Q. You've talked in the past about how your dad helped you construct your jump shot and give you feedback along the way. Do you still talk after games or what's the relationship right now as it relates to shooting?
ISAIAH JOE: We talk after every game, good or bad. I feel like he's the guy I can lean on whenever I'm in a slump or even if I'm shooting good, he may still see something and give me feedback.
He's always been the best at that. He's gotten me this far, so why not trust him now. He knows my shot pretty much better than I do.
Q. Seemed like at the end of the year you were putting the ball on the floor more, getting to the rim. Is that something you want to continue to do this season?
ISAIAH JOE: Yes, sir, just trying not to be one-dimensional. Teams are probably going to try to run me off the line. I have to be able to show other aspects of my game in that regard.
At the same time, being able to shoot it at a very high level, play defense, as well. But yeah, that's definitely something I've really been working on and looking to implement in my game in this upcoming season.
Q. If I had told you last year this is how the next 12 months are going to play themselves out: You're going to be part of the Thunder, going to be a huge part of the rotation, be one of the best three-point shooters in the league and help lead a team into the play-in, could you have believed -- obviously you have a lot of confidence in yourself -- but could you have believed it was going to play out the way it did?
ISAIAH JOE: All I can do is live in the moment, take it day by day, and wherever we end up is where we end up. But with the opportunity that the coaching staff has given me, the chemistry that I have with my teammates and with everybody in our facility, I have no doubts in my mind about our ceiling.
But definitely looking forward to this upcoming season. We're going to go in with a 0-0 mindset and just take it day by day.
Q. I think you're three classes ahead of Jaylin in school. When did you first know about him, conscious of his ability to play basketball, and what were your connections together before you guys went off to college?
ISAIAH JOE: Yeah, so as you know, we grew up in the same town. We've always known about each other. He grew up playing AAU basketball with my younger brother, so that's kind of how I got in ties with him. Then we played one year of high school together. Great year. Wasn't able to play at Arkansas together because the year he went there was the year I got drafted.
But definitely growing up, knew he had potential. He's a hell of a guy, hell of a player. I'm very blessed to see him shine and be able to achieve goals that he wanted to achieve. We're just opening the door. We've just unlocked it, so we're definitely looking to make more strides.
Q. It's kind of crazy to think about, but a year ago you weren't even on the team yet. What's it been like for you personally on the court and off it?
ISAIAH JOE: Yeah, it's been good. As soon as I got here, the team, the players, they welcomed me with open arms, built chemistry with them off the bat. As soon as I got here I had a familiar face in Jaylin Williams, so that was refreshing. But yeah, everybody here is amazing. I love all the guys. We gel really well, and just looking to continue to build with them and see what we can do.
Q. Both as a guy looking for space as a shooter and a guy who defends on the perimeter, what can Chet do to help you out and help you guys as a team?
ISAIAH JOE: Yeah, Chet is going to be a guy to draw attention, and I think we're going to be able to complement each other very well. He's a big guy. He takes up a lot of space. He's very skilled on the offensive end. He has a lot of tools that can be utilized out there, and I think guys like that help complement my game as well as mine complement theirs.
Definitely looking to get in the gym, continue to build chemistry, see what we can do out there, and hopefully it turns out for the better for sure.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports