Media Availability | OKC Thunder vs Philadelphia 76ers | Salt Lake City Summer League | July 8, 2024

Media Availability | OKC Thunder vs Philadelphia 76ers | Salt Lake City Summer League | July 8, 2024

well Dylan it was like 10 days ago that we were with you when you were putting that Jersey on for the very first time the chance to actually wear it in a game uh tonight how did this feel for you to to play in your very first game for the Thunder uh it felt good um you know it would like to come out with a win obviously every time you touch the floor but we got a lot of things to work on as a team but you know I it felt good to just be out there you know kind of you know still honestly feel a little unreal but I it was a good it was a you know I guess it was a good time to you know finally get over it you got eight games here during summer league you’re going to see a lot of different things um was it nice in some way to see a very different look to start this game full-court traps Zone almost the entire game uh is that good for you all moving forward yeah it’s it’s it’s about it’s honestly how the NBA just works you got to be able to adjust um you know we go through our little training camp of things and you know they come out and run two three Zone and Run and Jump you know so I think it’s just about being kind of just a normal NBA player and just knowing you got to be able to adjust at whatever May Come obviously you a guard at Weber so you you’ve been through that whole thing but but at this level like what are you thinking throughout the game as your processing is maybe unfolding just how that’s maybe improving as the game is going on like what are you seeing out there what are you reading uh just make the right play um get to on the ball move the ball you get you got Advantage get to the paint whatever you can do um I think you know the game’s simple you know I try not to make it as complicated as possible you know if you’re open shoot the ball if you’re not if you got Advantage drive it if you don’t if you got two in the ball move it you know and just you know just try to play the game I know this isn’t the 82 Game season but but on this setting in this stage are there things you’re maybe confirming about yourself as the the game goes on um in your mind a lot of things like the way I see the game translates to this level the way I rebound translates to this level um you know I think once the game even slows down a little bit more I’ll be able to excel even more but um you know I just think that you know that I belong in this environment and um I didn’t even play perfect today you know I I don’t know how many In-N-Out you know shots I had or whatever but you know it’s it’s more to come you and AJ are going to be doing a lot of stuff together probably over the next year uh what was it like just getting out on the floor with him and starting to um have that chemistry come together cuz you you guys connected on some good plays yeah it was good uh he he’s a good player um you know he kind of got the same pedigree as me and where we come from so um you know I just told him when the game started just go out there and have fun this ain’t no different than what we done did before so um he’s a good player and you seen that tonight did you did you have any definitive expectations for yourself coming into this summer league yeah just go out there and play hard you know my thing is making sure my effort is there cuz you know when I’m with the the team I got to be able to fill a different role you know right now I got the ball in my hands a lot and things like that and who knows if that’s my role or not so I think it’s all about just having my effort there and that’s only thing I want to make sure is there um everything outside of that will come come as long as my efforts on point it help me when training C come and uh when the season come I you were pretty vocal in the first half to some teammates and uh kind of that leadership Ro is that something that you feels like kind of came into naturally uh with this group and and what is the importance of that to you yeah I think you know for me I just try to do what I’ve done since I to get here you know I think me just being the leader just talking you know is who I am honestly so when I’m on the court and when anytime I’m able to you know be vocal and help somebody out I’m not just talking just to talk you know I’m like trying to help somebody so um I think that’s just in my nature is just to help where I can so AJ we uh we got to be with you like 10 days ago when you put that Jersey on for the first time now you got to actually do it on a court uh how did this feel for you just personally to to get this opportunity to go out and play uh it was great I mean it’s always way to put an NBA jersey on be able to do to play the sport I love that it’s kind of a dream so it’s great uh obviously wanted to win but good first experience you seem to really be able to to create action despite them being in a Zone despite them uh trapping way out in the back court what was key for you and in being able to just get some some of that blender going as they like to talk about I think just reading the game you know uh being able to see where my teammates are going to be and what options are open for me uh and just reading the defense I think they mixed up like Zone man so being able to read that and finding the open man was really key for me speciically like seeing what they do out there to start the game like how would you describe the way your processing may be improved throughout the game for me yeah uh I think just you know like seeing earlier when they’re in zone uh knowing where to open man is going to be I think getting into quicker action I think is going to be key for me uh going forward so I think that’s the main two things I got to work on did you have any expectations for yourself going into summer league like what what were those uh I think it’s just you know getting that experience uh getting a lot of playing time getting able to run get down the floor and obviously just showing what I can do and I think it’s a great experience we have a great team so being able to play with the guys see what we can do you and Dylan are probably be doing a lot of things together over the course of this next uh year what was it like just to to get on the court with him and play with him he said that you and and him talked about this just being let’s just go play Let’s Play normal I mean it’s basketball at the end of the day so we said before the game was just let’s go have fun let’s go play basketball and I think it’s going to be really fun with Dylan I think he’s a great guy great player and being able to share a court with him would be real fun I I think you were asked at the intro pressor just about you know the the the opportunity to being a combo guard you know playing more off the ball do you feel maybe since training camp started that you know that you’ve seen growth in those areas yeah for sure I mean we have a lot of ball handlers a lot of guys that can play on and off the ball so for me it was good for me to be off the ball and be able to make those reads and play off the ball so it helped me a lot during this camp and looking forward to doing it during those games too cam these uh summer leag League game is obviously a great Baseline for you all as a team as as these individual players just as you take a look at the first game and the fact that you know they’re pressing You full court they’re zoning you for most of the game what do you take from a kind of a baseline game like this yeah I mean summer league is a great platform for us to obviously get better it’s a eight game stretch um we have a lot of we have a good balance on our team of rookies returning players you know and for everybody on the team it’s about stacking good days as it is during the season um and trying to improve and we’ll see a lot of different looks in summer league the challenge for us is can we stack good days through the ups and downs of a basketball game and so we’re looking forward to the opportunity to do that do you like that you know right off the bat you’re seeing maybe an untraditional look you’re not just getting straight man for 40 minutes and that you’ve got a little something different coming your way to to go up against yeah I mean I think it’s always unique um yeah we talk about a lot learning wise for the players that these guys are going through it’s the same for coaching so you know seeing looks like that that you may or may not be prepared for is good for everybody um because you know it’s the same that I just told the team the stuff that shows up regardless of what goes on out there is usually pretty fundamental basic things that show up regardless what’s going on on the floor so um you know again the challenge for us Remains the Same we just mentioned the the full cour pressure and just the ball pressure period I just wonder what you saw specifically from from guys like AJ and Dylan as the game went on in charge of handing last St you know I was really impressed with their competitive level throughout the course of the game um you know there are things that we talked about that are mainly competing and communicating um and I thought for two rookies they did a good job of like leading the group and pocket to the game of doing that you know um again regardless of outcomes and for them uh specifically it’s establishing a good Baseline for him you know regardless of where you’re playing or what level you’re at if you compete and communicate at a high level um it gives you a chance and I thought they set a good tone with that tonight as you gotten to know Dylan and just his demeanor and kind of what he expects from himself just just from your point of view just what have you come to know about what Dylan’s expectations are for himself yeah I mean he’s a guy similar to the rest of the group that holds himself to a really high standard um and he competes at a really high level and again the thing that I respect about him and a lot of guys on the team is they really care you know summer league is a platform where um you’re putting a group of guys together that all won’t necessarily be with the Thunder when the season starts so it’s easy to have your own individual goals and the team’s really committed to like being a good team for eight games as long as we’re together and those two guys are certainly a part of that I know Mark doesn’t like to talk about you know going into things with expectations but like going into summer league like what was the kind of the plan for us and what are you hoping to see from him yeah I mean us is a young guy who’s had some experience behind him he’s obviously put together a good summer he had a good end of the season um the goal for him is the same as everybody else which is come out here compete um be about the team and continue to stack good days you know for a guy like him it’s interesting you know you have a guy like him who’s in his third year and you have rookies who have the same goals but um it just goes to show um how important those things are regardless of where you are in your career can you stack good days can you compete together as a group you know all those things show up regardless of where you’re at so he’s in that with the rest of the group um on the court what did you like just kind of how Dylan Jones the game came to him and maybe what he did well what would you like to see from him for the rest of Summer League uh yeah he sees the game really well um know he’s a great passer he’s a great facilitator um he sees both ends really well I think for him continuing to improve his communication out there for a guy who picks up stuff as quick as he does that’s a way of leading um but again for a lot of guys on our team it’s very similar like we want to Stack good days out here with how we attack our work how we compete as a group um and all those things certainly come into play for him as well

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