Media Availability | OKC Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies | Salt Lake City Summer League | July 5, 2025

Media Availability | OKC Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies | Salt Lake City Summer League | July 5, 2025

coach, the good and the bad from what you saw today.
Uh yeah, I thought I mean it’s our first game, right? It’s going to our first game under our belts. I thought the guys did a great job of working through camp, right? We had a break camp and I thought they did a really good job of just competing as a team, competing together, all the things that we talked about and that showed up in the game today. I thought we fought uh in the second half. I didn’t think we laid down, which I thought was really positive coming out of that. I think we’ll be better as a result.
First chance for Thunder fans to see Dormheiser first. He his fingerprints were all over the floor, stabbing produce falls, getting rebounds, just what you see from react.
Yeah, his physicality is really impressive and I think how he operates inside the team is also one of the most impressive things to me about it. He’s constantly talking to guys. He just got here and he’s already uh being comfortable in the system and he’s talking to guys constantly. I think he’s just a great competitor and you saw that today. AJ Mitchell of course has NBA playing time and I think it showed out to today his speed and his skill and his knowhow to get to the basket really showed and looked like he hasn’t skipped a beat since you know couple months ago or a couple weeks ago.
Yeah, AJ’s a really dynamic player. Um if you put him in space, right, he’s really good. He’s really fast with the ball. He’s also shares the ball really well and he did a great job. He’s stepping into a leadership role and I thought he did a really good job of handling that. Um taking more of his shoulders there and I think that’s just another growth opportunity for him. So we’re looking for all of our guys is just for them to grow in whatever positions that they’re in.
That was my next question. AJ is he a good example of you know being the leader now and here to you know kind of follow my lead guys.
Uh yeah I mean I mean it’s everybody and I think we have a saying just like the leader is the person doing the right thing. So we have a lot of different guys leading in different ways. Um AJ did his part today did his part. Everybody did their part I thought in leading the team and to follow into that. I thought we saw a little bit of what Chopich can do with the basketball, you know, in his hands and without his hands. Just what do you see for him overall with this first game back officially?
Yeah, I mean really excited for him um just that for him to be back on the floor obviously being a part of his process in terms of him getting back on the court. He’s put in a ton of work. He’s a really young player. Really excited um for him to kind of build his baseline as a player. And I thought today he did a really good job of just coming out and letting the game kind of tell him what to do. um and he’ll be better as a result of it and moving forward we just have him grow through his strength as well.
Anyone else or a couple guys that really stood out to you like okay that that was good. I thought we got good production from a lot of different guys. We had a lot of different guys play and I thought everybody that comes in contributes. Um that’s just kind of how our team is. It’s not just one guy. It’s not two guys, right? It’s all of us and we’re all competing together uh for the 40 minutes.
Was there a minimal restriction on Topic at all or just kind of let him let him go and see what happens? Oh, I know. AJ, it looked like you did less paint from a couple weeks ago when the final scene was just like smooth as could be. Oh, yeah. Just just trying to stay a rhythm. Uh, I think there’s a lot of things we can do better as a team. I can do better, too. Uh, so just got to build on that and get ready for the next one. Do you look forward to like maybe being a possible leader for this summer week 10? You know, guys looking up to you? Uh, for sure. I mean, I think that’s what I got to do. uh my second summer league. So, all of you guys just getting used to summer league and helping any way I can.
Your mid-range game, your floaters were on point today. Is that something you’re working on this summer? What What do you hope to work on to get better at this summer?
Uh I mean, I think a little bit of everything. Uh just get my whole offense getting better. I think biggest thing is going to be defense. Uh just getting better on defense. Uh and that’s that’s really my focus. So, I’m I’m going to keep working on that.
It was the first chance for Thunderfan to see Topic. you know what what what what’s he like as a player on and off the court?
Uh he’s he’s a great dude, man. He’s funny. Uh he’s he was quiet at first, but now he’s just funny. Uh but no, great dude. Great player and I’m really excited for him. Uh you know, it’s been a year he hasn’t played like good game and for him to come back in summer league and and play and play the way he did, I’m I’m really excited for him.
What skill set does he have that can help this team out?
Uh I mean, he’s he’s an all-around point guard. Uh he sees the fur ring. He can he can drive it, shoot it, he can do a little bit of everything. So, it’s gonna be exciting to see him and see him develop.
Looking at the stats, you’re a rebound machine. How do you think you played in your first ever NBA summer night game?
I think I played um pretty well. I think um you know, it was definitely a learning experience for sure. Um and you know, I’m excited to build on it. Uh but I definitely think that I competed. Uh maybe I just got to be a little smarter, a little uh knowing when to be aggressive on defense, know when not to be. Um, and just, you know, do what I’m told on offense and, you know, just try to take some, you know, more pressure off AJ and and Tae. So, you know, I definitely think I play well.

0:00 Coach Daniel Dixon
2:44 Ajay Mitchell
4:11 Brooks Barnhizer

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