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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 23, 2016

Mitch McGary

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Q. Can you describe to us what caused the second suspension?
MITCH McGARY: Just not being compliant in the program. Just leave it at that. It's kind of private. I'm in the drug program for failing the drug test and to be compliant, you have to take a certain amount of tests, and I did not do that. So I'd say, second suspension was issued.

But since then, I've turned a new leaf. I'm not afraid to talk about it. Yes, I messed up. Yes, I'm taking responsibility. I'm sober. I'm just trying to turn a new leaf and move past this. This is something I need to do for myself and focus on myself. If I really want to have a career in the NBA.

So I apologized to myself, foremost, my family, my parents, but also the organization, just the community of Oklahoma City. I do think that I let them down just because of the actions that I have made. But I don't think this defines me as who I am. You guys know I'm a happy-go-lucky guy. And nobody's perfect. Everybody makes mistakes.

But I think it's really going to -- it's really going to determine what I do now from now and that's going to really determine me as a person, and how I respond to this.

So I'm taking fully all the actions to move forward to move past this and be compliant in the program and obviously take the suspension. But right now, I don't want to be a distraction to this team and that's the only thing that it is right now. I know I'm suspended. Nothing I can do about it right now except work hard and like I said, move past it and never let it happen again.

Q. You talk about your NBA future, do you feel like your NBA future is with this franchise?
MITCH McGARY: Right now, I do not know. I don't have those answers for you. Like I would love to stay here. We just had a little conversations. I would love to stay here and play here with new guys coming in, it would be very tough for me to get minutes here. I'd love to stay with this organization. This is hands down like the best organization that had treats for you, cares for you, does everything for you, pretty much hand feeds you. I've known that from guys around the league have said this is the organization to be with, so obviously I don't want to leave.

But if someone is willing to give me an opportunity to play, I just want to play ball, that's it. Enough with the shenanigans. Hey, I missed up in my career in college, and now I'm kind of messing up my career here. But I've always gotten over that adversity and that's what makes me a stronger person, and I think I've grown from this, even though it's only been a few weeks since I've gotten handed the other suspension. I'm not saying it's not in my head because it is and I'm just trying to move past it.

You know, just quickly, and move on and be a better person and just play ball. I haven't played ball in a while, so you guys don't even know what I can do out there. It's a lot of fun, though, when things get going, because I'm a hell of a ballplayer.

Q. Unfortunately you've had a lot of injuries the last couple years that have set you back. We're all human being; did that play a part in some of the relapse that led to the drug suspension?
MITCH McGARY: I don't think so. No, this is my -- it was just my own mistakes. Getting caught up in the wrong crowds. I can't do that -- at my age, being in this business, you have to be professional. And like I said, I made a few mistakes; everybody's human. But right now I'm just trying to move past it and not focus on the past.

Q. What's the process been like for you after the suspension, just on a personal level, what have you gone through with family or friends or whatever else?
MITCH McGARY: It's been very strict. I just have like a very strict schedule. I'm just trying to get back into playing shape right now and just try and play. Everything else doesn't need to be worried about.

I'm just going home, sleeping and waking up, eating right, working out twice a day, going back home, talking to my family, my mother and father, big support system, love them dearly and they are really helping me get through this.

So it's been a lot. It's been very tough mentally. Like people don't know what it's like to go through this. A lot of players have been in the program. They know what it's like. They failed drug tests before. So I've reached out to other players to try and get help, because it's difficult, and you can't go through this on your own. What I've just tried to do is just try and lean on some guys who have been through here, some counselors, talked with our team doctors and really just try and turn a new leaf, man.

I'm really motivated right now, I don't know if you can hear it in my voice, but I feel like sometimes you have to get knocked down in order for you to jump start something, and I don't know what it is -- obviously the suspension, it sucks. But I'm really motivated right now and I just want to play ball. I know the suspension is still there but just trying to move past it and be ready to play.

Q. You mentioned being caught up in the wrong crowds. Have you made any changes to the people around you or the things that you do on a daily basis?
MITCH McGARY: I mean, I'm hanging out with our guys a lot more. Last year and the year before, I didn't really. Just kind of do my own thing. I'm very social, so sometimes it hurts me when I go out and meet people that aren't the best influence on me.

Sometimes you've got to keep people out of your circle and sometimes you've got to add people. You know, lately I've had to not necessarily say kick them out of my entire life, but I just can't be around certain people a majority of times.

Q. Were there any players on the team in particular that reached out to you?
MITCH McGARY: Yeah, I mean, everybody did pretty much. Kevin did before -- well, he's not here any more, but I mean, talked to Kevin quite often. I mean, he reached out to me. Russell did, Victor. Most of the guys on our team, Nick, Nazr, they know I'm better than this. They know this is not like me as a person.

But like I keep saying, like nobody's perfect. Everybody is going to make mistakes. But I just don't want to let this define me as a player. A lot of people talk about Chris Anderson, and how he had a drug problem early on, but they don't talk about that. They talk about Chris Anderson as an NBA champion, and this is what I want to do. I want to turn my life around. I want to turn the page and eventually I want to be an NBA champion, whether it's this year, next year. I just want to play ball, so that's it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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