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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER MEDIA CONFERENCE

April 28, 2018

Steven Adams

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Q. Melo talked about a lot of challenges for him. How challenging was this season for you with the way things kind of came together late, putting all the pieces together and it not turning out the way you guys would have wanted it to turn out?
STEVEN ADAMS: There are challenges. I mean, it's challenging every year. You face different problems every year with any team, you know? Even if you've been with the team, you're just familiar, you know, with the team, I guess, but you still have different problems that need to be fixed. Does that make sense? So I can't point out any specific ones. But I know that we didn't go back. We always progressed throughout the year. That's always a good sign.

Me personally. You guys might have a different opinion, but I think we progressed every single time throughout the whole year.

Q. You take a look at this group and the possibilities for next season, what would you say are maybe the biggest strides that you all are capable of taking that would make an impact in the game?
STEVEN ADAMS: I think it just comes down to our chemistry. Obviously, if you play long enough with a player, you understand their tendencies and whatnot. All those small different things. Especially on the defensive end. I noticed when it got close to the end of the year, I know we talked a lot about communication and stuff. Sometimes you just know. You know you have those weird positions. It's not ideal. You'd much rather communicate, but still you're disconnected with the play, and you know where he's going to go sort of thing.

So, yeah, their connection as a team, yeah, that's ideal. You can definitely take that on through next year. I don't know if that answered your question.

Q. Yeah, that's great.
STEVEN ADAMS: All right, sure.

Q. When is the last time you got a haircut?
STEVEN ADAMS: It's been a really long time, honestly. It's growth, it's growth. It might have been December. December, which is pretty long time.

Q. How much do you think it would go for on ebay?
STEVEN ADAMS: Oh, I don't know. People sell their hair on ebay? That's crazy.

Q. Maybe.
STEVEN ADAMS: Yuck.

Q. Steven, is the day coming when you're going to shoot three-pointers in games?
STEVEN ADAMS: I don't know.

Q. So is it something you're working toward? We see you shoot them a lot. Is it something you'd think about adding?
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah, but the thing is it's got to be -- I'm only going to shoot it if it's good enough for the team to win. Does that make sense? You could have all the -- it's good if you're very versatile and stuff.

But it comes down to the schedule of the game that's going to ultimately lead to a win. I'm not going to just jack up a shot just because I feel like it. It has to be, you know, approved by coaches, whatnot, and gone through the mix. Does that make sense?

Q. Uh-huh. Are you working to get to the point where you think that would be a thing that you could do, where you'd be comfortable enough?
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah, I mean, I work on everything every summer. I'm comfortable shooting it. I mean, the tough part is just making them, you know (laughing). That's the only part, so, yeah. But I'll shoot them. I'll shoot the hell out of them. I don't care. Say the word.

Q. They don't look tough for you in practice?
STEVEN ADAMS: I know. I'll shoot them. Just say the word.

Q. Sort of like meeting the fast break?
STEVEN ADAMS: Exactly.

Q. So what are the major components you'll be working on this summer as far as your game and improvement and what you want -- where you want to see yourself grow for next season?
STEVEN ADAMS: I don't know. I feel like every player does the same thing, really, with I guess a bit more focus on some of the aspects of the game. But it all comes out to the same. I always go and work from ball handling, shooting, and stuff like that. All the other stuff where you go one-on-one, all the fancy moves and whatnot, I think that all comes into play with the coach.

Does that make sense? So he'll put you in a position where you can actually go and do that stuff. So, yeah. I just work on everything just because.

Q. Say hypothetically you get to a point where you're comfortable and you feel it's beneficial for the team to take threes in a game?
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah.

Q. Is that ever something you'll (Indiscernible) or do you think it will just be around the rim guy or shooting them from the arc?
STEVEN ADAMS: Maybe, maybe. It's hard to say. When you say me, it's not me. I ain't going to just make a decision to shoot a three. It has to be run through, you know, everyone first, and say that this is a good shot or whatever.

But, yeah. The value of it will still be there, if it does get to that point. The value of just shooting it, there is still value. You have to make a certain amount of them, obviously, but it's just figuring out what their percentage is for teams to actually say I'll get up on that person, and then that way you can then go into different actions that put them in a different bind. Does that make sense?

Q. Yeah. I have a feeling you're going to downplay this, but I'm going to ask you anyway. You had an historic offensive rebounding season. Can you at all be proud of that or appreciate what you did on that front?
STEVEN ADAMS: Can I appreciate it?

Q. Can you genuinely (Indiscernible) five offensive rebounds a game this year.
STEVEN ADAMS: That's good. Feels good.

Q. Lot of people say Russell's tough to play with. What do you think of that narrative?
STEVEN ADAMS: Oh, I mean, I don't know. I think it's a weird thing to say. It really depends on what you mean by tough.

Q. Like difficult. Like it's difficult to play with him. It's difficult to be successful with him. Lot of people say that.
STEVEN ADAMS: No, because we've been having success. Ever since he's been with the Thunder organization we've been having success. Obviously, everyone has their own sort of -- they draw the line at different -- where teams would be, expectations. Everyone has different expectations on what their team should do and all that stuff.

As a player, playing with him, it's not difficult at all. It really isn't. He just has very high standards, and you have to meet them. That's what ultimately makes you successful as a team.

Q. What do you think about the way Russ was able to just adapt, once again, from last year, completely different team to now this year with adding Paul George?
STEVEN ADAMS: I don't think it was that hard. You're asking his ability to adapt?

Q. Yeah, just your viewpoint of how he's been able to adapt and move forward with different team, different dynamics that you guys have had?
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah, I mean, it is good. You can give him credit for it. It's expected of him. I don't think it's any surprise to anyone, is it? I wouldn't think so.

It's something that you do as a professional athlete. You got to this point by making a bunch of different adaptions anyway for whoever you played for. So it would be weird if you can't. That would be more weird. Does that make sense? Good. I got it. English is hard.

Q. What is the travel itinerary for this summer?
STEVEN ADAMS: I don't know, mate. Obviously, I don't have any plans. So, yeah, just got to figure them out. Couple days or so, or few days just figuring out what's going on. Definitely probably Pop into Japan though, and get a good old Bowl of ramen. That's always nice, yeah.

Q. Billy really credited the summer that you had last summer as being a huge step forward for you. I was curious whether there was anything maybe that you felt was a breakthrough for you last summer or anything you did to really help elevate your game?
STEVEN ADAMS: Nothing different from any other summer, yeah.

Q. Year older, year wiser?
STEVEN ADAMS: Let's go with that. Let's go with that, mate.

Q. With off-season workouts, do you stress agility at all? It seems like as you've played more with Russell you've become more of an agile player.
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah, yeah.

Q. This might seem like a weird question --
STEVEN ADAMS: Shocking. Oh, really? Wow (laughing).

Q. What is an exit interview like? Not with us, but with Sam, with Billy, what's that like?
STEVEN ADAMS: Well, I don't know. Just a normal sit-down chat. Just a big debrief, really. Just go on about what happened throughout the year, what we thought was successful. What can we work on, stuff like that. Normal kind of meeting stuff, I guess.

Q. We make a whole big thing about the recruitment of Paul George and Paul's upcoming free agency. Is that a thing? Do you feel like you guys are recruiting him or do you just treat him like another teammate and hope it works out for the best?
STEVEN ADAMS: I don't know. I personally wouldn't say recruiting, just because I've heard recruiting -- it ain't like college recruiting, I guess. That's how I view recruiting.

I treat him as a teammate, because he's been around this whole year. So we treat him as a teammate and stuff like that so whatever the latter was that you said, yeah, I guess that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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