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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER MEDIA CONFERENCE

June 1, 2016

Serge Ibaka

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Q. What will you remember about this playoff run in particular?
SERGE IBAKA: Oh, man. What I remember is I think we give up high percentage shots. We give everything we have. We try. We try. That's one of the things I'm going to remember because I was the fielder. We try, we give our best shot as we can. It didn't end up the way we want, anybody want, but things happen.

Q. This Game 6 in particular, will that sting for a while?
SERGE IBAKA: Yeah, it's not only Game 6. All series, like we're up 3-1. That's the thing I'm never going to forget. It's going to really take a lot of time to get it off of my head, but you know, those kind of things make us stronger, you know? Those kind of things make us better players or better person in life, you know, those kind of experiences. I have to live with that.

Q. How tough was the season for you, the offense, and having to play a different role at times, not getting shots? You're probably used to that kind of thing.
SERGE IBAKA: It was the most challenging season for me, this season. And you know, like specifically mentally, too, not just like playing but mentally, preparing myself. Like you said, you fill roles, and it was really the most challenging season since I've been here in the NBA in my seven years. But you know, I'm grateful for that because it helped me to see the big picture, and I'm sure it's going to help me in the next couple years. I'm sure next year it's going to help me because, like I say, it helped me to see the big picture in the game because it was not easy. Yeah, it was not easy, like playing different roles and both ends of the floor. It was something new to me. But it was good for us, good for the team. It was helpful, and that's why we got this far, because everybody did their job, like mine, so yes.

Q. How difficult was the season for you physically? It seemed like times in the regular season you didn't have that energy that you usually have but in the Playoffs you really seemed like you were rejuvenated.
SERGE IBAKA: Oh, you know, I don't know. It was up and down. Like I say, it was really the most challenging season for me. Yeah, playing different roles, something you -- I'm not complaining about it, and I'm not going to complain about it. Like I say, maybe it was some way for me to open my eyes, to take my game in a different level, not just to be a shot blocker and running the floor. I'm going to say it's going to help me for next season, the next couple years, because what I learned this year, I'm going to work on this summer and try and get better next year.

Q. What is it that you think you need to work on?
SERGE IBAKA: Oh, just everything, like after this season, I feel like I have to be like a straight 4, no more fake 4. You know, like no more -- because that's the way the team wants me to be. That's the way of the team, specifically when you've got one of the true great offensive players like Russell and Kevin that can put the ball so easy inside the basket, and you've got bigs like Steven and Enes who can really do many things, so I had to be a straight 4 for them. I have to. There's really some changes I didn't really -- at some point I was thinking with more years I'm going to be a straight 4, but it's something I didn't really expect to be that soon, and it happened so quick. When things happen quick, you never know when it comes, and it's the moment right now, so it's something I'm going to be focused on. Of course not losing my side to play defense, try to keep getting better, and it's different now, I'm playing -- switching on 1, 2, 3, 4, so I have to be focused on -- yeah, and one day I'm going to play 5. I'm going to try to go block shots like I used to run the floor, so yeah.

Q. Are you now the most complete player that you've been so far? You've kind of mentioned this --
SERGE IBAKA: Yes, just mentally. Okay, you know, mentally when I get on the floor or when we go to work out, that's what I think, because I have to work on all those things. I have to work pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop, shooting threes, shooting twos, and playing defense. My mind is ready to play 1, 2, 3, 4, so yeah, you know, and like I say, it was one of the toughest seasons for me mentally, to be playing for all the things, and I think it's going to help me a lot to see the big picture.

Q. Will you be nervous over the next month, two months about Kevin because there's a potential he could leave?
SERGE IBAKA: No. No. That's nothing that's happened to us yet. This is one of the things I'm proud to be in this group. That's what we have. Especially we don't really care or think about what people say outside. It's us, and we know what we want. Same thing, I'm sure, same thing Kevin want, I want, Russell wants, Steve, Enes, everybody, so same thing we want. I'm not really worried about that.

Q. Are you confident he'll stay?
SERGE IBAKA: I'm confident, yeah, of course. Where is he going to go, tell me, after what we did this year in the Playoffs? Where? If he goes somewhere, I don't know, tell me where.

Q. What improvement did you see from the end of the season and into the 18 playoff games, because it seemed like the team went to another level. It gave you a chance in round 2 against the Spurs and pretty much in round 3 against the Warriors, but there was some kind of team improvement. What was the biggest improvement do you think that made that happen?
SERGE IBAKA: I think just mental sacrifice. Everybody was ready to sacrifice for the team to do their job. Like you said, in the season it was a lot of up and down, but when it was playoff time, everybody was lucky because we think -- it was the moment. It was the moment, and everybody was ready to give up, to give everything for the team, best shot. So sacrifice, like I said, and I think that's why. We have talent, but sometimes it takes to sacrifice for the team; how bad do you want it. That's why we got this far.

Q. You kind of have an unknown future in the sense of next year will be the last year on your contract --
SERGE IBAKA: No, I'm not worried. I'm not thinking, and I'm not talking about this. I'm still a Thunder. I'm going to wear the Thunder jersey next year, too, so there's nothing to talk about right now, because it's not important. It's not really important things.

Q. Steven Adams, has he shocked you with how good he's become so early?
SERGE IBAKA: Steven is going to be a monster. Give Steve two more years, he's going to be a monster. You know, that's all I can say about Steve. He's going to be a monster.

Q. You talked about your role changing and how you adjusted to stuff. What was it like with Billy? Was there any type of tough transition with him?
SERGE IBAKA: You know, anything new is never easy. You know, in life when you make a big step, you make change, because we're so comfortable staying with the same thing for -- you know what I'm saying? That's what -- it takes challenge, it takes courage to step out of your comfort zone. For me this year was like stepping off on the comfort zone; you know what I'm saying? You can see my numbers was down, but like I say, it was the way for me to step out of the comfort zone because I couldn't stay and do the same thing. I couldn't say, you know what, I know the space, I'm going to run -- if it's out there, it's out there. I'm going to be out there, try to get my offensive rebounds, get an easy point. That's my comfort zone, but I have to step away from my comfort zone to get better, to see big picture for the future, so I think that's going to help me a lot.

Q. What did you think of the job Billy did this season?
SERGE IBAKA: Yeah, for sure he did a good job. You have to give him credit. For the first year, he get us where we are now. He did a good job. He's not really -- I don't think we're allowed to ask him. Of course there's still a lot of room to get better. Still a lot of room to learn, to get better, but from where he started in his first year, he did a good job.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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