Isaiah Todd: ‘I have a unique game and try to do a little bit of everything’

When Isaiah Todd, and several other high-profile players, opted to sign with the NBA G League Ignite, the former five-star prospect was viewed as a trailblazer. Todd helped launch the program and made a name for himself by doing so.

Of course, the Ignite complete their inaugural season in March as the group finished 8-8 and qualified for the playoffs in the truncated season at the Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Florida. Todd was among the players that helped the Ignite become must-watch TV each game.

Todd averaged 12.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 15 games with the Ignite.

He produced his best performance of the season when the Ignite needed a win and some help to qualify for the playoffs. On March 6, Todd registered his first double-double of the season with 25 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots.

The opportunity to play in the G League last season helped Todd solidify his place in the upcoming draft class. He projects to hear his name called on July 29, and is hoping to carry his momentum from the G League into the pre-draft process.

The 19-year-old is currently training in Atlanta ahead of the draft and is slated to compete in the combine June 21-27 in Chicago. Given his skillset, Todd has been touted as a versatile prospect that could be a steal for a prospective team.

Todd recently sat down with Rookie Wire to discuss the pre-draft process, his experience last season with the Ignite, the upcoming combine and much more.

Please note this interview was minorly edited in its transcript for clarity

What has your life been like since your season ended?

https://twitter.com/swishcultures_/status/1402730770074984448?s=20 IT: I took a week to reflect on things and right after that, I got right back to work. I have been training in Atlanta. It has been a tight ship. I have been busy pretty much every day of the week.

What does a typical day look like for you?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNTqZeuHy24/ IT: I get up around six in the morning. I work out on the court around 7:30 and after that first workout, I'll go lift. Then, depending on the day, sometimes I go back at 7 p.m. to get shots up.

How much have you improved since you started training?

IT: I think I continue to make the right strides in the right direction. I think the biggest thing for me is the pick-up games, being able to play with those ex-vets or pros.

How would you describe your game to someone that hasn't watched you?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIYmG30bN2U IT: I'm an energy guy. I run the floor. I'm a spacer. I'm long, athletic and can shoot the 3 and defend guards. I can stay in front of the little guys as well.

Did you look up to any players growing up or model your game after?

IT: There was no one player that I tried to model my game after but I had a lot of heroes coming up like Kobe (Bryant), LeBron (James) and Kevin Durant.

Did you take some pieces from their game and add them to your own?

IT: I wouldn't say that. I'd say I have a very unique game and I try to do a little bit of everything. I think some things like my fadeaway may mirror Kobe's but I try to be the best that fits my body and my mold.

Do you think it was kind of like an eye-opening experience to see the physicality in the bubble?

IT: It definitely was an eye-opener. It let me see where I was and I knew I had to get a little stronger so that's what we focused on and keyed in on.

What has been the biggest area you're trying to improve?

IT: I've just been improving on my strength. I gained a lot of weight, I'm up to 220-225 now. I still have the same mobility and agility; I was around 210 in the bubble.

What was the biggest thing you took from the Ignite experience?

IT: It let me see where I was, what I needed to work on and where my game was and where it needed to be. In layman's terms, it put my game into perspective.

Where do you think you were at that point?

IT: I think at that point, my focuses were knocking down the open shot, running the floor, being that spacer and finding my niche. I think that is for any rook.

How important is it for rookies to know what their role is?

IT: Just knowing where you're supposed to be at on defense and being able to do your part. It helps everybody else and it helps the team move in the right direction. If you can't do that, then we can't even move forward with the real X's and O's and the real part of the game.

What was it like to go through the inaugural class with the Ignite?

https://twitter.com/overtime/status/1360362089936789509?s=20 IT: It was a lot of fun being able to play with some of these guys that I had been competing with for so long. I was kind of excited to see everybody's process and how we all grew walking into this thing that was new for all of us.

How beneficial was it to have veterans around you like Jarrett Jack, Amir Johnson, Bobby Brown and even Coach (Brian) Shaw?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMIdzcDsXKo/ IT: Having those guys on our side let us know that we were heading in the right direction. Having them there to ask questions or just to kinda check in and hear their side of where they think we are, giving us real advice about the things we really needed to know and work on for next year rather than doing it all by ourselves was a tremendous aide.

How was the bubble experience at Disney?

IT: It was surreal being in the same place that the NBA Finals was just played at. It was a lot of fun. We made a lot of memories. I'll never forget that feeling of walking onto that court for the first time. The lights were so bright. We just knew that this was a new chapter in our lives.

Your first game was against Jeremy Lin and the Santa Cruz Warriors. How were your nerves to face such an established player?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugQ3hKB20KA IT: To be honest, I was completely relaxed. I just wanted to play basketball. I hadn't played in a year and I knew I couldn't go back backward. I couldn't go play high school basketball, I couldn't play college basketball. This was the next basketball I could play and this was where I had to be. I had to go perform and I was going to have fun doing it.

What was the highlight of the season for you? You hit a game-winning shot versus the Canton Charge. Was there anything else that stood out above that?

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1365904261540937729?s=20 IT: I'd say the game-winner was probably one of the moments that really stood out to me. It was the most exciting moment for me, just personally for me and how it has gone being the No. 1 player in the country early and then kinda taking a dip in the rankings. Then, a couple of years later, I'm in this new program as a trailblazer and I hit a game-winner in my first professional season.

What kind of advice would you offer a player that was considering the Ignite or going to college?

IT: I'd just tell them to do what's best for them. If they feel like they are ready to play on that next level, and step up and be a pro now and they want to learn the game and they are eager, then I'd tell them by all means to take this route. But, if college is what suits you, then go to college.

Have you heard about participating in the NBA Draft Combine?

IT: I'll be at the combine, yes. An objective of mine going into the combine will be just to continue to show the glimpses of what I showed in the bubble and more, like how I've improved on rebounding especially.

Where do you think you stack up with the rest of the class?

IT: I really don't think it matters what I think. I think, at the end of the day, if I go out there and perform, I'll be able to show people where I stack up against everybody else. Everybody has an opinion. What I think of myself could be something completely different than what everybody else thinks.

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