Media Availability | OKC Thunder vs Indiana Pacers | Las Vegas Summer League | July 12, 2025

Media Availability | OKC Thunder vs Indiana Pacers | Las Vegas Summer League | July 12, 2025

What did you feel like got you got your offense going? Yeah, I think it was a slow start. It was not getting them rebounds, defensive rebounds, loose balls. We weren’t getting those sort of things. And we tried to course correct a little bit, little bat that was playing harder with a little more intensity and it kind of some shots started to fall after that. What the energy from Brooks do for you guys tonight? I think Brooks is good with that. There’s a lot of guys on our team too in that mold who play hard, play hard every possession and he he helps a lot because he did a good job defending today and that adds a lot of versatility to the team. You guys have now played five games here. You could tell on the court that you guys found a rhythm and you could tell that this was their fifth game playing together. Yeah, I think there’s there’s some good cohesion to it. The guys are playing well together. They’re starting to kind of learn a little bit about how each other play and what kind of advantages we can take based on that. And I think that’s a good thing to know that our guys, we have smart players who are starting to learn based off what who else is on the court and what we’re trying to do. What uh what have you liked from Chris Young Bloodood summer league? Yeah, I think he’s helped us. I think he’s a good shooter. I think he’s um someone who’s come in and played hard and kind of played the right way and moved the ball when he’s needed to. And it’s been good to see him kind of grow through these first couple games. What’s the line for a guy like AJ? Like how long does he play for you guys here in Vegas? Yeah, I think there’s a plan that the organization has for how long these guys AJ Top, the Thunder players, and we just kind of stick to that. In terms of how many more, I’m not quite sure. Orman, what has impressed you about the way he’s provided that spark off the bench? Yeah, he’s been First off, I think he’s a great kid to coach. He’s one that we’ve really enjoyed getting to work with. He’s got a lot of um he’s got a lot of ability in the way that he can handle a ball in the paint. I thought he did a good job with that today. and it’s it’s a good thing to have coming off the bench, especially in summer league where sometimes just not high-scoring games, you need guys that can help score and he did a good job with that. What do you hope to accomplish in these next two days that are off? We’ve um our kind of whole mantra through this whole thing has been trying to just use every day to get a little bit better and that whether that’s a game, whether that’s practice and now it’s a chance for these guys to recover, watch a lot of film. We’ve been really on them. All these guys are watching individual film, watching team film and then some chance to kind of take it’s been a it’s a long stretch, you know. even for these guys who are kind of used to it. So, I think it’s a good opportunity to get away a little bit, but then to really study and hopefully we can get a little bit better. Five games in. How do you feel about the guys? How do you feel about guys picking up the offense and defensive schemes uh as opposed to the start of summer league in Utah? Yeah, I think we made progress. I think we’re fortunate that it’s a high IQ group who does pick up things quickly and I think we’ve tried to choose the right things that kind of can will help them long term in their career and then can put them in positions to succeed here. and we gota I think just kind of keep working with them and see where we can go. You guys had four starters scored double digits. The fifth one was Tobage with 10 assists. Just is that kind of what you’ve been preaching that team basketball everybody chipping in? Yeah, I think organizationally that’s how the Thunder want to play that we want to take the best shot for the team no matter who that is and no matter where what else is going on and so we try to play fast, try to create a lot of action where there’s multiple u screens being set every possession and finding the best shot no matter who that is. I think the balance scoring kind of maybe attests to that. talk about’s processing. It seems like he’s just working at lightning speed out there. Yeah, I think he Tobi does a a good job when he’s getting in the paint making decisions based on what’s going on. I think that it’s just it’s good to see the growth he continues to show. You know, he had a really good year working on a lot of things and now he gets a chance to go out play competitively and it’s enjoyable for us as coaches to watch the progress he continues to make. when seemed like you got the offense going for you guys midway late in that first quarter. Did you feel like you needed to kind of get things going for everybody or was that just taking what the defense gave you? Yeah, I don’t remember. Uh yeah, as I said uh two days ago, I just play uh and take what defense gives me and that that was the case today. Uh I didn’t score a lot, but I I don’t really matter about that. The defense gave me assists, so I took advantage of that. What have you noticed about the basketball here in Vegas and in summer league in general compared to the ball you’ve played before? I would say it’s more way more physical. Of course, the 10 fouls, 10 personal fouls and 10 fouls to the bonus makes makes a huge difference. Uh I would say just just those two those two things. Where have you gotten better since game one in Utah? What have you seen a kid like? I think like uh just confidence wise uh I feel more confident uh going to a game uh sleeping before the game. Uh just everything about that I feel way more confident. Seems like you really understand the angles of basketball, whether that’s getting under a guy’s shoulder when you’re driving or when you’re driving and finding a teammate. What all goes into you understanding those specific angles and trying to get the best look for for you or somebody else? Uh I would say uh I watched a lot of film with my dad growing up. So he was an player. So uh we always used to watch my games and stuff like that. And I was always around the good teammates and very smart players. So I kind of uh learn from anybody anybody a little bit. How’s it feel just getting to play five on five, you know, these last five games like actually getting back out there? Like how how do you feel? It it feels good. Feels amazing. Uh I mean bodywise it feels great. uh mentally wise also feels even better. So I’m in good shape. Play first year. You get any tips on uh how to navigate the second year of your career? Yeah. Yeah, for sure. He just told me to be patient and that my chance will come and that I have to to take it. Playing next to Chris Young Bloodood. Uh we talked about you playing next to AJ, but how does playing next to Chris help you also with opening things up for you in those driving lanes? Yeah, I mean he’s a he’s a really great shooter. So people cannot help help as much of him and that makes our job easier because there’s more space on the floor. So it it really helps to have that kind of shooter in your team. When did you learn to become a great passer? Cuz some of your passes are incredible. The guys sometimes aren’t even ready for them because they didn’t expect them. Yeah, I don’t know. Uh some I’ve I guess I’m just born with it. But as I said before, I just uh learned a lot uh growing up, played always against olders uh with having my dad by my side and then older uh group playmakers uh having by my side to be my like mentors, let’s say. So I would say all that. with that. How when did you get over the the fear of making a quote unquote bad pass and you seem like you’re just out there, like you said, throwing it and guys don’t even realize that the ball is in their hands yet. But it seems like you have to get over that fear of this could be a bad pass that could be a turnover. Yeah, I agree. I also hate it when I when I turn over, but it’s it’s all part of the game. I mean, everybody makes mistakes, so I guess you just have to live with it. Live with it and stick with your decisions. It was really slow for you guys, but you seem to help get get things going with your energy. Was that something that you felt like the team needed? Yeah, for sure. I feel like uh for me that’s just, you know, something that’s really kind of got to be a calling card for me is just knowing how to play, getting people involved, created action and things like that. So, you know, I feel like if I play hard and just, you know, do right by the game, then good things will happen. So, that’s what I was trying to do. playing with Topic, how quickly did you realize that you could like get some easy buckets where just cutting or or just moving while he’s driving also? Yeah, a lot. I mean, I think that he does a great job of, you know, really kind of breaking the defense down and, you know, making really good reads and, you know, I was actually watching film today and we were talking about it like on the burn cuts and things like that when, you know, you got to shooter in the corner, I can really, you know, steal some layups and and some dunks like that. So, playing with toes been a joy. So, it’s going to be really fun to keep building that relationship, you know, into September. You mentioned those steals. You have 13 of them in Vegas so far through two games. Just how much of I guess how early did you really make that a part of your game where you wanted to emphasize that and have that be a big strength? Yeah. You know, like uh I feel like for me like they’ll come if I just play hard and um you know, I’m not hunting them and uh it was funny uh in in college I had a coach named Chris Lowry and he used to tell me like if you’re doing what you’re supposed to do, you stand where you are, you know, they’ll throw them to you sometimes. So, I just really try to play hard and, you know, play the defense that the coaches are telling me to play. And, you know, if I can compete, you know, sometimes I look up and I’ll have, you know, a crazy amount. But, you know, I’m really not out there trying to get them, but it’s cool to look at. But, yeah, I’m just really trying to play the best defense I could play. Did you ever come to Vegas Summer League growing up or like did you have like conceptions about this place growing up? Yeah, you know, I always watch it. I never came. Um, but you know, I’ve always watched it on TV and it was always like, you know, like the fun time in the offseason when you can see, you know, the NBA basketball, uh, and really get you ready for, you know, like when training camp starts, everything like that. But yeah, it’s it’s really a dream come true to play in it. You know, it’s all got to give all the glory to God in that aspect cuz, you know, I’m here now. So, I’m just trying to make the most of it. How would you rate Top’s passing because when you’re out there with him, you got to be on high alert. Oh, yeah. Absolutely. I mean, I would give it like a 10 if it was, you know, numbers and then an A+ if it was, you know, like a grade scale. So, you really have to be like you said, like you have to really be on alert cuz sometimes it’ll be a great pass just not even paying attention. Um, so, you know, we’ve had some of those, I think, where like he’s hit somebody on the dime, but they just weren’t ready. Uh, so, you know, we don’t want to have him get turnovers, you know, cuz we’re not ready. So, we just always got to be on high alert. So, it’s been amazing to play with. Where do you think that’s come from? Seems like you haven’t really missed the step or faltered at all. Yeah, I mean, I think it’s just it just comes from reps, you know. I feel like I really work on the game and uh just, you know, kind of trust your work. You know, I play basketball. Uh, you know, I’ve always grown up, you know, playing basketball. And I’ve always worked at it. So, uh, you know, if you I I like kind of like to think reps eliminate fear. So, I just got to go out there and like law averages. If you have a good game, you know, a good one or if you have a good one, you know, a bad one’s probably coming at some point. And how are you going to, you know, kind of stay, you know, levelheaded through it all. And then, you know, just try to stack, you know, positive games. Like even if I’m not making shots or anything, like positively affecting defense, you know, moving on offense, getting other people shots if I’m not hitting, stuff like that. So, just trying to be a positive basketball player at the in the end of the day. and favorite amongst Thunder fans. Have you seen any of this any of that and how do you embrace it? Yeah, you know, I’ve seen like it’s it’s funny because like I mean my family’s I mean we’re so grateful to be here and especially my brother. So I sent me like a lot of funny tweets. Not like tweets that you know I shouldn’t be looking at but like some funny ones be like man I’ll run through a brick wall for that guy already and we’ve had him for like a week and a half. So like that stuff’s really cool to see and I’m blessed to be here. So you know I just want to keep you know trying to be that player that you know they love to see and you know they see competing every day. So that’s what I’m trying to do. seemed like you were really getting to your spots early on. Just how much was that an emphasis in terms of trying to get that momentum going? Yeah, for sure. You know, I feel like I’m not really, you know, the most athletic dude and uh, you know, I’m really not on the rim as much as, you know, a lot of guys at this level. So, I just got to get to my spots and, you know, where I’m comfortable and just try to, you know, be, we talk about a lot, but just playing efficient uh, and just, you know, all the shots that I’m taking, even if I’m not hitting them, just make sure they’re good shots and, you know, in the flow of the game with being aggressive, but also just being smart. So, that’s all I was trying to do.

Hear from Coach Connor Johnson, Nikola Topić, Brooks Barnhizer following the Thunder’s 104-85 win over the Indiana Pacers in the second game of the 2025 Las Vegas Summer League.

0:00 Coach Connor Johnson
3:28 Nikola Topić
6:58 Brooks Barnhizer

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