OKC Thunder beat writer for @TheOklahoman_. Ball isn’t life, but there are parallels.
Oklahoma City, OK
Joined August 2013
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"It's always going to be love."
Lu Dort still wears Oklahoma City on his sleeve, just not his jersey, after being traded to Atlanta.
On a motivational message from Sam Presti, epitomizing Thunder basketball and more:
oklahoman.com/story/sports/n…
Cason Wallace signs a long-term deal with a fair annual average value of $27.8 million.
OKC retains a key player after making multiple cost-cutting moves this offseason.
And neither party has to worry about this being a storyline throughout the season until restricted free agency next summer. Win win.
The OKC Thunder agreed to a five-year, $139 million rookie-scale contract extension with Cason Wallace on Sunday.
oklahoman.com/story/sports/n…
Cason Wallace has agreed to a five-year, $139 million contract to stay with OKC
Just in: Oklahoma City Thunder All-Defensive guard Cason Wallace has agreed to a five-year, $139 million rookie-scale contract extension, agents Jeff Schwartz, Max Lipsett and Marcus Monk of Excel Sports Management tell ESPN.
"I don't take that journey for granted."
Aaron Wiggins is on to his next chapter with Atlanta, but he'll never forget his first one with OKC.
On buying into togetherness, a championship speech that still rings true and one last message to the city:
oklahoman.com/story/sports/n…
Mark Daigneault on Billy Donovan, who joined San Antonio in July as the lead assistant coach:
“He’ll embrace it. There’s a reason he’s doing it. He loves to coach. He loves basketball. He loves competing. He loves being around it. I don’t know how many people, if I’m being honest, are humble enough to go in the Hall of Fame in September and then take an assistant coaching job in (July). But he’s one of them. He’s a unique, original guy. That’s just the latest example of it.”
Mark Daigneault on how much of a new team OKC feels like this season:
“I think every year is a combination of continuity and things that are consistent and then things that evolve. And one of the things that evolves, especially when you have guys who are prime age players, is the guys. That’s always the exciting part of the year. I don’t think you ever want to start the season fully formed. You want to go into the year getting ready to learn about the team and let the team declare itself. We always try to have the discipline to do that, and we’ll do that again this year.”
Jared McCain on the source of his unwavering confidence:
“Early on, I played up with my brother. I played up my whole life. And if I’m playing up with them, the only shots I’m gonna get are if I’m taking the shots and being confident. Or like going to 24 Hour Fitness or the YMCA and being on the side of the court, you’ve got to step on, even if you’re the youngest person out there. So I think that’s where it came from. And then my parents and my brother have been huge, just telling me, ‘This is what you do. You work too hard to not go out there and be confident.’ I’ve always taken that to heart. I’m gonna trust my work, and I say that a lot. I’m not gonna let anything, an opinion, waver my confidence.”
Asked Kenrich Williams about this play:
“That’s just part of the game. It’s being there for your teammate and letting the competition take over. That’s pretty much it.”
Chet Holmgren didn’t play up to his standard in last year’s Western Conference Finals. I asked Kenrich Williams what he has seen from him since then:
“He just looks good, man. Physically and mentally, he looks good. The thing about Chet is he loves adversity, and he’s always been a hard worker. Ever since I met him, he’s always been about basketball. None of that has changed. He put the work in this summer. I’m excited to see his growth and what he’s able to help us out with this year because it’s going to be something new this year as well. He’s a big part of who we are as a team and a big part of us winning, to be honest with you. I’m looking forward to playing with Chet and getting back out there with him.”
Mark Daigneault on the availability of Chet Holmgren, who did not play this preseason due to a quad contusion:
“Everybody did something in practice today to varying degrees based on individual situations. But in terms of availability for any player, I’ll leave that to the injury report. We’ll report at 5 p.m. on the day before the first game.”
OKC Thunder rookie Aday Mara appears ready to play this NBA season despite contradictory claims from his former Spanish club.
Here's why, based on what I've heard from OKC, Basket Zaragoza and FIBA:
oklahoman.com/story/sports/n…
