Q. Just in general, how different is it coming into a media day like this with a full year under your belt and an entire off-season, not having to worry about the draft?
AARON WIGGINS: Yeah, I was just joking with some of the guys about how I'm a vet because we have so many young guys on the team.
But you know, definitely feel a lot more comfortable, kind of knowing what to expect going into training camp, knowing how it all goes down and how the preseason and everything kind of come about.
Definitely feel a little bit more comfortable. Like I know what I'm doing, and it's definitely more like at ease type mindset than it is as a rookie. As a rookie you're coming in, and I'm sure the guys are excited but they're also probably a little antsy just to get a feel for it. For me, I feel a little bit more comfortable.
Still got a lot to prove, obviously, stepping into training camp, but I'm excited about getting going.
Q. Aaron, with the off-season, your first true off-season, and it was the first long one in a while for any NBA player, how did you structure it? How did you structure being here, being away? How did your summer look?
AARON WIGGINS: With Summer League and everything, I was here for the most part. I was here for maybe through July all the way up until the end of Summer League. After July I took about a week, I went and saw my family, went on vacation and kind of spent time with them. Afterwards I was just kind of working out, getting a lot of work in. I was with my trainer kind of grinding.
Then they had little things where I went and I saw some of our teammates and we kind of got together in LA and got some workouts in with some of the guys.
Still really was in a lot of contact with some of the guys. Got a lot of work in with them. But also just kind of remaining a professional even though it's the off-season. You're supposed to get your work in. You've got to improve in some area of the game. I was focused in on a lot of different things in my workouts.
Q. You were here last year and played Summer League with Kameron Woods and now he's going to become a head coach for the first time. How do you think he'll do this year as a head coach?
AARON WIGGINS: Extremely important. He was a guy who a lot of individuals would go to, whether it was with questions on the court, off the court. He was great. Knowing the way that he coaches, played under him in Summer League and stuff, he'll do a great job kind of having that role.
I'm looking forward to seeing him and looking at the team and just seeing how they do. But I'm happy for him. I enjoyed playing under him in Summer League and being under him in the season last year. It's a super dope deal for him.
Q. A lot of NBA rosters are kind of established and roles are set. The Thunder is not really that way. You've got a whole bunch of players, roles aren't particularly defined. Does that mean we're going to have quite a competitive training camp?
AARON WIGGINS: I think that's the only thing it causes for. It's got to be competitive. Guys are going to be really gritty, really aggressive with the kind met to kind of prove themselves. Everybody has something to prove. I think it calls for a very competitive training camp. It'll be a fun one. It'll be one where we all kind of get to test one another and see where we stand and how we can fit in. It'll definitely be something that a lot of the guys are looking forward to.
Q. Hearing you're one of the guys that got to play Summer League with Chet before he gets injured, what are your impressions of how he will blend with the guys? He's such a different type of player. How did you see his game, his abilities fit in?
AARON WIGGINS: Yeah, his presence, both offensively and defensively, is just -- it's kind of intimidating. I would think for other guards, having practiced against him, so I know, when you're driving in the paint with the ball, with his length, his size and his athleticism, I mean, just knowing that you kind of have to make the right decision, you can't make a mistake around him because he'll block a shot with his wingspan. He's able to get a steal. Whatever decision you make, it has to be the right one.
He'll be huge for the Thunder when he's healthy. I don't know what it is, but his natural just ability and his feel for the game is one of a kind. He'll be really good.
Q. What's your assessment of your time with Ousmane and the Jalen Williamses?
AARON WIGGINS: Great group of players. Tough-knit guys, guys who I think are going to be really good, whether it's right now or years to come, regardless, you can see the talent.
I'm excited to kind of play alongside those guys, continue to move with them and learn more about them, try to pick their brains as much as I can. Some of them are quiet but try to make them comfortable, getting to know them and make sure they know that we're building chemistry.
Q. You guys have a couple guys in that locker room (indiscernible) I'm curious, Mike specifically, I know he got hurt last year, but what role do you see him playing? How did he impact how you guys evolved last year?
AARON WIGGINS: Both Mike, Favors, Kenrich Williams, all those guys, they just have a way about themselves in the way that they carry themselves as a professional. They're really good with not being fazed, being composed, doing whatever is asked of them, and I mean, just their approach to their everyday routine, whether it's practices, whether it's games, whether it's just a recovery day where you're taking care of your body. They do a good job of just making sure that they're taking care of themselves and they're putting themselves in a position to be ready whenever the door knocks.
They've done a great job just kind of being leaders in that way.
Q. How did you handle the two rookies with the same name deal?
AARON WIGGINS: I thought it was funny, man. When I first met them, at the time everybody was kind of figuring out how we'd be able to distinctly know which guy we were talking about. Before then I had gotten their phone numbers before I met them in person and I actually had one of their names as Santa Clara and the other one as Jaylin Williams. That's a very distinct way of knowing which one I'm texting at least. It's very cool to have both of them, and they embrace that they share the same name. It's actually three Williamses on this team now. It's kind of funny, we took a picture of them together earlier. It's cool to see. It's awesome.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports