Mogbo describes relationship with Barnes, advice he has received from Raptors

Mogbo describes relationship with Barnes, advice he has received from Raptors

we’re here with Jonathan mobile the Raptor’s 31st overall pick Jonathan first we got to talk about this relationship with Scotty first of all everybody wants to know right where when and where did it start uh it started in fourth grade I’m smiling too much it started in fourth grade um I remember we came to pick him up uh for travel basketball uh he came out the house um you know smiled uh so you know just seeing him smile first impression you know kind of you know stuck out a little bit uh we’ve been playing a since about sixth grade year um kind of got separated a little bit uh he kind of he played for the younger team and uh I still play for the older team so um you know we still kept in touch a little bit here and there and then uh eighth grade came around uh fresh going into the freshman year ended up going to the same high school I remember the first few days of school he didn’t come so I’m like man like is he actually lying or something and then third day I remember he came to school uh in the khakis long khakis I ain’t going to talk too much about it but um third day of school he came to school and we just both had Smiles on our face you know trying to see each other again so it was great to you know see him and then from there on you just been close friends and you know just uh even though different schools you know still been in contact been working out in the summer time so you know it’s great to have him so he’s he’s always had that that energy yo he’s definitely he’s hey he’s really a goofy a goofy guy he’s been a goofy guy for sure yeah and you and I were talking off ear off camera and you look you’re listed at 67 yeah you look about 68 you had a late growth spurt I believe it was right in 72 wingspan all those are intangibles what do you think you’re going to be able to bring to the game for the rappers I feel like I’m G uh bring impact winning uh I feel like you know my defensive uh length and you know just agility and everything uh I feel like that’s going to help along the way um offensively you know crashing the board getting extra possessions um running in transition getting buckets you know getting play making uh points too obviously for other guys I feel like you know a part of my game and slept on as my playmaking you know I can playmake whether it’s half court transition um you know just being a different guy um unique versus I feel like the Raptors are a very versatile team so you know I feel like I fit the category for sure you there’s a number of guys that had a tough year with the group last year and you know what sort of advice have they given you cuz they’ve seen the highs they’ve seen some of the lows as well just be yourself don’t try to go out there and be someone else you’re not um whether it’s Corner threes you know um I feel like working on the corner threes a lot um just trying to get that repetition in um that’s going to be a good part of my game uh cutting back door uh free throws you know just getting you know easy points nothing too crazy you know playing my role and you know asking the the stars on the team like what can I do to help the team so you know just having that relationship with the other guys too so you’ve been transitioning to the NBA game or NBA rules NBA spacing what are some of the things that you think right now that you’ve identified for yourself that you need to work on uh this is is spacing like you said Corners um all the way to the corners uh coaches you know get on everybody when they don’t go all the way to the corner uh so you know just the small stuff small details um back door is a raptor cut um you know just a great it’s great it’s great for me and I feel like I fit this system them well so you know just going out there and playing being the best version of myself and then lastly everybody that plays this game dreams about being drafted right take me through the emotions when you got when you heard your name called uh I’m really not the emotional guy um but you know it was hard to hold it in um I didn’t cry but uh it it was it was great um just seeing the family everyone smiling tears of joy so you know just cuz you know I came along way so you know just having my head up fighting through adversity throughout my life so you know just those are the hard things and then when you hear your name called it’s like it’s a big relief off your shoulders but you know it’s not the job’s not done yet so you know you got a lot to do more you know um I just don’t want to be drafted and I want to be somebody in NBA you you touched on came a long way right what did that path what that Journey look like for you uh it it was very long u like I said freshman going into high school I was 5’9 uh ended up leaving about 65 um went to Junior College two years um it was Co about that time so you know only played about 20 24 games 26 games so that was another adversity uh moment um transferred my sophomore year to another Junior College uh did good over there got my name out a little bit Rush the process a little bit for the division one um aspect uh committed to Missouri state had a good year over there um and then went to SF uh you know it sounds like I’ve been everywhere but um what’s the University of San Francisco it was great uh great coaching staff great Vibe over there great teammates um you know they did a big part for me and I felt like you know it was a great situation for me um and and now I’m here today so you know it’s just a blessing you know see where God you know takes you in your life you know God works mysterious ways so you know it’s just uh it’s a blessing you know

Jonathan Mogbo was drafted 31st overall by the Raptors in this year’s NBA draft and he spoke to TSN’s Jevohn Shepherd about the history he has with Scottie Barnes, the impact he believes he will make on the Raps, the details of the NBA game he is trying to adapt to and more.