A month of pre-draft camps, the Portsmouth Invitational and the Chicago camp came in handy for former Cyclone men’s basketball player Jackson Vroman.

The Phoenix Suns took Vroman in the second round with the 31st pick in the NBA draft June 24. A few days before the draft, the Suns traded their No. 7 pick to the Chicago Bulls for the pick and cash.

According to the June 21 edition of Sports Illustrated, Vroman was a projected first-round pick. Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D’Antoni said that he also didn’t expect Vroman to still be available at pick 31.

“We thought he would go in the first round, but we were happy to get him at 31. It just made sense at that number,” D’Antoni said. “We thought he was the best player available. He looks like a tough player.”

Vroman caught the attention of D’Antoni and the Suns’ brass at both June camps.

“We saw him play in Chicago and he played well in Portsmouth also. [We] thought that he was one of the better players,” D’Antoni said. “He plays hard and is very active. And we liked that.”

ISU head coach Wayne Morgan said he believes Vroman’s special talents will assist him in the NBA.

“First of all, he plays hard, harder than most anybody he plays against, [and he’s] a really good defensive player. He does that everyday and all the time,” Morgan said. “He competes really hard against the person he is going against. Jackson has a great knack from inside 10 feet and of finding a way to score, taking what he is given. All that will come in handy because people won’t be able to guard him.”

Vroman said there were a lot of things going through his mind the night of the draft.

“I was at my buddy’s (Don Coleman) place with my dad, friends and family in Salt Lake City,” Vroman said. “I was excited but not too nervous. Everyone around me was nervous but not myself. I just thought the pick would be somewhere from 26 to 36.”

Vroman said he didn’t think he would be selected by the Suns.

“Not particularly, because they didn’t have the pick that was in my area in the draft,” Vroman said.

“I worked out for about 20 teams, and they were one of the few teams that I didn’t work out with.”

Since second-round selections are not guaranteed a roster spot, D’Antoni said Vroman still has to prove himself to make the team.

“Right now, he will have a good chance to make the team, but nothing is guaranteed yet. We think that he will bring some toughness and energy,” D’Antoni said. “He will have to make the team, play well and hopefully contribute for us.”

Vroman knows that he has to still prove himself to see playing time in the NBA.

“Right now I will start simple. I just want to make the team, first of all, and branch out from there,” Vroman said.

“I don’t have the foggiest idea [how the NBA will be] to tell the truth. I am sure that it will be tough no matter what.”

Vroman said he expects to play either power forward or center for the Suns. D’Antoni agreed but said there are people on the roster ahead of him.

“He will play either the four or five spot. He will play underneath mostly, but he can play either position. He can play with Amare Stoudemire or Jake Voskuhl,” D’Antoni said.

“We still have room for free agency, but right now the guys ahead of him on the roster are Amare Stoudemire, Jake Voskuhl and Maciej Lampe.”

Morgan said the best position for Vroman would be power forward.

“The four is his best position,” Morgan said, “because he is built like a four in the NBA, not built like 300 pounds.”

Although Vroman has not played in an NBA game yet, D’Antoni believes Vroman is similar to another Suns player.

“[Vroman] is most similar to Jake Voskuhl,” D’Antoni said. “They both seem to have energy, quickness and [are] after it all the time.”

Morgan said Vroman has some similarities to a former NBA star.

“The biggest comparison I would make is that he is probably like Dennis Rodman, but with a little more offensive skills,” Morgan said.

After his two years at Iowa State, Morgan said Vroman will do well in the NBA.

“We are all very excited for him, and we all wish him the very best,” Morgan said.

“We all think that he will have success.”

Vroman said he will find out more about the NBA when the Phoenix Suns’ summer league starts July 10. He will get an early look at the Phoenix area when arrives there Monday.