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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 30, 2019

Steven Adams

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Q. How did training camp feel different than in past seasons for you?
STEVEN ADAMS: Oh, I mean, a bit of a loaded question, mate. Yeah, obviously we've got different players and whatnot. The feel itself, no, the one thing this organization does really well is you keep consistent with the values. Doesn't really matter who the players are, you've just got to uphold -- I've got to say, we still represent Oklahoma, the people here. It isn't like this player leaves -- no, we still have a duty to the people that we have to fulfill, if that makes sense.

Q. I just wanted to ask you, what was it like for you to hear that Russell got traded? Since you spent your entire career with him, what was it like for you?
STEVEN ADAMS: I mean, it's obviously tough. You get -- no matter who the player is, whoever I ever played with on the Thunder organization, like I've always had somewhat of a relationship, so it's always hard to get -- that's just f---ing hard about the game that we play. You get traded. But that just comes with it. But in terms of personal relationships, like it just affects that a little bit, you know. Still going to be there, but you're thinking argh, I don't get to see them as often, you know. So obviously it's a bit tough, mate, but you know. You deal with it. Still above ground.

Q. On a lighter note, is this the year we're going to see you step out and start shooting some threes?
STEVEN ADAMS: I don't know, mate. We've got to -- you know, still focus, keep focus on what the game plan is. If that's the thing, then yeah. I'm not going to just come out and be like, maybe now is the time to jack up a couple threes. It's got to be calculated. You know, this ain't like rec center basketball. Just still take it very seriously, not trying to just be like, time to experience stuff. The whole thing -- we're still competitors, so we're still going to try and win the games, obviously, come out, play hard, work hard.

Q. As a spokesperson for beef, what are your thoughts on Chris Paul's plant-based diet?
STEVEN ADAMS: That's a controversial -- that's a good one. I mean, I'm sticking by meat, mate. I'm a huge fan of meat, either way. Quite impressive, though, the science behind it. It's pretty impressive, I'll say that. But I don't know, might be a little locker room debate. We'll see, mate, we'll see.

Q. Just your thoughts on having Chris Paul as a teammate? Just your impressions of him over the years and then being able to play with him now?
STEVEN ADAMS: My impression over the years, he's just like a little court general. Seems like he knows how to control pace really, really well, which is a huge deal, especially when you're playing out there. Very, very big deal. Yeah. Just take that for now, mate. Obviously there's a long list of things at the end of the day, but yeah, it'll be good to see kind of what he does here, you know.

Q. Nerlens mentioned that your offense is going to be shifting, and obviously it has to with new personnel. Have you gotten a sense of how different your offense is going to be and in what ways you're going to tweak it?
STEVEN ADAMS: Well, it's the NBA itself is shifting anyway. I mean, you get the whole everyone stretching 3s and stuff like that. Obviously that's the face value sort of thing, you know. But how the game is evolving itself, there's going to be less pick-and-rolls, there's more handle situations. You understand the difference, yeah. So there's more handles rather than pick-and-rolls in today's game, which it's just different, and it's a lot more difficult. So a lot more teams are running that. I can't give you our -- what we're -- we haven't started training camp yet. We've practiced some stuff, but it's kind of across the board. So in terms of our offense, it will be probably maybe along with that trend, you know. Yeah. Words.

Q. You're the veteran on the team now as far as being with the organization a while. We've got a bunch of new faces. What are some things you're excited about passing down to that next generation and continuing the culture that we've built here?
STEVEN ADAMS: What am I excited about passing on?

Q. Yeah.
STEVEN ADAMS: It's always good just to meet new people, mate, listen to their stories, where they come from. Amazing back stories, these players, some of the stuff they go through and how they came about. There's not many people that make it to the NBA, so there's some pretty good stories, mate. It will be good to just learn about that.

In terms of what I pass on, whatever sticks sticks, you know. There might be a bit of a cultural difference or whatever, but hey, if they walk away with something from me, even if it's just like, oh, he says "mate," it's good enough for me.

Q. Piggy-backing off that, when you think back to your rookie year in 2014, you had Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant in the locker room. Anything in particular you've taken from that year when you were learning amongst All-Star vets that you have kind of taken from that year as your career has gone along that you'll probably pass along to Justin Patton, Shay Gilgeous-Alexander, just to show them the way basically to make it in the NBA?
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah, I mean, the formula is pretty -- the formula is pretty simple, obviously, you've just got to work hard, be consistent. There's all those sorts of things. But yeah, it's the consistent thing that's difficult. Like you can come across -- someone could tell you, oh, there's a secret sauce. You can't get around it, mate. You've got to be very consistent and very -- it ain't just like coming in and just getting up mindless shots, if that makes sense. You have to be really focusing in on what you're trying to get better. That's the biggest difference. I actually learned that from Nick Collison, actually. You know, just the attention to detail is what you're going to -- and then obviously your talent comes in, your body comp, all that sort of yada-yada. If you can be consistent with how much focused training you do, obviously put yourself in best position to be successful. I could be wrong, but just taking a stab at it.

Q. With Russell leading this team for as long as he has, who leads this team now? Is it you and Andre who have been there the longest, or is it a guy like Chris Paul who you say is a floor general?
STEVEN ADAMS: What do you mean by leading?

Q. You could tell me. What makes a leader of an NBA team, whether it's something that Russell did or something that you see from other guys or even yourself? Who would be the leaders, and what would make the leaders of this team now?
STEVEN ADAMS: Well, it depends on -- I think we might be thinking of the same thing. So when I say leader, obviously you have a team, and obviously their skill sets vary, right. So if you have a leader, it depends on who it is. You have someone that leads from the back, you have someone that leads from the front. It doesn't really matter. The main thing is that everyone is on the same page, more so than just, oh, this guy, he's the one, he's the spokesperson, and Russ has been that guy, which is good. Like he's ran it perfectly. When you say, oh, this person does -- who's going to lead it exactly, you don't really choose, know what I mean? I ain't going to come in and start trying to be like Russ, if that makes sense, because that's no not who I am. I think it would just be an injustice to people because I'm just trying to fake it, if that makes sense. I'm more of a quiet guy, make sure -- I'll talk to you, make sure you get just a bit outside of the circle. Does that make sense? So that could be seen as being a leader in itself. But regardless, the main thing is that everyone is on the same page. If you can accomplish that through everyone being a leader in their own way, then cool, because we expect the rookies -- so the people that have been here for two years, we expect them to be somewhat of a leader in that sense, right, to the rookies as well as the veterans and so forth. That's why I asked you what do you mean and so forth. There's a long list, mate, long list. Did that make sense?

Q. (Indiscernible).
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah, I guess it's just normal workplace, as well. There's workplace stuff. There's a hierarchy organizationally, but in itself, if you're trying to accomplish something, you don't really look at that. It's more just coming together, same page, thought. Body language helps.

Q. Wondering if you happen to hear any rumors in the off-season about your name and trades. Did you catch any of that?
STEVEN ADAMS: What was that, sorry, mate?

Q. Did you happen to catch any rumors, like we heard about your name being attached to trade rumors. Do you just deflect that stuff?
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah, I mean, look, it ain't this thing where you just read about it, like oh, that's unfortunate, and then you're just surprised that it happened to you. If it's happening to someone else, then obviously there's a chance that it might happen to you. It's common sense, mate. But yeah, it still affects you in some way. You know, because you're human, and you care. If you care about something -- obviously I care about the organization here. But again, we're here because we're trying to support the organization itself, and the organization needs to do well, right. So you have to keep that in mind. You're just here to help. And if you can place your brick, whatever you want to call it, your little stuff on the history that it's about to create, then that's a privilege, you know. That's just cool. So even if they did trade me, it's obviously just a huge honor. And I know with every player that's laid here, it's been a huge honor to contribute to the history that Oklahoma is making because I think it is a very special organization, small market that's doing really well for itself, you know. I mean, that's huge in itself.

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