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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 24, 2018

Alex Abrines

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Q. I just wanted to know, this off-season, this past off-season -- obviously last season was disappointing for the whole team for a host of reasons. Did you come into the summer with the goal for your specific game that you thought this summer, this is something that I need to improve, this is something that I want to refine for next season?
ALEX ABRINES: Yeah, I think the team didn't end the way it was planned, but for me especially, like I think I'd say, I showed myself that I could be a great defender, so I think that's one of my focuses for this year. Just being more consistent and just keep growing as a good defender, also, not forgetting that I am also a threat from a three-point offensive standpoint.

Q. Pretty good after season for the Thunder, keeping Paul, adding some of the guys. When you're off doing your own thing in the summer, how much do you follow what's going on with the roster and the additions, the subtractions, all those kinds of things, and your overall assessment of what Sam Presti ended up doing?
ALEX ABRINES: I mean, I try to read everything. It's my team. It's my job. When I come here, I need to know like who are going to be my teammates, if we change a lot like of medical stuff, too, a couple coaches. I need to be ready. As you said, I've been in Spain doing my thing, but I'm not forgetting that I'm a Thunder player, and it's my job and part of my job.

Q. Alex, if you've had an opportunity to work with Dennis, what have you thought about his game, and what impressions have you taken from the way that Dennis plays, because I imagine that you two will be playing together a lot in the second unit.
ALEX ABRINES: He's a great player. I think he's the partner that we need. He can score in so many ways. He's so crafty. He can do our second unit much better by pushing the ball and just keeping moving the ball like we did most part of last year. And special for me, I'm sure I'll just be wide open. Same as Russ, that opens a lot of space so he can drive, and then he can either finish or just pass the ball to the three-point line.

Q. Last year you had a lot of open shots and they just didn't fall for you in some instances. Do you think about that, and is there anything that you can do to fix that if you just miss open shots?
ALEX ABRINES: I just try and go day after day. We know as shooters we have some better days than others, and of course like when I'm mad because I didn't score shots, the next day I'll take care and shoot a little bit more after practice. But you know how it goes, like sometimes there's that thing that you can't score and you can do nothing about it. Just get ready for the next game and try to do it better.

Q. How did you feel about Spain's performance in the World Cup? And also Real Madrid winning champions league?
ALEX ABRINES: I'm not talking about soccer, right? I'm trying to forget that. Obviously I'm a Barca fan, so congrats to all -- I've got friends that play for Madrid, so congrats to all of them. But yeah, as a Barca fan, I'm quite mad. We won the Spanish League and the King's Cup, but as long as Madrid wins the championship, it's not good enough. Hopefully this year we win.

And the soccer, yeah, it's pretty bad, too. Yeah, we've been struggling the last couple years. I thought we'd have a good generation with two Euro Cups and one World Cup over the last decade, and I think just we're changing a lot, adding a lot of young players, so I think we will need time to get back there.

Q. We all still think of you as a pretty young player and pretty new player to the Thunder, but you're actually the fourth ranking Thunder in terms of longevity with the team. Are you starting to feel like a veteran and a team leader and those kinds of things, and will that change your role in the locker room or the practice court or any of those places?
ALEX ABRINES: Yeah, I thought about that actually a couple days ago. It's crazy because it looks like I arrived yesterday here, but it's my third year, and as you said, I'm the fourth guy who's been the most time in the Thunder. I think I can help the guys, especially the new ones, to let them know like how we work here, what are the standards for the Thunder organization, and of course like help the team as much as I can, obviously. I think I'm getting better each year, and this year is another step forward.

Q. You got married over the summer; how was that experience, and is that why you had to shave your beard?
ALEX ABRINES: No, no, no. Yes, it was a great experience, probably the best one so far in my life. Everything went great, in my hometown, all of my friends were there. I was happy, really happy. And the beard is not because of that, it was just because I needed a change, and for the pictures and everything, but don't worry, I'll let it grow for the beginning of the season.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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