CHICAGO -- Michigan's Nik Stauskas had a very good logical explanation when asked why he wasn't taking part in the drills at the NBA Draft Combine here this week.
"Watching the drills and before the combine started knowing what the drills were going to be, I just felt like a lot of it was just jump shooting,'' the Michigan sophomore said here on Thursday. "Obviously, that was the strongest part of my game, and I felt like teams already know I can shoot the ball. So coming in I felt like even if I had a great day shooting the ball, it wasn't really going to do much for me because teams already know that's my strength. That was the main thing.''
That's also the main thing that makes him one of the top-rated shooting guards in the 2014 NBA Draft, and one of the reasons why the Cavaliers might be looking at him as part of new General Manager David Griffin's effort to improve his team's shooting and scoring.
The 6-6 Stauskas averaged 17.5 points per game for the Wolverines last season, shooting 50 percent overall and 44.2 percent from 3-point range. Like he said, everybody already knows that. What he's hoping is to show off some other skills in testing on Friday.
"As far as the physical testing goes, I think I can surprise some people,'' he said. "I don't think people realize I can jump the way I do or run the way I do. So I'm really looking forward to getting in there tomorrow and working.''
He knows he needs to separate himself from the other shooters in this draft -- like Creighton's Doug McDermott.
"Yeah, there's always guys who can shoot the ball,'' he said. "But at the end of the day, what's going to separate me is my ability to get to the basket and my ability to make plays for others and my ability to shoot off the dribble. It's one thing to shoot off a catch. But if you can get off a pick and roll and pull up from 15 feet, that separates you from other guys.''
What is the team that drafts him getting?
"They're getting a kid who loves to play basketball,'' he said. "I'm a basketball junkie. I'm willing to work. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get minutes and get on the floor and help my team win. I feel like everywhere I went in my career I was a winner, regardless of what situation I've been in, and I feel like that's one of the most important characteristics to have.''
Stauskas is one of six Canadians at the combine. Another Canadian, Kansas star Andrew Wiggins, isn't here. It's another example of the growing reach of Canadian basketball. Stauskas played with the Cavs' Tristan Thompson and Anthony Bennett, but he said neither had given him much advice. Still, he's thrilled to look around the interview room and see so many of his countrymen.
"I've been saying it the last couple days,'' he said. "It's crazy because we grew up playing with against each other. We all have that bond or friendship. For most of those guys, they played AAU together. I didn't play with them. But it's cool to see everyone here now and having so much success at the college level and at the professional level. So I'm really proud of everyone and I'm going to be cheering for everyone moving forward.''