Draft Q&A: An interview with former Charleston Cougars guard Andrew Goudelock

Entering the draft process little was known about the College of Charleston’s Andrew ' Drew' Goudelock other than his incredible proficiency in outside shooting; however, the Cougars' combo-guard, who had one the best four-year college careers of any player to come out of the Southern Conference, aims to prove he is more than just a one-trick pony.

NBA teams in need of an outside sniper would be wise to take a flyer on the Stone Mountain, Georgia, native, who made 131 of 322 shots from beyond the arc (40.7 percent) and took home the top billing at the 2011 NCAA 3-point contest.

Since the conclusion of the 2010-11 college basketball season, Goudelock, who averaged 23.7 ppg and 4.2 apg as a senior, has been making his case and using every avenue of opportunity to showcase his skills. He participated in the Portland Invitational Tournament, the New Jersey Nets' super combine and, most recently, at the Chicago pre-draft camp at Attack Athletics.

The biggest question marks in Goudelock's game revolve around his athleticism and ability to defend the point guard position at the next level. If his performance and athletic measurements at the various pre-draft camps have offered any indication, the 6-foot-2 player should hold his own at the next level.

Following the Chicago pre-draft combine, teams have been lining up to schedule Goudelock for individual and group workouts, but the talented guard took the time to answer some of my questions and give us some insight about himself as a basketball player, going through the draft process as a whole, who would win in a shoot-off between him and Jeff Hornacek and even his prediction for the NBA Finals.

NL: It seems like almost every college basketball program in America would have loved to have a player with your type of scoring and play-making ability on the roster. How did you end up at Charleston?

AG: I was not highly recruited coming out of high school. I played for the Atlanta Celtics, which had a loaded team with a bunch of stars at the time. I actually only had two offers in total. I ended up choosing to play at the College of Charleston because of Coach Cremins. He had coached a ton of great guards while at Georgia Tech and I thought that it would be a place that I could play and develop. I owe a lot to coach.

NL: Earlier in the year, you participated in the 2011 State Farm 3-point Contest that included players from big name programs such as Kansas' Brady Morningstar, Kansas State's Jacob Pullen and Baylor's LaceDarius Dunn. How did it feel to come away with the victory there and do you believe it helped put you on the map in terms of showing scouts what you can do?

AG: I definitely believe that it helped to put me on the map. At the College of Charleston we didn’t get the opportunity to play on TV very often so I was not a household name by any means. By matching up against those players it allowed me to show the world how great of a shooter I truly am against players that they were familiar with. I am very confident and I feel like every shot that I take is going to go in so I would be lying if I said that I didn’t expect to win.

NL: While a lot of players shied away from participating in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament and the New Jersey combine, you took part and excelled at both workouts. How do you think using every opportunity to compete has helped you throughout the draft process?

AG: Me and my agent, Austin Walton, had a plan early on to not shy away from anyone. I came from a small school and not a lot of NBA decision makers came to see me play. By participating in Portsmouth and the New Jersey combine, it allowed me to be front and center with those guys. I was able to show that I am a NBA player and one of the best players on the court regardless of who I am matched up against. So, we decided to stick to our original plan and stay in both events and it has worked out extremely well I feel thus far.

NL: Teams seem to enjoy rattling the cages a bit when it comes to interviewing prospects at the combine. This year we heard about Tyler Honeycutt being asked to choose between his girlfriend and his dog. What was the strangest thing you were asked at the combine?

AG: I have not received very many strange questions to be honest. Most of the questions have been off-the-court related. I think that I have shown teams that I am a high character guy, who will be great in the locker room and in the community. I will do whatever is required of me to make my team successful.

NL: You tweeted over the weekend that you met with Jeff Hornacek and that the former Utah Jazz guard challenged you to a shoot-off. Tell us about that experience and if a challenge is in the works.

AL: It was a wonderful experience. Jeff played for a very long time in the NBA and was a pivotal piece to a very successful Utah Jazz team. He was a great guy and I felt honored that he knew who I was. As for the shoot-off, I would definitely win. I hate to lose in anything and I never lose in a shooting contest.

NL: Is there a player in the NBA right now that you compare yourself to or pattern your game after?

AG: I think that I have a little Stephen Curry, Marcus Thornton, and Jason Terry to my game. I am a shooter and a scorer, but I also like to get my teammates involved. I get as much satisfaction out of making a great pass as I do hitting a jumper. I think all of those guys can play both guard positions and they are both fantastic shooters who have done very well in the NBA. I think that I can do the same things at the next level if given the opportunity.

NL: Teams have a strong idea of how good a shooter you are. What are some of the other things you are trying to show teams during individual workouts?

AG: I am trying to dispel the notion that I am a sub-par athlete. I think that I have done that with my speed and agility testing times at New Jersey and then again in Chicago. I am also trying to show that I can be a point guard, bring the ball up against pressure, and defend my position. I bring versatility because I can play two positions and I am a winner. I just want to show people that I will do whatever it takes to win. That’s all I care about.

NL: I heard you lined up something like 17 team workouts over the weekend. What's on tap for next week?

AG: Not sure if it’s quite 17 workouts, but it’s a LOT. My agent is creating interest and we are going to work out for a bunch of teams. As for next week, I have the Thunder, Lakers, Bucks, and Spurs. So it’s going to be a busy week. I look forward to it and I am up for the challenge. Hopefully, I land in the first round when it is all said and done.

NL: One last thing, any predictions on the remainder of the NBA Playoffs?

AG: I think the Miami Heat have too much firepower even though the Mavs are playing extremely good basketball. Heat in 6.

A big thank you to Drew for taking the time to answer a few questions and giving us insight into the draft process. We wish him the best of luck in his future basketball endeavors.