On Sunday, June 8th the Nuggets welcomed four athletic, sharp-shooting guards to the Pepsi Center practice facility: Mario Chalmers of Kansas, Shan Foster of Vanderbilt, Lester Hudson of Tennessee-Martin and Robert Vaden of University of Alabama-Birmingham. Chalmers, a 6-1 guard, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2008 NCAA Final Four Tournament after leading KU to the National Championship. He also was named to the Big XII All-Defensive Team as a junior. Foster, a lengthy 6-6 shooting specialist, finished as the Commodores all-time leading scorer (2,011 Points) and was the consensus SEC Player of the Year as a senior, averaging 20.3 ppg. Hudson, a 6-3 combo guard, was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year as a junior and was the first ever player to record a quadruple-double in NCAA Division I history with a 25-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist, and 10-steal masterpiece. Vaden is a 6-5 shooting guard who transferred from Indiana to UAB and averaged 21.1 ppg this past seasons for the Blazers, earning First Team All-Conference USA and Newcomer of the Year honors.

Nuggets.com’s Jonathan Diedrich had a chance to catch up with Vandy’s Shan Foster and the Kansas hero, “Super” Mario Chalmers after their workouts.

Shan Foster, 6-6, 205, Vanderbilt, Senior

How did your workout go today?
It went great, a lot of fun, very competitive, great players, good guys the coaching staff was really enthused it seemed like they liked me. Any time you are in that environment, it is not even work; you are just out there doing what you do best.

What was the best part of your workout today?
I think I shot the ball well, I think I played great defense and hustled. I just wanted to show that I am guy that does whatever it takes. Whatever the call of duty is, go out there and get it done. Have fun doing it – basketball is fun, anytime you are out there having fun you are going to put out your best effort.

How do you prepare yourself for these workouts?
First of all understand its just basketball. It’s not like you are going out there doing anything tricky. It’s basketball, something you have been doing all your life, something you have put a lot of hard work and effort into. You just go out there and do what you have been doing for the last four years, in my case I am senior.

Looking back, what was your best game in college?
When we played Mississippi State at home on senior night, I had 42 (points). That was by far my best game. My best all around game was when we played Tennessee when they were #1 in the country, I had 32 (points) on them.

What are you most looking forward to about being in the NBA?
I am looking forward to the opportunity to get better and play against the best players in the country. Go out there and compete and show I can play at that level. Also the opportunity of being able to give back and be a role model in the community, especially back in New Orleans where I am from.

Do you have a favorite player or role model that you looked up to most growing up?
Definitely Michael Jordan, he brought it ever single night. Whether he shot the ball great, just okay or not well, he always had the same intensity he always played hard on both sides of the ball. That was a guy I really looked up to and got my motivation from.

What do you think your biggest challenge is going to be at the next level?
Being able to get stronger. I also need to improve my ball handling. Continue to do what I have been doing, be the hard working guy I have always been. Show up at practice everyday with an attitude to get better and make the players around me better and look forward to winning a Championship.

Who is your favorite musical artist?
Right now, Marvin Sapp. Song called “Never Could Have Made It.”

What is your favorite movie?
“Alvin and the Chipmunks.”

What is your favorite TV show?
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

How do you think you would fit in with the Nuggets?
Kind of like JR Smith: being able to shoot the ball, stretch the floor. Being athletic enough to get inside and finish. I would also be able to work to the point to become a lockdown defender.

Which NBA player, past or present, would you compare yourself to?
(Richard) Rip Hamilton a little bit, Ray Allen a lit bit. They may be able to handle to ball better, I am able to use screens like them, keep moving, great shape, and see the floor well.

Who was your favorite player you played against in college?
I enjoyed going up against Joe Crawford from Kentucky, Gary Forbes of UMass, a lot of great guys I had the opportunity to go up against. Chris Lofton from Tennessee as well.

Celtics or Lakers?
I’ll take the Lakers.

Mario Chalmers, 6-1, 190, Kansas, Junior

How did your workout go today?
Overall it went pretty good, I think a couple of things I could have done better on defense.

What was the best part of your workout today?
Shooting and aggressiveness.

How do you prepare yourself for these workouts?
Really resting and relaxing on these flights. Just trying to get as much rest as I can.

What is your game’s biggest strength?
Shooting and defense.

What is your game’s biggest weakness?
On defense watching the ball too much.

As a player who is known for speed, how would it be to play in the Nuggets up-tempo system?
It would be great. It would be just like playing back at Kansas. They pretty much run like we did there.

What would it be like to share the backcourt with a future Hall of Famer like Allen Iverson?
It would be great. Growing up, Allen Iverson was one of my favorite players to watch and try to emulate the stuff he did. To actually come here and be able to play with him would be a great opportunity.

Looking back at Kansas, what was your best game in college?
Either the National Championship or the Big XII Championship versus Texas.

Which NBA player, past or present, would you compare yourself to?
Past – my defense is like Gary Payton. Present – probably like Chris Paul or Gilbert Arenas.

When did you start playing basketball?
Four years old.

What do you think your biggest challenge is going to be at the next level?
Prove that I can run the point guard position.

Who is your favorite musical artist?
Lil’ Wayne.

What is your favorite movie?
“All About the Benjamins.”

What is your favorite TV show?
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air or Jamie Foxx Show.

How do you think you would fit in with the Nuggets?
I think I would fit in pretty well. I think I can take a little more pressure off Allen Iverson and Carmelo (Anthony) and make more opportunities for the bigs because there would be another person who can shoot the ball.

Would coming to Denver, where they have a lot of Kansas Alumni, be intriguing to you?
I think it would be fun, just because us Kansas people stick together and try and take care of each other.