Jalen Williams | 2023-24 End-of-Season Interview | OKC Thunder

Jalen Williams | 2023-24 End-of-Season Interview | OKC Thunder

jayen just the experience that you guys went through as a group with the connectedness of this team uh what do you think this will mean for you guys moving forward knowing that you’re just kind of at the at the doorstep of what you’re building um in the moment it kind of sucks you know um you know we kind of we everybody probably feels like you know we let a lot you know we left a lot on the table um and I think that’s a really good thing you know my first year we didn’t like we had like a really average year and kind of got bounced out before even kind of getting into the playoffs so to have the year that we had now and be disappointed is also like a really good thing you know doing what we did so um something we’re going to build on and brought us really closer together um you know you can’t you can’t get better with these experiences without having them so uh it’s definitely a good thing that we were able to kind of go through this together as a group especially being young and I think it’ll serve us really well down the down the stretch J just what do do playoffs feel like compared to your expectations Corner um probably about the same uh it was physical was really competitive it’s definitely like a there’s definitely a change from the regular season to the playoffs um like I said yeah it’s way more physical um you know guys are playing like it could be their last game so everybody’s kind of just ready to kind of give it their all um so it’s really fun playing in that environment and you know it kind of opens up what you need to do in the offseason to kind of be prepared for it next time you’re in it and last night Mark was just saying that he wants the feeling after the game that that pay to be an investment toward the the future I just wonder because we didn’t talk to you last night how you would describe that feeling after the game and just is there part of you that wants to preserve that for for the future um I mean it didn’t feel good um there’s no other team that I would rather have that feeling with for sure just CU I know it was a bunch of motivated guys in the locker room with me um but yeah it’s a it’s a feeling that I’m going to carry throughout the summer and carry throughout you know probably rest of my career um you know that being the first time that I’m in the playoffs um but yeah I just use a chip on my shoulder and kind of press through that way but it’s something that’s going to motivate the rest of the guys myself um like I said it’s a good thing that we kind of have that feeling early something that we can always remember and you know try and be better for just mentioned there’s no other team that you rather go that through Shay mention now there’s no no other team he rather experienced that loss with Mark that he wanted to continue to just be around you guys and what makes this group so special man uh we’re really connected and that’s it’s probably a boring answer but like we have a really close-knit group of guys that you can’t really it’s hard to really kind of replicate that or find um and it happened organically you know a lot of it’s through just being drafted together or you know being signed together so it’s just one of those things where organically it happened and you know we kind of got lucky that we like each other and then I think it kind of it grew into something more I think last year really helped us get close when you when you struggle together it kind of brings out everybody’s like true colors and everybody’s true colors kind of matched up well and you know we were able to kind of get closer as a team and I think that was kind of the result that we got this year with this team nobody has really gone out of their way to put their needs first like you could have easily been like I want to establish myself and the NBA Shaker I want to be an MVP this year just all happen naturally what all went into that like what all went to you just continue to stay within the team and not focusing on yourself uh I think for me personally it’s I want to see everybody else on the team do well too um like I said we have a lot of good dudes on the team that you can’t help but root for and hope for the best so from my perspective it’s just being able to give myself up for them and hopefully that gets reciprocated and I think it did you know everybody had a really good year through the ups and downs of the Season regardless I think we all kind of stuck together and I think when everybody wants to see everybody else do well um it allows us to be comfortable and kind of play to our strengths and be the best version of ourself and we were able to do that this year but um yeah I have no problem giving giving myself up for those guys and trying to do the right thing on the court on and off the court and I think that’s kind of what transpired how’s that show up in a guy like Josh sorry ever since he’s been here and he has to go to the bench and other guys come in something he had to deal with how’s that show up in that whole situation uh it’s really impressive there’s a lot of guys in the NBA that that could have made a really big deal about that and uh I think ruined the ruin the camarate of the team but um he did a really good job of buying into that and just being ready when his number was called um a lot of guys have had to do that all year uh and you know we’ve let it be known to him that you know that that’s um that’s really selfless and you know we really appreciate him for that you know being willing to do that like you said when you come into the NBA and have the success he has and then you know obviously we get in big moment and you know we kind of move our lineup around um I think to be able to take himself out of that equation and kind of look what’s best for the team uh I think was um really commendable you know like I said just kind of being ready when your numbers called I think you did a good job of that and being willing to do that um is something that everybody it makes everybody else willing to want to do it too Josh mentioned how being around you guys was like how he had a lot of ups and downs this year just being around you guys talk about how much he loves you could you sense him needing that to get over those Downs uh for sure um like you said you know he had a lot of ups and downs this year um probably a lot of guys can’t really play through that and be productive the way he was and you know I don’t want to see it was us but I think understanding when somebody kind of needs you there you know we’re around each other how many months out of the year maybe like six seven months out of the year so it’s and it’s like every day so I think if we can make his life a little easier when he comes to play basketball uh you know it’s something we were willing to do and and tried to do um like I said a lot of it’s organic too it’s just you know us us being us and you know we’re not going out of our way to do anything but I think when basketball is right there with guys you like playing with I think it’s really fun and you know I’m happy to hear that um you know we made his life a little easier just with you being online I imagine you saw throughout the playoffs maybe some some criticism here and there just about your online presence throughout the playoffs just what do you make what do you say to those people uh doesn’t bother me at all um I got to play in the playoffs um be a be a key piece on the youngest team in history to be a one seed and and win a playoff series so um and compete in the last one to go to Six obviously you know have a chance to play in the Western Conference Finals uh experience like that will make me better um criticism I I could care less about uh it doesn’t really bother me um I’m going to go back to a very good life right after we’re done with this this interview so it doesn’t bother me at all personally did you feel a need to maybe navigate that balance between you know wanting to be online you know being in that universe but also like being here being present uh yeah I think in the playoffs it’s probably just heightened because there’s not as many teams playing so now the focus is a little changed so uh I got off of it a little bit uh I wasn’t on Twitter as much but I was still there I still saw some of the stuff but um like I said it doesn’t really hold any value it’s you know behind the keyboard there’s also a lot of love you know on social media too uh I think In the Heat of it you know you want to be consumed so much with people that are possibly praying on your downfall or hating but at the same time you know I got a lot of um like true authentic like love and appreciation for what we’ve been doing all year so you kind of just got to take it with a grain of salt but um I try and just use it as motivation and and go from there but um I think all year nothing really changed you know I try and navigate my way through social media and try and use it as a positive kind of force do you think the parking will carry over into next year and do you hope it does and do you like how this place has completely kind of taken to you having that kind of like fun out there on the court you hope it sticks um yeah I hope it continues I think it’s cool um you know I I’ve been on record saying I’ve been barked at at Target or or Starbucks uh we could we could probably chill on that a little bit but um I think it’s I think it’s a really cool thing you know it’s like our like team thing you know um kind of going back to the social media thing like people were hating on that too but I think it’s just a really fun like thing that we didn’t even try to do it just you know kind of ended up happening you know somebody’s mom was barking during the game so it’s like one of those things that’s really cool uh um so yeah I hope it happens I think it’s kind of like our identity um and it’s been cool I think a lot of our identity hasn’t been forced either uh a lot of it’s just like you know us being goofy and then it kind of ends up being something pretty cool so um I enjoy it uh I I hope it continues I’ll keep doing like little t-shirts of the pregame thing you know nothing’s nothing in that department is going to change um First Team all League fits congratulations thank you um sh got MVP I don’t know how you feel about that I personally like parody and he’s won like two or three now but either way I think Lou got like third team or mention yeah um what’s your your opinion on him getting snub first team my opinion um I think he is a first team snub um I don’t want to say anything that’s going to get me out of Graces of being the first team but um I mean fashion is subjective I will say that um and League fits will like I’m cool with them too so uh you know it’s just one of those things it’s like really like preference preference based so um I would say just wear whatever you want you know like I said fashion sub jective so everybody’s going to have a different opinion on what it is you know Shay Shay got MVP I think he should have gotten the actual MVP so I think it was good that he got he got the leak fits one but um yeah you know it I think it’s like a cool thing it’s fun def did on top of that how does um like you being first team this year how does that in your opinion parlay into you know Paris fashion week and you getting more opportunities like in the fashion space how much are you looking forward to that um it should be fun um Paris sounds exhausting right now uh it’s it definitely opens up different doors you know uh when the basketball stops bouncing whatever that is you know it’s cool to have like other outlets and stuff like that so um I haven’t given like the fashion week and all that stuff too much thought yet um but it’s something that opens a lot of doors something that I like to do outside of basketball uh especially when I got in the NBA I kind of found it more as Outlet um you know I kind of find myself in my closet just kind of like trying different stuff on and and doing that just kind of like a a release something else besides basketball so it’s been good for me um hopefully somebody pays for my flight to go out there um but yeah I think it’s like a it’s a good thing I think it kind of adds to something I’d like to do when basketball’s done and we all kind of know how fashion is kind of integrating from basketball and how those worlds are colliding so DB you mentioned after the series that you sort of know what you need to work on how do you sort of decipher like those things cuz there’s only so many hours in the day and so many basketball skills like how do you sort of figure out like what’s number one of the agenda you need to add [Music] um I forgot who I heard this from when I was in like eighth grade but it was just like every summer you try and pick something one thing no matter what it is and get really good at that and then try and hone in the rest of the skills that you have so like this playoffs I’m not gonna disclose what I got to do but um this playoffs I’m GNA pick one thing that I was like okay this is what this is what was more difficult for me to do and I’m going to really kind of hone in on that all summer and then you know as the summer progresses I’m going to get really good at that one thing and hone in the rest of the skills that I already have you know I had a really good I had a really good year so just trying to add to that and keep those same skills and just get really Elite at one of my weaknesses that I think uh that I think I wouldn’t even say weakness one of the things that I’m not as good at and and kind of get really good at that and then add to it have you decided on that or is there like an evaluation period yeah I already know what was that for you last summer coming into this year mhm um understanding my spots so last year was I watched a ton of film uh I think if you kind of watched last year too I didn’t really even a big part of my game was kind of like bumping and getting to like that little elbow pullup I did not have that last summer or well coming into this year that wasn’t something I really did but it was somewhere that I was ending up on the floor a lot and just kind of like within our offense that was somewhere where I was kind of getting stuck and picking the ball up and not really knowing what to do so that was something I added to my game and uh I still only shot like one free throw a game but being able to to draw fouls a little bit this year and play through contact I thought I was able to kind of add that a lot to my game I thought I finished really well this year so um I was able to kind of add those two things and then now that’s something that this summer will be on the back end of keeping it sharp and then getting better at something from this past year what all goes into find your favorite spots on the floor trial and error uh the more you play the more you as a basketball player you know what you’re comfortable with and what you’re uncomfortable with uh and then the goal at the end of the day is to blend the two so people can’t really see it so a lot of it is just looking at film and remembering how it felt to shoot certain shots and uh it’s kind of hard to explain uh it’s like one of those things with sports it’s like you’re going to really be the only person that like actually knows how you feel in those situations so just trying to watch all my shots and shots I didn’t shoot and then just trying to remember what made me comfortable shooting this one and what made me uncomfortable shooting that one kenrich in an endearing way said you’re a different type of guy what do you think he means by that how do he say it um was he smiling yeah okay um I don’t know hopefully it was maybe basketball related um I don’t even know I maybe I’ll have a better answer if I watch the video hopefully it was it was something good though but um we have a we have a good relationship um you know I ask him questions just about like being in the NBA uh being a pro um he was big in the series too that was who I was talking to a lot as well uh probably him and Shay just about uh navigating the playoffs and uh when I was struggling a little bit like that was somebody that was kind of talking me up and keeping me engaged in the game and did that so um salute to him for sure but um he was he was harping on just you know continuing to play the right way uh being aggressive and uh you know not losing my my defensive prow that I kind of have being a two-way trying to be an elite two-way player so he was big on that this whole playoff run and the whole season a lot about player growth um but where have you seen Mark grow in your two years as a coach uh uh obviously it it’s probably a little harder for you guys to know just because you guys aren’t in the the war room but scheme wise I think he’s been really good you know that comes from understanding the the the Personnel that he has on the floor uh uh he’s been throwing in so many different lineups and you know giving us all different looks with each other that it really kind of helped us later in the season to be able to play in some stretches where like Lou for example’s in foul trouble now queso has to come in like that wasn’t something new that we had in so I thought he did a really good job of preparing us uh beginning of the year uh so I would definitely say like scheme wise he’s been really good just kind of understanding us as players and you know that just comes with time you know obviously the more you coach players know the more you know about them and he’s been he’s been really good with us this year and last year last one y the other day uh you meted up and said that the sh is the worst with the love and then uh you you were successful throwing the three LS yesterday but he also did pretty good love what did you think of that I was very shocked and it was and it was a big time love but actually he is a great pastor it was very out of context it was we throw a lob every day like every before every game during our like warm-ups and he’s never thrown a good one so that that was where that came from but he is a good passer I think he averages like seven assists or something so he can pass the ball but but last one but yeah now mention L just in that moment before the next play obviously alter the game like what did that play feel like just the magnitude of it all as it Happ a big play thought we were going to win uh I think for him to even pass the ball in that situation where he had 36 at the time um be somebody in his position you know he can’t even get mad if he shot it so for him to kind of trust us and you know obviously Chad who got the dunk to to throw it and make the play uh was big just kind of shows our team you know we have a lot of trust in each other to to hit shots and and do that whole thing uh he got squeezed at the top of the key with like a minute and 10 seconds left and he threw it to Jay W and he threw it to me and I got a three on the right wing um I think just him willing to be able to get off the ball and do that and make plays uh I think we got a rebound uh and he kicked it to Lou in the by our bench Lou got a three uh he didn’t even make it and then he threw it to him again threw it to him two times in a row I think that kind of just speaks to you know the trust he has in all of us to make plays and he’s willing to live with the result making the right play what you surprised about Chess of it just the difficulty grabbing it with one hand I didn’t think he was going to grab it with one hand I would not have done that so uh shout out chat for being s feet uh but yeah that was if you ask him he’ll probably say it was pretty easy you know I’m not a footer so I don’t really know what to say but I definitely would not have grabbed that one hand so thanks cool bye guys

Jalen Williams speaks with media at end-of-season interviews.

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