As part of the 2015 NBA FIT Week, the Association flew Khris Middleton into Manila.

A day after playing some hoops at a local court, the Milwaukee Buck talked to local media about his reunion with former-Pistons teammate Greg Monroe, his relationship with head coach Jason Kidd, and all things Milwaukee. Here’s what he had to say:

(some answers have been shortened for clarity’s sake)

Q: Going back to last season, you had a breakout season of sorts, and the Bucks got back to the Eastern Conference playoffs. Did you feel like the national media in the US or all over the world didn’t give you guys as much attention as you should have received?

A: We’re not worried about the attention of the media. We’re just trying to do our job, and win games, [and] listen to our coaches. The media, they give us credit if they can, but at the same time we all have confidence in ourselves.

Q: You came to terms with the Bucks pretty quick on a new extension. Was re-signing with them really your plan from the start?

A: Milwaukee is somewhere I wanted to be longer. They did a great job building off my first year there. We got a lot of nice young pieces with Greg [Monroe] being added to the team. It was somewhere where I felt I had the chance to grow as a player, and as a person, and achieve some great things with that team and that city there.

Q: Your cousin is former NBA player Josh Powell, did he tell you a lot of things about playing in the Philippines [Powell had a short stint as an import for Barangay Ginebra]?

A: He loves this place. He used to tell me stories about how he loved his time here. He definitely said that he enjoyed his time here.

Q: What are your prospects for the Bucks next season?

A: Just build on what we did last year. Make the playoffs, try to get better, try to win more games. Not be satisfied by making the playoffs one year, but make it two, three, four years in a row

Q: Thoughts on your team’s newcomers?

A: I think they add a lot to our team. Greivis Vasquez is a great point guard, he can play shooting guard too. So whether he starts or comes off the bench, he’ll be a great addition with his playmaking and shooting ability, and just his toughness and grit. With Greg, he adds a lot too. He’s a big man that can score down low and that’s something we really missed last year. We can throw him the ball and finish down low. I think he’ll really help us a lot.

Q: How about your individual goals? What are your plans for this year? Are you trying to become the best small forward in the league?

A: That’s everybody’s goal, to be the best that you can be. Right now I just want to win. My focus is on the team. I’m always focused on myself, but to get better at this stage, you try to add something to the team that can really help.

Q: The Bucks are supposed to have one of the best young cores in the NBA today. What do you think is the next step for you guys?

A: Just the experience. We experienced that last year in the playoffs. Making it to the playoffs was a big thing for us. It was a big deal to get that experience, and now we have to build on that and learn from our mistakes from losing in the first round to the Bulls.

Q: How would you describe your relationship with Coach Jason Kidd and how much of a factor was it to you wanting to return to Milwaukee?

A: It’s a great relationship. I mean he’s one of the best that played at the point guard position, one of the best players, so being coached by someone like him gives you a lot of confidence. He gives you tips on how to play the game. It’s definitely a great relationship. He trusts you on the court and all he asks is that we trust him.

Q: You’re known as one of the premier defenders despite your young age. Who’s the toughest guy for you to cover?

A: There’s a lot of guys. We have a lot of talented guys in the league. You just have to trust your coaches, the game plan and your teammates having your back out there.

Q: Do you have a specific pre-game process? Do you read a lot of scouting reports?

A: Read over the scouting report, see what a guy’s tendencies are and what they like to do, what they don’t like to do and just force them into tough shots and things they don’t want to do necessarily.

Q: Despite your young core, do you see yourselves as possibly getting the number one seed next year?

A: That’s always the goal, but you don’t want to fit those type of expectations on yourself. You just want to take it game-by-game and take it from there.

Q: What did you guys learn from the Chicago Bulls series?

A: How the series is never over until it’s over, and just how to close our games. We felt we kinda let the ball slip the first two games. And game three where we had a chance to win, and we just couldn’t close it out.

Q: Does that final game still sting?

A: Oh it definitely does. I mean it’ll definitely sting for a couple more years. But you learn from it and use it as motivation to get better.

Q: Do you think that series with Bulls created a mini-rivalry?

A: That’s possible. We’re so close together [geographically]. There’s a lot of fans of Chicago in Milwaukee, and vice-versa. It’s a nice little game to me too.

Q: How do you think Grevis Vasquez and Michael Carter-Williams will team-up next season?

A: I think it will be dangerous. Those are two tall big point guards that can post up, defend guys and they usually frustrate players. So it will be a great tandem to see them play together and play off each other.

Q: Have you talked to Greg Monroe since he signed?

A: Yeah, Greg was a good friend of mine when we played in Detroit when I was there. I just told him how excited I was to play with him again and he said he’s excited also. But we also talked about life and we joked around. We’re friends, and it’s not always about basketball

Q: Any thoughts on the report that Milwaukee just announced they have a deal for a new arena?

A: I’m excited. I’m glad we’re staying in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It’s great to be there for the long-term and I hope the fans and the people are excited for us to be there also.

Photo by KC Cruz