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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER MEDIA CONFERENCEApril 26, 2017Doug McDermottOklahoma City, Oklahoma Q. Do you have something you typically do or is there something you want to focus on this summer? DOUG McDERMOTT: Yeah, I guess the last few off-seasons were in Chicago, and the first two were Summer League type situations, and then last summer I practiced with their Summer League team and stuck around. I plan on doing that this summer, too, with here, just being a guy that got traded late in the season, trying to -- still didn't quite feel settled in with everything, just the living situation, and just getting to know everyone. I didn't know anyone's name for like the first two weeks except for my teammates. But just getting settled in and being able to work with the coaching staff here and the strength staff. We've got a great facility here, and it's a great city, too, so I plan on bouncing around a little bit, having some fun, but also coming here ready to work. Q. What specifically are you trying to work on basketball-wise over the summers? Is it the same routine to try to work on everything or do you concentrate on particular parts of your game? DOUG McDERMOTT: I try and add something each summer because I don't want to stay the same player. I feel like I can still get a lot better. I feel like I can get stronger, definitely better laterally, in the weight room, on the court, and just really improve my body, and being able to do some more stuffy think off the dribble and not just being a spot-up shooter, also being able to work on my postgame, because I feel like I can post-up in certain situations out there. So really work on a lot of different areas and try and improve in a lot of different areas. I know that sounds pretty generic, but that's just something I'll stick to. Q. You said before that you liked how the Western Conference maybe fits your style. Given a little bit more time, how do you think your game can grow next year? DOUG McDERMOTT: I think it can grow a lot. I think the Western Conference there's a lot of -- the pace is a little different than the East. Teams get up and down a little more, and I feel like that really suits my game being a shooter who can run the floor. Playing with a guy like Russ who likes to push it, as well, I think it can only improve my game. It's a small sample size out there, just not been able to play as many games, obviously getting traded so late. So now that I got my feet wet a little in the Western Conference, I feel like I can really have a good year next year and really help this team. Q. You defended Anderson quite a bit in this series when you were out there. Moving forward, do you envision maybe getting chances to defend stretch 4s and maybe being able to slide down one spot? DOUG McDERMOTT: I think so. You know, I think I can play a little 3 and 4. I think I showed in that series that I can play against 4s. The way the league is trending, it's getting smaller with a lot of small ball and guys that can really spread the floor regardless of their position. I feel like I'm just a basketball player. I don't really feel like there's a specific position whenever I'm out there, whether it be moving without the ball, whether it be doing as much as I can to spread the floor and make it easier on my teammates. Q. You mentioned playing with a guy like Russ; we sort of see what that looks like from afar, but for you, you were on a team. What were your perceptions of him before you got here, and now that you've played with him, what would you say about how that perception may be different? DOUG McDERMOTT: I thought he was crazy, honestly, the first few times. I still think he is crazy. But I think my first memory of him was we were in Chicago and I think it was right after -- he had to wear the facemask for some reason and we thought there was no way he was playing because it was like back-to-back three guys, and we thought, he'll probably rest, and he just came out and had a triple-double like it was nothing. Ever since then I really respected him, just the way he plays and how hard he plays and how he brings his teammates to a different level out there. He's really very enjoyable to play with and obviously just a great guy in the locker room, too. I've learned he's a really good dude off the floor, real humble, and makes our jobs a lot easier when our best player shows that towards his teammates, and we all appreciate that. Q. In the Playoffs -- throughout the season, too, you sort of searched for a particular style of play, especially in the second unit. In terms of the ball movement, drive-and-dish style, what do you think you all can do at a higher level next year maybe with a summer and training camp to really work on it? DOUG McDERMOTT: Yeah, I think you hit it spot on. I think we need to get a little more movement out there, and part of that is just because we added some new pieces so late in the season, and it's hard to put in new stuff for everyone to kind of get used to that late. I think we have the personnel where we can do a lot more movement. We have a lot of shooters out there that can spread the floor. We just need to do some more stuff to make the defense work a little more because I know I'm just more than a spot-up shooter. I know I can move without the ball, and I think that just puts more pressure on them, and it can open up more things for everyone out there. I'm excited after talking with Coach Donovan. He's excited for the summer just to kind of be around us more and be able to apply some new stuff out there and really get together, watch film, and just improve. It's going to be an exciting summer. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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