendous size, length and depth up front. What is it like to play in a game like that? Do you see it as a way to show scouts and GM’s that you can play with anyone in the country?
Jordan Mickey: I know there will be a lot of hype for the game but not for me. I try to go into every game with the same mindset. I try to go out there do the best I can, no matter who I’m playing, and help my team get the win. I don’t focus that much on the name on the front of the jersey. They are just another team on our schedule and I have a job to do and that is to go out and play my game. If you get worried about the other stuff, you get caught going out there and trying to do things you wouldn’t normally do. Like I said, I just go out there and play my game and do what I can to get my team the W. There will definitely be scouts there but all I can do is go out there and play the best I can.
NBADraft.net: What would a successful season look like for you?
Jordan Mickey: I believe, with the team that we have, that we should definitely make the NCAA Tournament and possibly even wins some games once we get there. The NCAA Tournament has definitely been a goal of mine since I got here and it is the goal of our team.
NBADraft.net: I know you toyed with the idea of leaving early after your freshman season. You’ve obviously improved a lot this season. Do you think you made the right decision in coming back to school for your sophomore year?
Jordan Mickey: I feel like I made the right choice. I was able to put in a lot of work this offseason and improve my game. And it has really shown. More and more people are recognizing what I’ve worked on and how I’ve gotten better. Based on that, I feel like I made the right decision.
NBADraft.net: Your Dad played college ball as well. What type of influence has he been on you and what are some of the biggest things that he has taught you since he has been there and done that?
Jordan Mickey: He always told me when I was in high school how much tougher and faster the college game is. He told me that everybody on college teams were the best guy on their high school teams. He made sure that I understood that I had to continue to work hard and not become complacent once I got there. You’ve got to give it your all day in and day out because that’s what all of the other top guys are doing.
NBADraft.net: If I were to ask your coaches, what would they say is your biggest strength and subsequently, your biggest weakness?
Jordan Mickey: Most people would say that my biggest strength is my shot blocking but I think that it has become my ability to score the basketball. I can score from the perimeter and in the post. I’ve improved my jump shot and I think I can consistently score from in the paint, mid-range as well as from beyond the arc. As far as a weakness, I would say that it is recognizing where the double team is coming from and being able to make the right play out of the double team. I’ve been watching a lot of film and trying to continue to work on that part of my game as well.
NBADraft.net: What NBA player, if any, do you model your game after?
Jordan Mickey: I would probably say a mix between Chris Bosh and Taj Gibson. I watch those guys play a lot and I like how versatile both guys are. They have inside and outside games and they always play within themselves and they know what their roles are on a team.
NBADraft.net: If I’m an NBA GM, tell me why I should draft you.
Jordan Mickey: I’m an extremely hardworking guy. You are going to get 110% from me each and every day, no matter how I’m feeling. I’m going to come ready to work everyday and whatever you ask me to do I’m going to do it to the best of my abilities.
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