 Ryan Ruko Sarah Kustag and now Kessler Edwards with us. Hello Kessler. How are you? Good. How's it going? Good. Good to have you. You know last season I felt like when this team was going through some of its roster turmoil you're one of the real bright spots. One of the real nice surprises to emerge as a as a 3 and D thread. What was your focus this offseason getting ready to build on what you did in your rookie here? Yeah just building on that. The main thing for me was just perfect in my three-point shot even more. That's one of my specialties so just being more consistent reliable on that and then just more comfortable putting the ball on the floor as well and then obviously defense is something that I'll be focused on to this year. I'm sure for any rookie there's a lot that you don't know or can't anticipate can't expect but it was a pretty wild season that you had to write a book about it someday. Take us through that and just your experience of what what it was like last year and in trying to just figure out your place acclimate yourself and also with all the moving parts that occurred throughout the course of the year. Yeah I mean I guess we'll see how this coming year compared to last year because I was my first year so I didn't really know what was normal. I don't know it's always that dramatic so we'll see but I think that did a good job preparing me for the rest of my career and I just always stand ready last year through everything was really all I could do so. What is it like Kessler when you're on the floor as a rookie with giants of the game like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. I mean how do you sort of handle that and just play your game and not feel fazed by wanting to come through for them or you know being worthy of being on the floor for them. How do you deal with that as a rookie? I mean honestly it kind of takes a lot of pressure off because all the folks is on them and there's only a couple things that I have to worry about doing to impact the game so honestly they make it easier and when they talk to me you know they might get on me but they also give me confidence to do the things that I do so it's cool. Is there whether it was advice whether it was during a practice anything was there was there a few moments that really stood out to you that helped you grow that helped you take another step as you continue to learn your way around the league and being a professional. Yeah honestly you probably just all the times that they take the time to pull me aside all the different vets and just tell me different things they'll even literally tell me like just play with confidence that's what they tell me and that's all I really need so that helps me a lot. What was your experience like watching this offseason as it unfolded Kessler what were you thinking when you saw Kevin's trade request? I mean it was already a crazy year for us so I wasn't too fazed by it my mentality seeing all that stuff was kind of just we'll see what happens so and it all worked out so. All worked out we're all here at Midia Day getting set for training camp tomorrow and when you look at this lineup at this roster you think about the depth that comes along with it what's your approach and mentality as you head into a training camp understanding just how many pieces there are and how many new players there are in the competitive nature that will come with it? Yeah I'm excited I think it's really the same as last year though I know everything that I get I have to earn any contributions that I make so really just that but I'm excited to see how it plays out we got a lot of good guys on this team obviously the talents there and I think guys are really locked in so. Yeah it seems like I mean you talked about it a moment ago to Kessler seems like there's a sort of a connective tissue right now from what was experienced last season where there's almost something to prove that this group feels like Midia something to prove there's a few different guys who have individual chips on their shoulder coming back from injury and then there's the the group collectively is that fair to characterize kind of the way things feel early with you guys as a team? Yeah I think it's a good balance of guys that were here last year and experienced that and you know we kind of want to get our revenge and then new guys that are binding to that too so yeah. The one thing that stands out amongst a lot of things with this roster is the shooting and the shooting ability across the board of a lot of a lot of different players when you watch guys like Joe Harris, Patty Mills, Seth Curry coming through and you being a three-point shooter yourself what are some things that that you take away from how they play how they move and what it is they've done throughout the course of their careers to be the type of effective and consistent shooters that they are? Yeah I mean I'm always watching them even when they work out shooting I look up to them and just the consistency that they have those are all guys that are honestly some of the best shooters that ever played a game in history so it's cool that I get to be with them see what they do every day how their mindsets are I picked their brains a little bit so yeah. You talked about the defensive end Kessler what did the experience of last year teach you about what's needed from you to continue to grow as a defensive weapon in this league? Probably just you know that's the main thing that I feel like got me my playing time so I know that throughout my career that's something that I can't let go I think that has to be my identity and just the experience I got getting a guard the other team's best players helps me. When you think about the defensive end I know one person that there's a lot of attention and focus on has been Ben Simmons and what he can bring to the table defensively and I know it's been a short time and he's been coming back with rehab but what have you noticed in his game how he plays and what he does on that end of the floor that can help this team? Just first of all man I think everybody talks about you know him being a like you know a big point guard able to push the ball into the ball but I know he does so many other things which is what makes him so valuable even him and Nick Claxton I admire how they they're so so long and they still move their feet and stuff so yeah I like that. Well Kessler we're so excited to see you in year two I know it's gonna be an exciting season with all the different talent all the 3 and D guys you now have on this team and thank you for spending some time with us good luck with training camp tomorrow. Yeah I appreciate you guys. Thank you Kessler. Alright that's Kessler Edwards joining us live from the Brooklyn Nets practice facility HSS training center it is Nets media day still more to come we'll take you up until