After you try for so many days in a row, the internet gets tough to comb for articles. Mostly game recaps, especially ones I don’t particularly want to read after a loss. The internet has everything, though, and you can always find something new, weird, or off-the-wall about a professional sports team.
1. Sam Presti is a smart guy. Behind his mystique and stylish glasses sits a man who has made the chess game of the business side of basketball into his personal art form. While we might not like all of what he does at first, it seems to work out for the better. So, with guys like Perry Jones III, Reggie Jackson, and Jeremy Lamb, what’s the ceiling? Bleacher Report delved into what they thought the potential was on the Thunder’s bright young bench players.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s General Manager Sam Presti has long been known as a man with an eye for talent, building up one of the NBA’s legitimate championship contenders by using his draft picks well and cultivating a stable of young talent.
Obviously, the big names like Kevin Durant (24), Russell Westbrook (24) and Serge Ibaka (23) have all proven that OKC knows how to develop their young guys into superstars. (full story)
2. Speaking of the bench and trades, one of the newest additions to the Thunder roster, Ronnie Brewer, has some Oklahoma City connections. His uncle, Walter Brewer, is the long tenured coach of the Southeast High School Boys’ Basketball team. The family is originally from Fayetteville, AR, home of the University of Arkansas, a three and a half hour drive from Oklahoma City.
“I’m very excited,” said Walter Brewer, in his 19th season as coach at Southeast, where he’s won two state championships. “I’m really more excited for him, because I know he’s close around family. I know family means a lot to him, means a lot to us. I’m always excited for the franchise here in Oklahoma City. It’s just an exciting time, especially for the Brewer clan.” (full story)
3. Serge Ibaka was solidified as the third of Oklahoma City’s big three this October, and has not quite reached his potential of his game or of the role he has officially inherited. Serge has some developing to do, but at 23 years old, he’s got plenty of time to come into his own. This season might be the first one where we need him the most. According to Tony Ramsey, Serge Ibaka is key to the Thunder making a return to the NBA Finals in 2013.
Ibaka has become the Thunder’s third scoring option in their starting lineup, being relied upon to provide some offense to go along with the shot blocking exploits that Ibaka has become known for. Ibaka has responded will to the added responsibility and is averaging career highs in both scoring and rebounding with 13.5 and 7.8 per game, respectively. Ibaka has even extended the range on his jump shot out to the three-point line, with the athletic 6’10″ connecting on 15 of his 41 attempts from deep, good for a respectable .366 percentage. (full story)
4. Love it or hate it, Derek Fisher is back in Oklahoma City, is in the rotation, and is taking shots. Take a minute to punch a wall if you need to, but it’s still true. It seems that Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant wasn’t too thrilled about it, either (assuming that you’re someone who doesn’t like it). At any rate, via Lakers Nation, Kobe’s response to Fisher signing with the Thunder. (As a bonus, you can laugh when the article refers to the Thunder being one of the Lakers’ rivals.)
With the news that Fisher is returning again, it seems that his longtime teammate Kobe Bryant isn’t entirely thrilled with the prospect of Fisher playing for anybody else, especially one of the Lakers’ biggest rivals in the Western Conference. When asked at Laker practice whether or not Bryant was surprised Fisher rejoined the Thunder, he admitted he wasn’t surprised, but that he wasn’t exactly excited about it, either. (full story)
5. While I’m not entirely sure of the context of the situation, it seems that Broken Arrow native and actress Kristin Chenoweth decided to tell everyone, including Bradley Cooper, that she was an Oklahoma City Thunder fan. While many of you were watching Oklahoma City put a stomping on the Chicago Bulls, many others were watching the 85th Academy Awards, and Chenoweth’s shoutout to her state’s team. You go, Kristin.
While we were tuned into the Oscars on Sunday evening, the sports world got a nice little shout out from red carpet host Kristin Chenoweth. Taking a little break from the “who are you wearing?” question, Chenoweth took a moment to express her love for the Oklahoma City Thunder. (full story)
The Sixth Man: Last night was a tough game to watch, especially since it came against the always dangerous and extremely annoying San Antonio Spurs. But, from the back of my mind, something came to my attention that made me smile. In the regular season last year, we were 1-2 against the Spurs. And then, on June 6th, 2012, the greatest moment in Oklahoma City Thunder history happened. I thought this would help you guys forget about the whole Spurs loss thing from Monday.
Enjoy your Tuesday. Don’t work too hard.
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