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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER MEDIA CONFERENCEApril 26, 2017Norris ColeOklahoma City, Oklahoma Q. Going from where you were playing earlier this year in China to making that transition back to the NBA, just talk about that. NORRIS COLE: It wasn't difficult playing basketball. Basketball is what I do for a living. But the situation coming into a new team, being acquainted with a new team, learning all the personnel and the terminology, that was kind of tough. But it's part of it. I don't like to make excuses for it, but you know, tough situation, but I think the coaching staff, the team and I handled it in a professional manner. Q. What does it require to fill that backup point guard role behind Russell Westbrook? NORRIS COLE: Well, any backup point guard, their job is to be solid. But for this team, it wasn't really required to do too, too much because Russ -- he plays a lot of minutes, and he's very productive in all aspects of the game, handles the ball, scores the ball, rebounds the ball. You just have to be solid and be organized. I think that's -- for this year for this team, I think that's what it took during the time that I was here. Q. From the standpoint of like Russell does so much, as you said, do you have to have a different mindset when you're coming in as a backup to Russ as opposed to someone that would be a different type of player? NORRIS COLE: Well, to me, my approach is always the same. You know, no one can be Russ. To think that someone is going to come in and do what he does is not to think realistically. No one is him. So I try to bring my particular gifts to the team, and that's all I can do. Talk to the coach and the coach has a game plan. He has personnel packages. You go out there and you try to execute that. That's all I try to do. That's work for me. You can't go out there and try to do what he does. One, it's impossible. Two, it won't fit. So you have to play to who you are and your skill set. Q. You've seen a lot of playoff basketball; what do you think the Thunder was missing in this playoff run that they could have done better? NORRIS COLE: I mean, it's always hindsight is 20/20. You can always say we needed this, we needed that, but I think we competed well. We competed at a high level. We had each other's backs, and I think that's what's more important. At the end of the day, only one team is going to hold up the trophy, so everybody is going to say what they could have done and what they should have done, but I think what's more important is how we competed together and we always had each other's backs, and I think that says a lot about our guys. Q. You've played for a few different teams in the last couple of years. When you're a free agent this summer, what are your priorities, what you're looking for in teams, organizations? NORRIS COLE: Well, right now I'm going to go enjoy my family. I've been in China. I've been all over the world, so I'm going to go home and I'm going to enjoy my family. I really haven't thought much about it. When the time comes, my agent, me and him will talk, but right now I'm going to go home. I'm going to enjoy my mother and my sister and my father and my grandmothers, my cousins. I'm going to go home, and I'm going to enjoy them, and I'll worry about that when the time comes. Q. Are there aspects of being a pro player that people don't realize, like when you're in China and then you play here for a few months, could you talk about the aspects of people -- they just watch you on TV and they think you're in Oklahoma City and doing whatever, but I'm sure there are some difficulties out there. NORRIS COLE: It's just like any other job. It's never what it seems from the outside. We have things that we go through as players that people don't see. But when it comes to doing your job, that's what I focus on being professional, coming to do my job, and now that the season is over, things that I normally am not able to do, that's what I'll do, the personal side of the game. During the season, we have obligations. This is what we signed up for, and that's what the people may not see, those obligations that are not just on the court that we have as players. But now that the season is over, I'll look back and reflect, see some things that I can work on personally, that our team can work on, but also handle the personal things in life that you don't necessarily get to handle all the time during the season. So that's what I'm looking forward to right now. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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