OKC Thunder media day 2024: What Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & Co. had to say

With the 2024-25 NBA season approaching, the Oklahoma City Thunder held its annual media day on Monday.

Here's what head coach Mark Daigneault and the players said.

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OKC Thunder media day 2024: What players and coaches said

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Dillon Jones

All it takes is one general manager to believe in a player on draft night.

For Dillon Jones, that was Sam Presti.

The OKC general manager traded away five future second-round picks to select Jones with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Jones was an older prospect at 22, and virtually every mock draft had him landing outside of the first round.

But Presti believed. And even though it might take time for Jones to carve out a role in the NBA, that belief is all he needs.

“I might not play this year,” Jones said. “That doesn't mean (Presti) doesn't have confidence in me. It might not be my time yet. You have to be mature enough to understand that. … Somebody in the NBA in the front office role has belief in me as a player whether that's this year, next year or three years from now.

“We might not know. It may never come, but it's the fact that he has that type of belief in me.”

Ajay Mitchell

After getting selected by OKC in the second round (No. 38 overall) of the 2024 NBA Draft, Ajay Mitchell will play on a two-way contract this season.

Mitchell is expected to spend plenty of time with the OKC Blue, and he’ll have to make the most of his opportunities with the Thunder when he gets them.

There are few guarantees for players on two-way contracts, but OKC has a good track record. Mitchell said he has had conversations with Aaron Wiggins, who went from a two-way player to signing a five-year, $47 million contract with the Thunder in July.

“It's great,” Mitchell said. “It's amazing to have (Wiggins) here and just learn from him and what he has been through. It's been great so far, just listening to him and learning from him on the court has been really great.”

Nikola Topic

Nikola Topic will have to wait to make his OKC debut.

After getting selected with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the 6-6 guard underwent season-ending surgery in July to repair a left ACL tear.

This is the longest Topic has ever been sidelined from basketball due to injury. But the rookie said Monday that he has had conversations with Chet Holmgren, who also missed his entire rookie campaign in 2022-23.

Holmgren bounced back last season. The 7-1 forward played in all 92 games, including the playoffs, and he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting.

“I talked to (Holmgren) a lot about that, and he has been really helpful with that,” Topic said. “The main thing he told me was just be patient, and I'm trying to be patient.”

Alex Ducas

When Alex Ducas joined OKC on a two-way contract in July, the rookie guard already knew who he could get advice from.

Ducas reached out to Logan Johnson, a former St. Mary’s teammate who spent last season with the OKC Blue. That eased the transition process for Ducas, a 6-7 sharpshooter who’ll look to carve out a role in the NBA.

“I reached out to (Johnson), and I got a feel for the area and the community and what it's going to be like,” Ducas said. “For the most part it's all a new beginning for me, and I've loved it so far. It's an incredible place, and the community around it supports the team. It's awesome.”

Cason Wallace

Cason Wallace’s defense got tested before his rookie campaign even started last season.

His “Welcome to the NBA” moment came courtesy of his new teammate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who bumped him around with ease during training camp scrimmages.

That experience motivated Wallace to get bigger this offseason, and he went from 193 pounds to 205 pounds as a result. The added weight should help Wallace when he gets matched up with the NBA's best scorers this season.

And if it helps him defend Gilgeous-Alexander this training camp, that'll be a bonus.

“I haven't played (Gilgeous-Alexander) this year, so I don't know what he added to his bag yet,” Wallace said with a smile. “But last season, it was part of the reason why I wanted to add a little weight for this season. … This year, I’m not going for it. That was part of the work that I put in this summer.”

Adam Flagler

OKC will incorporate numerous rookies this season.

No. 12 overall pick Nikola Topic is expected to miss the entire campaign due to a torn ACL, but Ajay Mitchell and Dillon Jones will split time between the Thunder and the Blue.

Neither player has suited up for a regular-season game yet. But, after playing alongside both Mitchell and Jones during NBA Summer League, Adam Flagler shared his thoughts on the rookies.

“Great group of guys,” Flagler said. “Fierce competitors. I feel like they'll be an addition to this organization on and off the court. Excited for training camp to compete with those guys.”

Isaiah Hartenstein

With the addition of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein this offseason, OKC has multiple starting lineup possibilities.

It can go smaller by pairing Caruso with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, but it can also roll out a double-big lineup by pairing Hartenstein with Holmgren. The latter is an intriguing option. Both 7-footers are able to protect the rim, crash the glass and contribute as playmakers.

So, which starting lineup will OKC go with? It doesn’t make much of a difference to Hartenstein, a former second round selection who’s all about team success.

“I’m a guy who’s been in every position,” Hartenstein said. “I trust Mark (Daigneault’s) decision. Just being here and doing whatever the team needs to win. If that's coming off the bench or starting, I'm just here to help the team win. That's the main thing.”

Jalen Williams

Jalen Williams experienced ups and downs throughout his first career playoff run last season.

The 23-year-old forward averaged 18.7 points and 6.8 rebounds on 46.9% shooting from the floor (38.5% from deep). But he wasn’t as efficient during OKC’s Western Conference semifinals series loss to Dallas, and he struggled at times as the team’s second scoring option.

It was all a learning experience for Williams, who reflected on the playoff run this summer and is looking to elevate his game this upcoming season.

“I kind of just used the playoffs as a pretty good, detailed look at stuff that I want to get better at,” Williams said. “When you play the same team five, six times in a row, they kind of scout your tendencies and stuff. I was just trying to use that as a way to gauge what I wanted to do this summer, and hopefully during the year it will look apparent.”

Ousmane Dieng

Ousmane Dieng was the guy for the OKC Blue last season.

The former No. 11 overall pick in 2022 averaged 16.7 points and 7.1 rebounds, and he earned G League Finals MVP honors while leading the team to its first-ever title.

Dieng showcased improvements to his game, but carving out a role in the NBA is still a work in progress. Every minute will be earned this season on a stacked OKC team, and the 6-9 forward is looking forward to the challenge.

“Just play hard and compete on defense and offense,” Dieng said. “I’m just ready to attack every day, every practice. … It’s exciting. It’s a challenge."

Alex Caruso

Alex Caruso says he couldn’t change who he is if he wanted to.

The 30-year-old guard is a do-it-all player who’s all about the team. He makes hustle plays. He defends larger opponents. He scores within the flow of an offense.

That’s what allowed Caruso to go from an undrafted player to an NBA champion with two All-Defensive team selections to his name. And while Caruso hasn’t played in a game yet for OKC, he can already see himself fitting in with his like-minded teammates.

“They're all hungry and really excited to get back and play basketball again this year,” Caruso said. “That’s something for me that I love because that's what I'm about. ... I kind of wear my heart on my sleeve and go for it every night."

Isaiah Joe

Isaiah Joe has a mindset when it comes to his 3-point shooting.

“If they don’t block it, it should go in,” Joe said.

It’s a high standard, but Joe continues to raise the bar with his 3-point shooting. After shooting a career-high 40.9% from deep two seasons ago, the 25-year-old guard shot 41.6% in that department last season.

Joe has established himself as one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA. And while his shooting mechanics and off-ball movement plays a large factor, his confidence is also a key contributor to his success.

“I think to be a really good shooter in this league, a good chunk of it is confidence,” Joe said. “I think it's just being able to carry that confidence and trust the work that you put in because the more you work at something, I feel like the more confident you can be in that."

Jaylin Williams

Jaylin Williams wasn’t known for being a shooter during his college days.

The 6-9 forward shot 25.5% from deep throughout his two seasons at Arkansas, but he added a new wrinkle to his game when he arrived at OKC as a second-round pick (No. 34 overall) in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Williams boasts a career 3-point percentage of 38.5% throughout his two seasons in the league.  That floor spacing ability is a point of pride for the 22-year-old big man, who continued to work on his shooting this past offseason.

"With working on my shot, it's just a lot of reps every day," Williams said. "A lot of reps. First thing I do is work on the small jumpshots and then switch it up to threes, shooting with a quick release or with a guy contesting or from different passes, different areas, different actions and things like that."

Kenrich Williams

OKC isn’t at full strength to start training camp.

The team announced on Sept. 17 that Kenrich Williams underwent a successful arthroscopic debridement procedure in his right knee. The 29-year-old forward will miss the entire preseason as a result.

Williams provided an update on his recovery process Monday.

“It was something I’ve been dealing with,” Williams said of the injury. “It kind of just flared up on me this offseason, so we kind of got it taken care of. ... I’m feeling good. Rehab is going well. I’m just blessed to be where I’m at right now.”

Aaron Wiggins

After getting selected by OKC in the second round (No. 55 overall) of the 2021 NBA Draft, Aaron Wiggins had to fight for his role in the league.

Wiggins had to make a strong first impression in NBA Summer League. He had to show improvement during his time with the OKC Blue, OKC’s G League affiliate. And, when given playing time with the Thunder, he had to make the most of every second on the floor.

Wiggins checked off all of those boxes, and he got rewarded this offseason when he signed a five-year, $47 million contract extension with OKC. It was a well-deserved moment for the 25-year-old guard, who was with his family when he inked the deal.

“It was awesome,” Wiggins said. “That’s just an exciting moment, everything that a lot of guys kind of dream for. ... It was awesome just being able to be with my mom, my dad and my siblings during that time.”

Chet Holmgren

OKC was active around the trade deadline last season.

It acquired Gordon Hayward from Charlotte, giving the team a veteran forward. It also signed a pair of veteran big men in Bismack Biyombo and Mike Muscala.

Still, OKC didn’t find a long-term solution to its lack of rim protection outside of Chet Holmgren. But that changed this offseason when the team signed former New York center Isaiah Hartenstein to a three-year, $87 million deal.

Hartenstein is a hard-nosed rim protector, an aggressive rebounder and a capable playmaker at his position. And even though it’s unclear if he’ll start or come off the bench with OKC, Hartenstein is sure to pair well with Holmgren when the two 7-footers do share the floor.

“(Hartenstein) is a heck of a post defender and rebounder,” Holmgren said. “He's a great rim protector. He was huge for that New York team last year, especially in the playoffs. He's going to be big-time this year. … I feel like whatever decisions are made there, we're going to go out there and execute.”

Lu Dort

Throughout his entire career, Lu Dort has been an elite defender.

The 6-foot-4 guard made the 2019 Pac-12 All-Defensive Team at Arizona State. And, after not getting selected in the 2019 NBA Draft, he carved out a role with OKC as a hard-nosed ball stopper.

That won’t change this season. Dort will be a key contributor for an OKC team that’s poised to compete for its first championship in franchise history, but he’ll have even more help on the defensive side of the ball.

In addition to playing alongside returners such as Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace, Dort will join forces with two newly-acquired Thunder players. OKC added Alex Caruso, who has made two NBA All-Defensive teams, and Isaiah Hartenstein.

OKC is loaded with elite defenders. And while it might take time for new pieces to mesh, Dort sees the team’s potential on that side of the ball.

“We have a lot of good on-ball defenders,” Dort said. “That comes from communicating, and those kind of things come with practice. We get in the gym together and work on that to be able to do it in the games. All that comes from trust and communicating. I'm excited to go out there with those guys.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hit superstar status last season.

The 26-year-old guard finished second in MVP voting. He earned his second straight All-NBA first team and All-Star selection. He appeared in national commercials and signed a multi-year contract extension with Converse.

But, when asked on Monday what his personal goals are for the upcoming season, Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t mention awards or brand deals.

“I want to have a certain amount of reps I want to get each day before practice and after practice,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I want to make sure we’re bonding and spending time together. … Little things like that are on my mind right now.”

That selfless mindset is what allowed Gilgeous-Alexander to become the undisputed leader of an OKC team that earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference last season.

OKC is no longer the up-and-coming team. It’ll have a target on its back for the first time in years. But Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will still approach the upcoming season the same way it usually does.

"Our biggest focus has been always day-to-day and trying to be better every day," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "I think us not changing that mentality and keeping that the same is in our best interest."

Mark Daigneault

The Thunder arrived last season.

After posting a losing record for three straight seasons, OKC went 57-25. It became the youngest No. 1 seed in NBA history for either conference, and it reached the Western Conference semifinals.

Outside expectations have changed as a result. OKC has the second-best odds to win the NBA Finals, according to BetMGM Sportsbook . And with the offseason additions of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein, the team seemingly has everything it needs to compete for its first title in franchise history.

But Daigneault isn’t thinking about the postseason or changing roles on the revamped roster. For now, the reigning NBA Coach of the Year is just thinking about training camp.

"The goalposts don't move based on anything other than our internal standards, our internal environment," Daigneault said. "I just think the ball hasn't bounced yet. I think for me to come up here and talk about specific roles would be completely undermining the integrity of the training camp.

"This time of year, it’s really about the re-establishment of our identity, which is to compete on both ends of the floor.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder media day 2024: What Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & Co. had to say