Zavier Simpson | Portland Trail Blazers | Arp. 05, 2022
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00:00 Xavier, Nick L. O. K. C. Thunder dot com. Uh, what's the feeling like out on
00:04 the floor in the fourth quarter as you all are are storming back and making
00:08 that massive comeback? Um, it's a great feeling. Um, just being to go out
00:12 there and play being has some energy energy from the crowd and just continue
00:16 to chop wood. I think at a point of time was down 14. We all kind of like
00:20 let's just try to make the best of both ends on the floor and just try to get
00:23 it up. I know it may be hard to react right now, but your very first NBA game
00:28 wearing a Thunder jersey. How do you think you'll remember tonight?
00:32 I definitely remember by when being able to go out there and represent
00:36 myself. Um, thunder being a play will play with the guys get up and down. Um,
00:41 it's definitely a great experience. And last but not least, we got to do my
00:44 first my first NBA time. So I'm definitely excited, happy for it. You've
00:48 been such a leader for the blue all season long. Um, you're what do you
00:54 think that experience has done for you to put you in position to be ready for
00:57 tonight? I think the experience has done a tremendous job being able to
01:01 learn from the coaching staff. Um, it's great because it was easy transition
01:04 from the play calling from the sets. The terminology on both ends. It was
01:09 easy transition. So I give a lot of credit to okay, see blue coaching staff
01:12 and just being able to have you well prepared for a time like this.
01:15 Paris Lawson. Okay, see thunder dot com. Another thing the blue has helped
01:19 you with a lot of the teammates that you played without on the court tonight
01:22 played with the blue. Just how helpful was that having, you know, guys who
01:25 you'd already spent minutes playing with this season?
01:27 That was extremely helpful. I think everybody that played tonight, even a
01:31 few guys who didn't play that I played with before, not like once a couple
01:34 games and throughout practice. So just being able to see familiar faces,
01:38 familiar faces on the court, being to know their tendencies is great. So I
01:42 felt really comfortable out there.
01:43 Xavier, just what of the last like 24 hours felt like for you, you get the
01:49 call, you make your first NBA start your first NBA game and then you go out
01:54 there and play, you know, more than 40 minutes. Just how was how was that felt
01:58 this last day? Man, I think I'm still I think I still haven't like I'm still
02:02 sinking it in. Um, me and go out there on the court is a wonderful
02:06 opportunity. I'm thankful for it, but being there, go out there and also have
02:09 a chance to play that amount of minutes, be able to get up and down with some
02:12 teammates. It's also tremendous. I'm grateful and thankful. It's been a long
02:15 24 hours, but this is what I work for. So at the same time, I've got to
02:19 continue to stay on it. What have you heard from just family or friends? Um,
02:24 since you got the call and maybe even after the game tonight and like I know
02:29 it was short notice, but were you able to have anyone here at the game? Um,
02:33 definitely. My uncle lives here, so he's come to multiple games with the
02:37 blue, him and his family come out. So it was good to be able to see. I didn't
02:41 get a chance to see him, but for them to come to the game. And but my family
02:45 has just been saying congratulations. Just a small things and, you know, keep
02:48 going. Um, try to sink it all in. But at the same time, remain focused and do
02:52 what I can with this opportunity I have
02:53 interselect of the athletic. Do you? You see, like all the hoopla about your
03:00 hook shot on Twitter or on any of the social media platforms? Yes. Um, yeah,
03:08 something I've been working on for a while. I think I started using the
03:12 freshman and sophomore year of college, and, um, it's pretty effective. So I was
03:15 just glad to be able to see it go in tonight and hopefully you can keep
03:18 following. When did you realize that you could get that shot up against
03:21 seven footers? When did I realize? Yeah,
03:24 I'm just practicing, working on it, doing it in practice, doing against
03:28 bigger guys and just being confident. Um, it's just like any other shot that
03:33 someone has had and just being able to be confident and being a knock it down.
03:45 Xavier, congratulations. First of all about your NBA debut. What? What kind
03:49 of reward for you was about your work ethic? The dedication that you put in
03:54 the game? What kind of reward for you was to be able to be a starter thunder
03:59 to be able to lead your team on the floor and how help you players like
04:03 collide? Like it's to be on the floor tonight.
04:06 Um, it was a great reward. I just want to continue to remain focused, continue
04:12 to be able to perfect my craft. Um, it is good to be able to go out there and
04:15 play and also start a lot of hard work and dedication to this game with the
04:20 blue in the offseason and being to have this tremendous opportunity to go out
04:22 there and start and play 40 minutes plus. Um, can't be more grateful.
04:25 Thank you.
04:29 See you.
04:33 - Thank you. - Thank you.