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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 23, 2016

Steven Adams

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Q. Steven, do you feel like a wily veteran now? It seems like we're seeing new faces but you're one of the old ones.
STEVEN ADAMS: I'm one of the oldest -- oh, that's not good. No, I feel still young. I still feel young. Well, being around Nick, you always feel young. He makes you feel young.

I feel normal, man. It's all the same. It's good having this different kind of approach to, say, is a bone in's way to teach them kind of new things. They are giving me a bit of responsibility to kind of teach them stuff, so that's a big role in that. I feel like a father, so congratulations to me. (Laughter).

Q. Is that on the court? Off the court?
STEVEN ADAMS: That's both, on and off, yeah. Good stuff, mate, dropping knowledge bombs.

Q. A lot of people consider you to be the second-best player on the team. How are you going to handle that role this year and how do you see your role evolving?
STEVEN ADAMS: It's all the same stuff. I'm just going to show up and play regardless. As long as we win the games, that's what it comes down to. Just keep that same mind-set. I think it's the same both on the team, as well.

Q. How long has it been since you've cut your hair?
STEVEN ADAMS: Oh, man, I don't even know man. I saved a lot of money, though (laughter). That's the best part. That's what keeps me going. Probably like a year and a half or something like that, yeah. A lot longer than you.

Q. You lose KD, and it seems like the next best thing would be to bring in good players and for there to be a newness to this bunch and it seems like there is that and some energy. Is that accurate?
STEVEN ADAMS: To bring in good players?

Q. Well that there are new players and there is energy in this bunch?
STEVEN ADAMS: There's a lot of excitement just because there is different players on our team and stuff like that, and yeah, what's brilliant is that they are cool off the court and that we kind of -- the chemistry on the court is really good, which actually helps a lot for on-court performance. So that's what the biggest take away for me was, they are all good dudes and solid dudes and really get after it.

Q. After a year with Coach Donovan and this system, how much comfortable are you with the ball in your hands in offense? We saw you do a lot of different things in the playoffs?
STEVEN ADAMS: Whatever you see, give a good crack at it. Hopefully it goes well.

Q. How much more have you seen Russell take more of a leadership role in the off-season and working with you guys in California?
STEVEN ADAMS: I mean, yeah, he does that every year. I see no change, which is good. I'm not really good -- I mean, I don't really like when people have to react to situations because then it gives more chance for something to go wrong. He's kept solid the whole time, the whole time through from what I've seen this summer and stuff and that's pretty much all we need, know what I mean, same guy, leadership role is always the same. He's kept it anyway. It's all the same stuff. He holds everyone to a high standard, even himself, the highest standard, and that's all you can ask for from him.

Q. Last year there was a time, like January, where I asked you about your role like as a defensive anchor and getting -- you said you weren't quite there yet. You went through an entire playoffs. Do you feel like you made strides to where you're becoming that defensive anchor you want to be?
STEVEN ADAMS: I've made some progress. That's what you strive for, no matter how big or small it is. Just whatever progress it is.

If I'm close to what Perk (ph) is, that's still a long ways away. He's on another level with the defensive stuff. I've still got to do a lot of study. Read some books.

Q. How does it change with Serge not here?
STEVEN ADAMS: Well, that's going to be -- it's just another change. Yeah, just going to be another change. We've done it with a lot of different stuff as a team. We can figure out a way.

Q. I'm wondering if you have been following Enes on his social media rampage this summer?
STEVEN ADAMS: Rampage (laughter).

Q. And what your reaction has been to that, watching him on Twitter?
STEVEN ADAMS: You say he's on a rampage, so like what -- because he's been all over the place. Can you just point exactly --

Q. A couple funny Tweets about Kevin Durant, some funny interactions with you.
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah, he's always -- he's an extrovert. He likes being out there and stuff. He's just having fun with it, man. It's nothing serious. He's just like a joking guy.

Q. And I'm also wondering, you're eligible for early contract extension. Is that something that you're thinking about heading into the season at all, or is it just something that if it gets done, it's great, and that's it.
STEVEN ADAMS: No. That's all it -- you said it right there. If it gets done, cool. If not, I'm still with the team right now, and so that's all that matters. With the group of guys that we have right now, I'm still a part of them and we still have to go out and do work every night.

Q. How hard are Joffrey and the new guys, how badly do they want to be Stache Brothers like you and Enes?
STEVEN ADAMS: How badly? Man, I don't even know. Some (ph) hasn't said anything, but the Blue Croissant, I think he's keen on being one of the bros.

Q. Nick refers to you still as kind of the young player coming into the season still, but because of the loss of Kevin Durant and some scoring, do you see yourself transitioning into more of a mental role for some of the younger guys or some of the guys that vent been here as long as you have?
STEVEN ADAMS: Won't be as much of a role as like, say, Nick. It will just be little tips here and there because Nick, he knows every single thing about what needs to be done and how to approach it. It's a lot more -- his answers and his advice is a lot more well thought out than mine. Mine is just like top of the head which is probably not the best all the time, his approach. I still give little tips if I can, but yeah, if that answers your question.

Q. I've got two questions. First of all, what have you worked on to maybe expand your presence inside in the off-season and then second, you mentioned Russ appears the same to you, but he puts up big numbers every night, do you see expect the same numbers offensively or what from him?
STEVEN ADAMS: First of all, I've just been working on everything, yeah, I mean, same old stuff. But to the second question, do I expect the numbers --

Q. The same kind of output.
STEVEN ADAMS: Who knows, because I'm not one to look at numbers apart from the old scoreboard. All I know is that he's going to come and just do what he does. That's more of like a leadership -- he's going to do everything he can to win. That's what I can expect from him. He's done that like his whole life. So other than that, the numbers will just be whatever, whatever you guys -- yeah.

Q. I was going to say, looks like that second stash brother has joined. Are you guys planning anything special for NBA fans going forward, because the Stache Brothers extravaganza went kind of crazy last season. Are you guys planning on doing anything else, more t-shirts or whatever?
STEVEN ADAMS: We don't even know. Just came out of nowhere. Where do we go from here, mate, that's my question. Where do we go. Not sure where to go to from here. This wasn't like a plan to kind of try and go viral. This is just like me, just feel comfortable for me and just became a thing.

Q. What's the worst thing about Enes Kanter?
STEVEN ADAMS: The worst thing? (Laughter) oh, where do I start. The vast majority of things with him (laughter). Relax, man, it's a joke.

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