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October 1, 2009

Flynn learning fast at point guard

Rookie prepared for 'up-and-down' season running the offense

By Chad Courrier

MANKATO — Jonny Flynn admits that draft night was pretty weird.

He was happy to be the sixth pick back in June, taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the team had just taken point guard Ricky Rubio and later drafted another point guard, Ty Lawson, in the first round.

But by the time training camp opened Tuesday, Rubio decided to remain in Spain and Lawson was traded.

“I’m the one who’s still here,” he said.

Flynn and the Timberwolves have had six training camp practices at Bresnan Arena, and each has been a learning experience for the 6-foot point guard. On Thursday, he spent time talking with assistant coach Reggie Theus, then went over to assistant Bill Laimbeer to talk for a few more minutes.

“All the coaches are guys you can sit down with and talk to,” Flynn said. “I’ll need that a lot during an up-and-down rookie season.”

In two seasons at Syracuse, starting all 73 games, Flynn scored 1,211 points and made 439 assists, which ranks seventh in program history. Last season, he averaged 17.4 points and 6.7 points, shooting 46.0 percent from the field as he got a lot of his offense slashing to the basket. He shot just 31.7 percent from 3-point range.

“I’ve definitely improved my shooting,” he said. “You have to pick when you shoot it and when you shouldn’t. In this league, there are a lot of big guys, and you have to know when to pull up and shoot. You have to find the right mix.”

Flynn participated on the Timberwolves’ summer-league team, where he led the team with 15.0 points and 7.4 assists over five games. But that experience didn’t completely get him ready for training camp.

Coach Kurt Rambis said that every once in a while, he’ll overload the young point guard with information, and he’ll see Flynn move to the back of the line, watching Jason Hart or Ramon Sessions do the drills before taking the court.

“He has got a lot to learn,” Rambis said. “He’s trying to learn the hardest position in the NBA. He’s learning a new system, and he hasn’t even seen the players he’ll be going against.”

But Rambis said he likes what he’s seen.

“He has a tremendous, outgoing personality,” Rambis said. “He gets along with everyone.”

Flynn said he appreciates the veteran players who have answered his questions and shown him the ways of the NBA. He’s learning Rambis’ version of the triangle offense, which he said has never featured a true point guard.

“This offense has so many options,” he said. “You have to pay attention to detail.”

Defensively, Syracuse played a lot of zone, but Flynn said that the defense had man-to-man principles.

“I don’t think it will be too hard of a transition,” he said.

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