OKC Thunder: Sam Presti addresses media to kick off Media Days

Waking up today with an email from OKC Thunder PR that included a zoom link to Sam Presti addressing those of us in the media put a huge smile on my face as I sipped my cup of coffee. We have made it. Basketball season, media availabilities, it is all right in front of us on the horizon.

The Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager kicked off the annual start to Media Days session with a stand-alone availability, the entire roster will have media sessions on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s open to NBA training camp.

Sam Presti was again generous with his time, and boy, was there a lot to catch up on. Many drafts picks, trades, and signings have happened since the last time Presti and the media got together. The OKC Thunder GM also provided insight into the season ahead. This marked the official close to the Oklahoma City offseason, and the start to the 2021-22 season. Buckle up.

OKC Thunder General Manager Sam Presti Addresses the Media

The Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager announced today that star point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is “good to go, he has no limitation.” adding that he saw the max contract guard workout this morning, indicating that SGA is already back in Bricktown in preparation for Media Day on Monday, with training camp opening on Tuesday.

When asked about the team’s vaccination status, the Thunder GM confirmed that each player on the roster is fully vaccinated.

This year will look different than a season ago, the OKC Thunder are fully leaning into the youth on their roster trying to get “a baseline” for where the team is at according to their General Manager.

This quote could confirm the idea of Josh Giddey being a starter, or earning starting minutes as soon as the season opener in Utah within Mark Daigneault’s rotation.

Sam Presti also told a great Lu Dort story saying one time when talking to an opposing coach, the coach told him that one of his players came back to the sidelines and said “All I can see is Lu Dort, he is everywhere out there…he is so wide.”

Throughout the entire media session, the top-ranking executive preached patience for the fanbase and discussed how the organization is aligned in this decision to build the team through the draft. With a ton of youth on the roster and getting minutes, Presti’s plea for patience, do not expect a quick fix. The OKC Thunder will do what is needed to create long-term success.

Sam Presti gave an injury update on 6th overall pick Josh Giddey, confirming he only dealt with a sprained ankle at Summer League, and simply ran out of time in the condensed Vegas circuit. Rest easy though, OKC Thunder fans, Presti believes the first six days of NBA training camp will provide more value than Summer League could’ve for the rookie.

The Bricktown boss also stressed the importance of Giddey coming from an overseas professional league that sees better competition than the 18-year-old would have faced in Vegas.