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Julian Phillips credits military upbringing for his ability to pick things up quickly

Phillip’s ability to pick up on things rather quickly comes from his parents.

Nick Raguz

© Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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Despite not getting plenty of court time in his rookie season for the Chicago Bulls, Julian Phillips has still impressed head coach Billy Donovan with his ability to quickly soak up knowledge and instructions—things he showcased in a career-high 11-point outing in the win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.

The springy forward out of Tennessee attributes his quick learning skills to growing up in a military family, where structure and discipline were paramount.

“You better get it,” Phillips said, referring to any instructions his parents gave him when he was younger.

Benefited from having parents in the military

Growing up in Killeen, Texas to parents who were both in the military, the virtues of discipline and toughness were instilled in Julian Phillips from a young age. From following strict schedules to learning how to take orders, Phillips learned the importance of being organized and efficient in everything he does.

And it's this mindset that has translated onto the basketball court, where Phillips is able to quickly pick up plays and defensive schemes.

“They were both in the military, so it was kind of, like, a lot (thrown) at me when I was young,” Phillips said.

“I was trying to learn a lot.”

High IQ

Phillips’ ability to quickly pick up on offensive and defensive concepts has endeared him to Donovan and his coaching staff.

“The thing that I’ve been most impressed with from summer league till now has been his ability to pick things up very quickly. He’s got a very, very high IQ,” Donovan said.

“He plays in a very, very small box for himself. He’s a really good cutter. He’s really good athletically on the glass. He does things he knows he can do.”

Julian Phillips tries to claim a position in the rotation with a season-best performance

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Nick Raguz
NICK RAGUZ

Nick's journey has been an exciting fusion of basketball and the written word. A former basketball player himself, he possesses an insatiable appetite for all things NBA-related, spanning from the captivating tales of old-school NBA to intriguing statistics and the latest updates from the association.

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