Q. Last season quite a few rookies called on you as a mentor and said you took them under your wing. Anybody you've connected with to this point?
KENRICH WILLIAMS: Just from the new guys? Pretty much all of them. Try to just talk to all of them, just kind of prepare them for the season. That's pretty much all I do.
Q. You signed an extension in the off-season. You've been very vocal about wanting to play here the rest of your career. What did that extension mean, and did it give you a chance to think back on getting to this point to get that kind of contract?
KENRICH WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, for sure. I was definitely extremely grateful and blessed just to be valued by the organization, by the Thunder, to be able to be here with the guys and grow with these young guys.
Like I said, I'm extremely grateful and thankful that I got a chance to think about the extension and stuff, and I was celebrating with my family, my wife and my mom, just being around them. Just pretty much speechless. Whenever something like that happens, I just give all the praise and glory to God.
Q. When you reflected back, were there certain things that you thought, this got me to this point?
KENRICH WILLIAMS: I wouldn't say one specific thing. I think it's pretty much kind of my whole work has all paid off. Just going through everything, just being in the league five years and finally being able to kind of get this, there's just no words for it, to be honest with you.
Q. It's opportunity is what is going to dictate your success in the league. Being able to play positionless basketball last year the way you did, you can facilitate, you can shoot, you can go to the basket and just play basketball. How much fun was it to have that opportunity just to go out and play basketball and have fun?
KENRICH WILLIAMS: It's the best feeling ever, just being able to go out and play freely and have fun with the game, this is what it's all about.
Whenever you're given the chance, given the opportunity, you want to make the most of it. I feel like up to this point, I've done that. Like I said, I'm extremely happy to be able to play minutes or whatever. I value everything.
Q. What does it take to be a guy that comes off the bench? Most of the guys who play basketball want to start. What does it take to be fine coming of the bench and be good at it?
KENRICH WILLIAMS: You have to be selfless. You have to kind of put the team first. You've got to know your role. I think that's the most important thing.
For me with this team coming off the bench, I'm expected to bring some energy, so I make sure I try to do that every game. For somebody else it might be different. For somebody else coming off the bench, might be hero, might be scoring, might be something totally different.
But for me I feel like to maximize the team, just me coming off the bench, bringing a lot of energy to the game.
Q. Kenrich, you said last year something along the lines of you hope to finish your career here. What is it that you're so crazy about the Thunder?
KENRICH WILLIAMS: I got that last year. But it's just the organization, the whole organization from top to bottom. Front office, the coaches, the players, the city, everything about it. I get a good peace of mind. My family is happy here, as well.
You can't beat peace of mind. Money doesn't -- there's not enough money to give you peace of mind. That's what I get when I'm here in Oklahoma City.
Q. Have you considered changing your first name to Jalen just to screw with everybody?
KENRICH WILLIAMS: No, I haven't thought about it.
Q. Wouldn't it be fun, though?
KENRICH WILLIAMS: It would be fun. I'm good with Kenrich.
Q. I'm curious what your impressions are of Chet. I know obviously you won't be playing with him this year, but you had a chance to catch him before he got hurt, play along with him, Summer League. What do you think about how he'll fit eventually with this bunch?
KENRICH WILLIAMS: Yeah, I got a chance to catch up with Chet a lot. His locker is right next to mine, so I'm able to talk to him basically every day.
From what I learned, he's very humble. Very humble, and he has the right mentality about everything, even about rehab. I get the sense that he has a lot of motivation, and he's ready to get back, but he knows the big picture.
I haven't got a chance to play with him a lot. I mean, I played with him, might be a pickup game this summer, but I'm looking forward to just everything he brings to the table as far as versatility and defensively being able to protect the paint.
I'm looking forward to playing with Chet.
Q. You talked about the energy, the hard work that you have. You have the nickname Kenny Hustle. What do you think that says about you that people around the league recognize the hard work that you do?
KENRICH WILLIAMS: Yeah, it says a lot. Kenny Hustle is a name that kind of stuck with me since sophomore year of college. Being able to have it translate to the league and have guys kind of respect me throughout the league, it means a lot.
Just like I said, knowing that this organization values kind of what I bring to the table and that the league, everybody else in the league kind of sees what I bring to the table is a good feeling. It's a great feeling.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports