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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER MEDIA CONFERENCEApril 26, 2017Semaj ChristonOklahoma City, Oklahoma Q. You were asked to play a lot of different roles this year as far as being called up, back, point guard, however many minutes. How did you manage to stay ready and focused throughout the season? SEMAJ CHRISTON: I don't know, I just always wanted to be out there competing, so I knew or I figured if my number was going to get called, just try to motivate myself to just be ready to play and do my job for the team. Q. Did Russ at all help you navigate things in this first year? SEMAJ CHRISTON: Yeah, he talked to me a lot, especially in the beginning, just because of my emotions. If I get frustrated, I can't really let the guys see it, or just playing my role and doing what I need to do to stay on the court. He still talks to me about just doing my job, just doing what I need to do to stay out there. Q. Besides just being a point guard, a fellow point guard, seemed like Russ kind of really was interested or invested in your journey, your story, just kind of the underdog path that you've had. What's it been like kind of having him in your corner? SEMAJ CHRISTON: It's been good. It's been good. Just like I say, he's teaching me a lot, on and off the court, just how to do things the right way. I can call him about anything, talk to him about anything. Just like a big brother like. Q. You came into this year not even necessarily knowing if you were going to be on the team or not. In that sense, does playing on the team and not just being a bench guy, being a backup point guard, did that feel like an accomplishment to you? SEMAJ CHRISTON: Oh, definitely. Definitely, when you do something you always dreamed of, just playing in the NBA. I've still got a lot more to do. I've got to get better, so I'm going to try to do that. Q. Do you have a game plan for the summer? SEMAJ CHRISTON: Work hard. Q. Going into the summer, what do you feel you need to work on, making that transition to the second year? I know you said Russ has been in your ear, and obviously he's had that kind of a year, but for you playing behind Russ, what do you feel now that you have that knowledge and that experience, what do you feel you need to do coming back next year? SEMAJ CHRISTON: Improving my game, shooting the ball. When I'm open, shoot it. They don't always have to be threes and mid-range. Just shooting shots that I can make with confidence, and on the defensive end just staying aggressive, knowing what players like to do, knowing what they don't like to do. Just stay locked in and competing at a really high level. Q. How did you think you performed with that second unit because there were times they went to Norris Cole until the Playoffs, they also went to you, and they also went to Victor in the last game. Do you feel like you did a capable job in the second unit? SEMAJ CHRISTON: Yeah, definitely. I feel like we all did, not just Norris or Vic. When we was ready to play, we played well. Q. Did you ever hit a point in the season where you said -- you're a great story, first of all, how you got to the league, from the D-League, from overseas. Did you hit a point in the season where you thought, I can play this game, I understand what's required, or was it all just a learning experience the entire year? SEMAJ CHRISTON: I always felt I could play, but it was a big learning experience, too. Just the game, the physicality, everything about the game was a learning experience. But I always felt like I could play. Q. Do you have a favorite game or memory, maybe not even your favorite game but just something that happened this season that was just the best? SEMAJ CHRISTON: I hit the shot for Russ, and we won. Q. Was there anything that happened this season that -- you had never played in the NBA before. Was there any occurrence, anything you learned that you just kind of didn't expect, that was kind of a major surprise for you? SEMAJ CHRISTON: No, not really. I can't think of one. Not really. Q. Nothing with the schedule, the travel or anything like that that was -- SEMAJ CHRISTON: No. Q. -- eye opening? SEMAJ CHRISTON: No. Q. If someone surprised you with a brand new car, would you be excited? SEMAJ CHRISTON: Yeah, I would. Q. I talked to you a couple times during the season, and you told me how hard you trained and how sore your body was. Is that something you feel that coming into next year, trying to be better prepared for it, or it's just the workload, it's just what it is? SEMAJ CHRISTON: I think I'll be better prepared. Just taking care of my body even more, just doing the little stuffy know I should be doing. Q. She was kidding with you about not getting overly excited, but is that an important quality as a point guard, to kind of be even keel that way? SEMAJ CHRISTON: I mean, I get excited sometimes. I feel like I do get excited, just not like everybody else. Q. Where is the majority of your off-season going to be spent? Are you going to stay here in Oklahoma City training? SEMAJ CHRISTON: Yeah, I'll be here for most of the off-season, back home seeing my family, but mostly here working. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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