Jonny (Flynn) on the Spot
Minnesota Timberwolves exciting young rookie Jonny Flynn took time away from dazzling on the court early last week to dazzle off the court.
The first-year guard out of Syracuse pleasantly surprised the kids at the Jerry Gamble Boys & Girls Club in Minneapolis with an unannounced visit to teach basketball skills and to battle them in head-to-head in Panini’s Adrenalyn XL trading card game.
“It’s definitely been a good day,” Flynn said. “The kids are really getting a kick out of this and I’m definitely getting a kick out of this. It’s definitely been a good day.”
Through Monday, Flynn, one of the most promising rookies of the 2009-10 class, was averaging 13.5 points and 4.4 assists per game. When it comes to playing Adrenalyn, however, Flynn took his lumps. Thankfully for us, he also took a little time to tell us about the experience.
Beckett Media: How did you do playing Adrenalyn against the kids?
Jonny Flynn: Actually, they’ve been loading up on me; you know, stacking up Kobe and LeBron and Dwight Howard and playing all these 100 ratings and I’m just using little old me. I think I’ve got to get in the gym a little bit more so I can definitely get my Adrenalyn rating up in my second year so I can try to compete with these kids the next time I come down here.
Beckett: Did you ever collect any sports cards growing up?
Flynn: I collected every type of sports card; from the biggest names to the guys you would never see in a game. I collected everything, from basketball to baseball, football, hockey, everything. I definitely collected a lot of cards when I was younger.
Beckett: Did you have any cards that were more special to you than the others?
Flynn: I had a Michael Jordan Rookie in a plastic case and I remember one day I went outside to go play and, being stupid and young, I took it out with me. I was showing everybody and I had it in my sweatpants pocket and I took my sweatpants off to play basketball at the park. When I cam over afterward, the card was gone. That was a tough day for me and I remember that day like it was yesterday. I shouldn’t have been trying to be Big Guy on Campus flossin’ it around.
Do you still have all your cards?
I have them back home. I didn’t bring them out here to Minneapolis with me. I have them in this big binder that I kept all my cards in. They’re well protected now, I must say.
What were your thoughts the first time you saw your own card?
It was definitely a satisfying feeling. Being a guy that used to collect cards when I was younger, to finally see myself on a trading card was definitely an amazing feeling and it just showed how far I came – from being a young guy working hard and trying to get to the point I’m at now.
— Tracy Hackler
