Alex Kennedy (HoopsHype) interviews Jerami Grant about this upcoming season: “I’ve definitely had my ups and downs when it comes to my shooting. I’ve shot the ball well one year, then [my percentage] may go down a little bit the next year. Then it may go up again and then down again the following year. One thing I’ve learned from experience is that you have to get game reps in during the summer. This summer, I’ve been trying to get as many game reps in as possible, shooting the ball quickly and trying to get a lot of pick-up in to simulate real-time game speed. There’s a big difference between shooting in workouts and shooting in games, which is why I’m trying to get games reps this summer.”
Nick Gallo (OKCThunder.com) on Jerami Grant, the finisher: “To be fair, some of Grant’s growth is just natural, and has come with physical maturation and added experience. He was just 22 years old when he joined the Thunder on November 1, 2016. Heading into his third year, he’s a 24-year-old with 6,621 minutes of regular season playing time in 303 professional games. Confident in his role and his abilities, Grant has earned the trust and formed bonds with team leaders like Russell Westbrook and Steven Adams, along with Paul George, who also re-signed with the Thunder this offseason.”
Tim Bontemps (Washington Post) on the necessary formation of superteams to defeat other super teams: “No team has won [a title] where one single guy was the lone star and it was their team. It’s not that era. I’m not sure how the veterans, the legends, don’t understand that part,” said George, who stayed with Westbrook by re-signing with the Thunder this summer. “It’s a different game now. For those guys to chime in and say we’re not built the same . . . I never understood that, because who would we be fooling if we went out alone and tried to go up against the Warriors?”
Ruth Smith and Tamati Tiananga (Maori TV) on Steven Adams leading the next generation of New Zealand ball players: “I wanted to really help these kids out off the court, as much as on the court and show them that there’s a pathway if you want to get a scholarship and earn a degree. This could be a pathway and we will help you every step of the way,” he says.”
Paolo Songco (Clutch Points) on Patrick Patterson getting got on Twitter: “Unfortunately for Patterson, he took the bait. @NateBreezee got his wish, and took full advantage of the exact moment he was waiting for. His response was downright hilarious and deserving of some sort of troll recognition award.”
Now That's Thunder Basketball 