Josh Giddey | Exit Interview
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00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:04 >> I have questions.
00:06 >> Josh, your first year in the NBA, what's it like looking back on it now?
00:10 >> A lot of fun, I mean, this is every kid's dream.
00:13 Every young player wants to be in the NBA.
00:16 So once you're here, the longer you get into it,
00:18 the more you kind of come around to it that you're living your dream.
00:22 But it was everything I expected.
00:24 It was busy, a lot of travel, a lot of late nights, hotels.
00:28 The 82 game schedule, I think we managed well.
00:32 I mean, me personally, I've never played anything close to that many games.
00:35 But I think me, the medical team did a great job of kind of managing my body
00:39 throughout it and again through the season.
00:42 >> And you were part of a team that had a lot of fun, a lot of comebacks,
00:47 which a lot of resilience, competitiveness.
00:48 Just what was it like being part of this group this year?
00:51 >> Yeah, really fun team.
00:52 I mean, obviously a really young group.
00:56 Didn't probably win as many games we would have wanted to.
00:58 But whether we won, lost or whatever the result was,
01:01 the environment was always a fun, positive one to be involved in.
01:05 And I think that's the most important thing is with such a young group,
01:08 you can't get too high on wins and too low on losses.
01:10 You kind of stay in that middle ground.
01:11 I think our group did a great job of that.
01:13 >> How is your hip feeling and do you perceive that to be something that you're
01:18 gonna be dealing with long term or is it something you just had to get over for
01:22 this season?
01:24 >> No, it feels good.
01:24 It was just a little hiccup.
01:26 But the medical team, we did a great job of kind of navigating through that.
01:30 And obviously I wanted to come back this season, but
01:32 when it was time to ramp up, there just wasn't that much left in the season.
01:35 So we made a choice to just shut it down from where it was.
01:38 But they did a great job with me, feeling healthy.
01:41 So ready to ramp it back up this offseason and have a good summer.
01:44 >> How tough was it for you setting up for
01:46 much of the last two months and just having to watch from the sidelines?
01:49 >> Yeah, it obviously sucks because no one wants to be injured.
01:52 You wanna be out there playing, helping your teammates win games.
01:54 But staying healthy at this point in my career is the most important thing and
01:59 we made the right decision.
02:00 But yeah, as I said, would have loved to been out there with the guys.
02:03 It always sucks when you have to sit on the sideline and not be suited up.
02:08 >> Anything surprising about the season that you didn't expect?
02:11 >> Not really, I mean, nothing surprised me too much.
02:17 Most of the stuff I expected happened, I guess.
02:19 I think the one thing that maybe surprised me a little bit was how much or
02:23 how little NBA teams train.
02:24 I think compared to last season where we're training five times a week,
02:27 scrimmaging every day, stuff like that.
02:29 Whereas now it's like maybe one hard session a week.
02:32 And I think it's just because of the 82 game season, the travel,
02:36 stuff like that.
02:36 But that was the one thing that surprised me a little bit.
02:39 >> And then when you're looking back at this season for you just as a rookie,
02:44 did you expect to get to the points where you did in your rookie career that a lot
02:48 of people might not have projected you to be at at this point?
02:52 >> Yeah, I mean, coming in, I wasn't really sure what to expect,
02:56 what my role on the team was gonna be, how much I was gonna play.
02:59 Whether it was the G League, off the bench, starting.
03:01 And I mean, as I got into the season, I got more comfortable within my role and
03:05 started to figure it out a bit more.
03:06 So I think each week, each game throughout the season,
03:10 I progressively picked up new things, got better, got more confident.
03:13 So the individual milestones never really crossed my mind throughout the year.
03:17 They just occurred naturally.
03:19 And I think I never really expected to be playing as much or
03:22 having the impact that I was.
03:24 But I guess this is what my role on the team was.
03:27 So it was what I was asked to do.
03:29 And whatever the coaches and stuff want me to need me to do,
03:32 that's what I'll do for the team.
03:33 >> I mean, it seemed like you fit in from the start pretty well with the group.
03:37 And throughout the season,
03:38 we've seen you guys interacting with each other and having fun.
03:41 Just your thoughts on how close you guys are as a group and
03:45 the chemistry you have off the court.
03:47 >> Yeah, real close group.
03:48 I mean, being all young guys helps as well.
03:52 It's a really tight knit group.
03:53 I think the off season is a big part of that.
03:57 Obviously, I wasn't here for last off season, but especially this one,
04:00 we spoke about it just having little team stuff so we can all kind of stay connected.
04:03 Obviously, having a lot of international guys, guys will go their separate ways.
04:07 But staying connected through the summer is gonna be important for us next year.
04:11 So we can hit the ground running, come training camp.
04:14 >> And then in this off season,
04:15 what are you particularly focusing on in your game specifically?
04:18 >> I think shooting is a big one for me.
04:21 That's gonna be, I think, a swing factor for me next season.
04:24 So I'm gonna put a heavy emphasis on that.
04:26 The weight room as well is gonna be a strong point for me.
04:30 So those two areas, I'm gonna put a lot of time and invest a lot of time into that.
04:35 >> Spend a lot of time thinking about all rookie, rookie of the year,
04:39 that kind of stuff.
04:40 >> Do I spend a lot of time?
04:41 >> Thinking about it, yeah.
04:42 >> No, not really.
04:43 I mean, as I said, if it happens, it happens.
04:45 But at the end of the day, I'm not worried.
04:48 I'm worried about getting better each and every day, making this team better.
04:52 So winning more games is more important to me than all the rookie teams or
04:55 rookie of the year and stuff like that.
04:58 >> Did you talk to the other rookies of the team during the season,
05:01 just how their experiences were going?
05:03 I guess I'm kind of curious, but it will seem like it's a really good class of
05:07 rookies around the league, if you're one of them, just to hear back from you guys.
05:12 >> Yeah, it is a really strong class, obviously, but I had a fair bit.
05:15 I didn't know a lot of them, but at Cleveland for All-Star Weekend,
05:18 I got to meet a fair few of them, playing on the same team as them,
05:22 doing skills challenge, whatever it was.
05:24 But I've got to know and became close with quite a few of the rookies.
05:28 And it's good to talk to those guys,
05:30 because they can relate to what you're going through.
05:31 Whether it's struggling, thriving, whatever it is, those guys are always good
05:35 to talk to and lean on, because as I said, they're going through the same thing as I
05:38 am.
05:39 >> Next year's shooting, do you have any specific plans?
05:42 It's like, are you going to change anything mechanically?
05:45 Are you going to continue with the form that you have now?
05:48 Is there any plans specifically for that?
05:51 >> Yeah, there'll be me, Mike, and my trainer in California, Jordan,
05:55 we'll all connect and get on the same page with that.
05:58 But there'll be a few tweaks we make, nothing too major.
06:01 I think a lot of it's just mental and staying confident in it,
06:04 getting up a lot of reps.
06:05 So I'm going to spend a lot of time in the gym this summer,
06:09 getting up shots.
06:10 So hopefully next season, as I said, that's a swing factor for me.
06:14 >> It's rare that a team gets contributions from four straight draft picks,
06:19 but you guys did this season.
06:21 And what do you think it was about the Thunder that put you guys in good
06:24 positions to get contributions from each one?
06:27 >> Yeah, obviously, I think we all knew getting drafted here that there was going
06:31 to be opportunity from day one.
06:33 Just with the team that we had, it was a young team, a lot of new guys around.
06:37 So we understood the position we're in as a group.
06:41 And all the rookies, I think, were confident in themselves coming in and
06:45 knew they had the ability to make an impact.
06:48 And Coach Mark trusted all of us to come out and help the team win games.
06:53 And I think he's a big reason for a lot of our successes.
06:56 He has confidence in all of us.
06:58 He lets us play freely.
07:00 So I give a lot of credit to him for allowing us to play our natural games and
07:04 not putting too much pressure on us to go out there and
07:08 exceed any expectations from outside.
07:10 >> That was actually my next question.
07:13 How has it been playing for Mark?
07:15 Consensus has been he's great to play for his team or player coach.
07:20 What's your experience?
07:21 >> Yeah, I loved him.
07:22 I mean, I don't have a single bad word to say about him.
07:24 He's been awesome for me.
07:26 From day one, he kinda laid out how he was as a coach.
07:30 We spoke a lot.
07:31 So he was really good with me.
07:32 He was straight up with me, told me how it was.
07:34 Which is exactly what I like.
07:36 So I think I speak for all the guys when I say we all love playing for him.
07:39 He's a real players coach.
07:41 And I'm excited to continue to build the relationship with him and
07:45 the rest of the guys in the group.
07:46 >> Does it give you more confidence as a player?
07:48 >> It does, 100%.
07:49 I think that's the thing he spoke to me about from day one was that he will allow
07:53 me to play through mistakes and stuff like that.
07:55 And he did.
07:57 It's like if I turn the ball over, I'm not nervous,
07:59 not looking over my shoulder at Mark to drag me out the game.
08:02 He understands my game the way I play.
08:04 And I think that's what allowed me to kind of thrive within this team.
08:08 >> Josh, what is your summer gonna look like as far as working out here,
08:11 going back home some?
08:13 Just what are your plans?
08:14 >> Yeah, I'll go home in the next few days, I'll fly back to Australia.
08:18 I'll work out there maybe three weeks and then come back here.
08:21 I'll be in OKC, I'll be between OKC and Irvine back and forth a little bit.
08:26 Then obviously Vegas will all be there.
08:28 So it's gonna be a busy summer.
08:31 I've been looking forward to it for a long time now.
08:33 I know there's certain things I've really got to work on.
08:36 So this is, I think summer is where players separate themselves.
08:39 And I think this is what I need to do and what the rest of our guys need to do in
08:43 order to make that jump individually.
08:45 But more importantly as a team.
08:47 >> Are you playing in summer league?
08:48 >> I don't know yet.
08:49 I've got to speak with Mark and Sam about that, but we'll figure that out soon.
08:53 >> And then obviously you guys are still at the beginning of a rebuild sort of, but
08:58 looking toward next year, what are your expectations from a team perspective?
09:03 >> I think to be better than this year, whether that's make the playoffs or not.
09:07 I think, I mean, I'd be lying if everyone wants to make the playoffs, but for
09:11 our guys with such a young team to be better than this year is what we need to
09:15 look to do.
09:16 I think the more we work together this summer, the better everyone gets.
09:21 We can make that next jump.
09:22 And as I said, whether it's a playoffs or not,
09:24 as long as we're better than what we were this year,
09:27 we're heading in the right direction.
09:29 >> The fit between you and Shea is pretty important to this team moving forward.
09:32 You guys had kind of an interesting year where you got to play together some and
09:37 then you each kind of individually got to have the team as the primary guy.
09:42 What did you learn through your stint on your own when Shea was out?
09:47 And then whenever you were out and Shea kind of had the team,
09:50 is there anything that you learned through those two particular periods of time?
09:54 >> Yeah, I think it's evident to see that we both can run a team by ourselves.
10:00 But I think, as you said, it's gonna be important for
10:02 us to be able to do that together.
10:03 And I think as the season got on, it got much better, game after game.
10:08 And I think two natural ball handlers or two ball hands isn't a natural fit together.
10:13 And these things take time.
10:15 And I think if you look at all the great doors around the league,
10:18 they wouldn't have started off as one of the best in the league.
10:21 They had to work and it took years of experience.
10:23 And I think me and him are both really unselfish players,
10:26 wanna make guys around us better.
10:28 So I love Shea, he's a great guy, unselfish, makes players better.
10:33 So the chemistry between us is only growing.
10:36 I think the best game we had together was the one right after the All-Star break
10:40 against Phoenix.
10:41 And we had a meeting, me, Shea and Mark, we kind of sat down,
10:44 spoke about some things.
10:45 And that next day we played Phoenix and I think that was the best it felt out there.
10:51 And then obviously I didn't play again for the rest of the season.
10:53 But just knowing that from there things picked up the way it did,
10:57 I think it makes me excited for next season.
10:59 >> Was there anything specific from that meeting that you could share?
11:03 >> I mean, it was nothing too over the top, it was more just little things,
11:07 what we can do to make each other better.
11:09 We're both obviously better with the ball in our hands, it's not a secret.
11:12 But finding ways to impact off the ball, whether that's cutting,
11:15 screening, whatever it may be.
11:17 So I think that Phoenix game, it was evident, we really started to figure it
11:20 out and I think going forward, it's only gonna get better.
11:23 >> You're a unique player.
11:25 There's been things written about you this season where they try to comp all
11:28 the rookies to a player in the past, and your comp was nobody.
11:33 They couldn't figure one out.
11:34 With that said, is there anybody that you look at either from the past or
11:39 even currently at the NBA to say, I wanna take those things from this guy.
11:44 And I wanna play like this.
11:46 >> I mean, before I was in the NBA, my favorite player was always Luka Doncic.
11:51 And I mean, I can't really say that now just being a competitor of his, but
11:54 he's someone I love to watch.
11:56 I studied a lot of his game during the pre-draft and stuff like that.
12:00 He's obviously one of the best players in the world.
12:02 So it's hard to compare myself to him at this stage.
12:05 But little parts of his game, Chris Paul, I watch a lot of.
12:09 Those guys are playing a lot of pick and rolls,
12:11 just the way they see the floor, stuff like that.
12:14 But I wouldn't compare myself to anybody.
12:16 I say, as you said, I'm pretty unique in the way I play the game.
12:19 So, but just taking little parts from other guys' games is gonna be important
12:23 for me.
12:23 >> When you watch the playoffs?
12:25 >> Yeah, I'll be tuned in, yeah.
12:27 >> And then you came in with Treyman obviously the same year.
12:30 And he's really progressed as the season went on.
12:32 Just your thoughts watching him a little bit from the sideline, but
12:34 also playing with him this year and just seeing where he started to where he is now.
12:38 >> Yeah, he's made a huge jump.
12:40 I mean, from the start of the year, he was kind of in and
12:43 out the rotation a little bit with the G League.
12:45 But then the back half of the season,
12:47 he showed what he's capable of doing.
12:52 30 point games, the way he creates for himself for other guys.
12:56 He shot making ability, he's a really special player.
13:00 And I think he grew in confidence over the year.
13:01 And as I said, it was really evident towards the back half of the year,
13:05 how good of a player he's gonna be.
13:07 >> And this is your first off season where you get to watch the draft as
13:11 actually a player in the NBA and how that's gonna impact your team possibly.
13:15 Are you going to be tuning into that at all?
13:17 >> Yeah, I'll be tuned in.
13:18 Yeah, yeah.
13:19 >> Is there anyone you have watched at all that you're curious about or
13:23 maybe intrigued that if it could possibly happen,
13:25 what it would be like to play with them?
13:27 >> Yeah, there's a few guys.
13:28 Obviously, the top five are obviously pretty locked in.
13:31 Everyone knows who they're gonna be.
13:33 But I mean, there's a few in that category I'd love to play with.
13:38 But whoever we get, we'll integrate them into the team and
13:40 I'm ready to move forward.
13:42 >> You listening?
13:42 >> [LAUGH] >> I don't wanna say anything in case
13:45 you don't.
13:46 But there's definitely a few guys.
13:47 >> Are you friends with Tyson, Dan?
13:49 >> Yeah, exactly.
13:50 That'd be one I'd love to play with.
13:51 >> [LAUGH] >> Do you pay attention to the draft
13:53 lottery at all?
13:55 Is that something that you anticipate?
13:56 >> Not really.
13:57 I mean, I know a little bit about it, but not too much.
14:00 >> When you said you were working on your shot with Mike, is that Mike Wilkes?
14:03 >> Yeah. >> Okay.
14:03 >> Yeah, yeah. >> Did you see the assistant you worked out
14:05 with? >> Yeah.
14:06 >> Yeah.
14:07 >> What has he done to sort of help you or what's it like working out with him?
14:11 >> He's great.
14:12 Obviously, he's a god in the NBA.
14:13 He understands certain little things that I can work on to be better.
14:19 As I said, it helps having someone that's been in my shoes as a god in the league.
14:24 And he's been great.
14:25 I spend a lot of time with him, working on different things.
14:29 So he's gonna be a big part of my offseason this summer.
14:32 And moving forward, me and Mike, we've got a great relationship.
14:36 So it's only getting stronger.
14:38 And the things we need to work on, I know I can always rely on Mike to get that done.
14:42 >> It's clear that the front office communicates with everybody what the plan
14:46 is.
14:47 No one seems to be in the dark or confused about any of this.
14:51 But what's your take on the current plan for the Thunder and
14:54 the rebuilding process?
14:56 >> Yeah, that's right.
14:57 I mean, I've got a good relationship with Sam and Mark.
15:00 We speak a lot.
15:01 And I guess as you said, they're pretty open with it all.
15:04 There's no secrets within our organization.
15:06 But I think the direction we're headed in is really positive.
15:11 The guys, the front office, the coaches, everyone's,
15:13 we're all kind of in that same mindset of where we're headed as a team.
15:17 And we understand where we're at now as a young group.
15:19 But I think everyone wants to win.
15:23 And I think the sooner that can start, the better, I guess.
15:25 And we're all within that same realm and heading in that same direction.
15:29 >> Is that gonna give you a sign of relief for the future?
15:32 Like, yeah, we're not winning as much as we want now.
15:36 But I see the direction and they're open with the direction.
15:39 So it's not as bad as it could be, is it?
15:42 >> Yeah, for sure.
15:43 I mean, I guess coming into the year, I was aware of the situation the team was in.
15:49 Just being so young and the position that we're in.
15:51 But I wanted to come in and impact winning.
15:54 And I think next year, hopefully, we can win more games than we did this year.
15:59 Then the next year, win more games than that year and so on.
16:01 So as long as we keep building each year and each year as a team individually,
16:06 as I said in the summer, the better we can get individually.
16:09 And then better we can get collectively, it's gonna help us moving forward.
16:13 >> How can she help you become the best player?
16:17 >> That's a great question.
16:17 I mean, Shay is, as I said, we're both better with the ball in our hands.
16:22 But I think a lot of the time when I'm handling the ball is to get Shay the ball
16:26 back, whether I'm running the one or the two.
16:30 We'll say for instance, I'm running the one.
16:31 I'm gonna run something for Shay so he can get the ball because that's the guy
16:35 whose hands we want the ball in.
16:37 He's so dangerous with it.
16:39 He draws so much attention.
16:40 And he's so unselfish that if he does get that attention,
16:43 he's gonna hit shooters, hit big men under the ring.
16:45 So a lot of the time, if I'm handling, I'm trying to get him the ball back.
16:49 But if not, it's being able to space.
16:50 And I think working on my shooting is a big part of that.
16:54 Because when he does draw that crowd, being ready to knock down and
16:56 catch two threes or play off the bounce or whatever it is.
16:59 So the more we can play off the ball and learn to play like that,
17:02 the better it's gonna be for us as a pair.
17:05 But more importantly for this team.
17:07 >> Do you have a preference of the type of big man that you play with?
17:09 Like either a big that shoots it like Mike or a big that rolls to the rim.
17:14 Do you have a preference as a point guard?
17:16 >> Not really.
17:18 It's good to have a mix of both I think.
17:19 Because it means the defense has to play multiple coverages.
17:22 If we got pick and pop guys like Mike, Robey, J-Rob, it stretches the defense out.
17:27 But if it's someone like Favre who's on the ring a lot of the time,
17:30 it's a different look.
17:31 So I don't mind either one.
17:33 It's good having bigs that can do both.
17:36 Keeps the defense honest, but no, not really any preference.
17:40 Yeah, I like playing with all the bigs we've got.
17:42 >> And we're spending a season here.
17:43 What do you think of Oklahoma?
17:44 Is it starting to feel like home at all?
17:46 >> It is.
17:46 It did really quickly.
17:47 I love it here.
17:48 Love the people in the city.
17:50 There's no traffic.
17:51 So everybody's quick to get around, which is the best part.
17:53 But yeah, I love it here.
17:55 Love it here.
17:56 >> Coming from Australia and having a full season,
17:59 what have you learned the most about your game?
18:00 >> Well, I think it's not about my game.
18:04 I think it'd be more having a short term memory kind of mindset and
18:09 having a next game mentality, whereas you're playing so many games.
18:14 It's like you can't dwell on the past.
18:16 It's the same, you can't dwell on one possession.
18:18 You miss a shot, you turn it over, just onto the next thing.
18:21 And that's the biggest thing for me because earlier in the season,
18:24 I had a bad game.
18:25 I let it kind of steam roll over a little bit.
18:27 But once I got out of that mindset and put the game in the past,
18:30 it helped me going forward.
18:31 So that was the big thing for me, just playing so many games,
18:34 you can't get caught up on one of them.
18:36 >> Anybody else in the room?
18:39 >> You said at the beginning of the season that you wanted to wear jersey number six,
18:43 but it wasn't available.
18:45 It's available now.
18:46 >> I haven't even thought about it, but I'm happy with three, so
18:50 I might just stay there.
18:50 >> All right, we got a couple on Zoom, Josh.
18:53 We got Christos Saltas, go ahead Christos first.
18:57 >> Hey, Josh, hope you're doing well, first of all.
19:00 Ludor mentioned before, and
19:02 Kenrick Williams as well mentioned before that the goal for
19:04 the next season is the playoffs.
19:05 How confident you are about the next season, about that goal?
19:09 And how excited you are fighting for wins, fighting for
19:12 the playoffs with this team?
19:15 >> Yeah, I'm confident.
19:16 We've got a great group.
19:18 I'm confident in the guys we've got to make that happen.
19:20 But as I said, we just wanna be better from what we were this year,
19:25 going into next year.
19:26 So the playoffs, obviously the goal for every team, but
19:29 it's not to be all end all.
19:31 As long as we're progressing and heading in that right direction,
19:33 then that's all we can really ask for.
19:35 >> We got last one to Travis Singleton, go ahead, Travis.
19:39 >> Hey, Josh, who's somebody that you went to for advice or wisdom during the highs
19:45 and the lows of your rookie season?
19:46 Who's somebody that you really leaned on?
19:48 >> I think Mike Wilkes was one of them.
19:54 As a former player, he was always good to talk to, get advice from.
19:58 He was great in that regard.
20:00 Earlier on in the season, just when I was struggling a little bit,
20:04 he was great to lean on to talk to.
20:07 My parents were always good sounding boards.
20:09 I've got a good group of people around me that I can talk to, rant to, vent to.
20:14 So it's good to have those people in your circle that will listen with no opinions
20:19 and nothing like that.
20:21 So had a lot of people to lean on this year, which was important for
20:24 me cuz I needed it.
20:25 Mentally, attitude games is draining.
20:27 So having those people to talk to and get through those tough times with,
20:31 it's really important.
20:32 >> All right, thanks.