WATCH: SGA and JDub after Game 5 Victory

Q: Shai, Mark Daigneault said you and Dort really helped set the tone early. What was your mindset going into this closeout game?

SGA: “Me personally, I wanted two things. I didn't want to go back to Minnesota travel-wise and then I wanted the fans to be able to enjoy the moment with us. I wanted them to see it unfold in front of their eyes, to celebrate tonight in our building, go home, get drunk—whatever they do. I want them to have fun with the moment. Above all, I could give my energy and my effort to try to get these fans what they deserve.”

Q: Shai, after being awarded Western Conference Finals MVP, one of the first things you did was hand the trophy to your teammates. What does this group mean to you outside of basketball?

SGA: “They’re special. The biggest thing is they make the NBA not feel like a job. It can at times, with all the travel and the hard days. I know I sound spoiled being in the NBA and complaining about hard days, but these guys really make it feel like I’m a kid playing AAU basketball again. Like it’s just fun. And that’s what makes us really good—we have so much fun being out there together. When you’re having fun, you give it your all and excel at it.”

Q: Nine years ago to the day was the infamous Game 6 against Golden State. What does it mean to give this date new meaning in Thunder history?

SGA: “There’s no correlation at all. We didn’t even think about that coming into the game. That’s something from nine years ago we have no control over. All we can do is come here tonight, control our energy, our effort, and our focus level—to get these fans and our families what they deserve. We were focused, we were together, we were energetic, and aggressive. The game turned out the way it did because of that.”

Q: What did Sam Presti lay out for you guys in terms of the vision for this team?

SGA: “Yeah, Sam didn’t lay out no vision for me. He just traded for me. We had a few conversations. I realized he knows what he’s doing very quickly, and then I just trusted him and controlled what I can control. As you guys can see, he’s done a great job.”

Q: Jalen, how surreal is it to be heading to the NBA Finals in your third season?

JW: “It feels very surreal. I haven’t really been able to wrap my head around it. It kind of happened pretty fast. My brother got into the NBA this year, and his first year is already done. So there’s a lot of other things that go on that make me think how fast and how blessed I am to be getting to the Finals.”

Q: Shai, after the game you spent a moment with your wife and son. What did that moment mean to you?

SGA: “The best thing about that moment is that he has no clue what’s going on and he’s just happy to see me. You get caught up in so many things that don’t actually matter. Having my son this past year, he’s shown me everything that does matter. He reminds me every day what’s important.”

Q: You guys were sitting together as the game ended and your Finals trip became real. What was that like?

SGA: “Honestly, we’re always together. The conversation wasn’t much different than it always is. Obviously happy for the moment, but this isn’t our goal. It was just, ‘Let’s keep getting better. One more series.’”

Q: Jalen, since Game 7 of the last series your play has elevated. What changed for you?

JW: “Life is ups and downs. Same thing with basketball. I know I put the work in to be good in those moments. So you try not to get too high or too low—just center yourself. That’s what I’ve been able to do. Makes it easy when I’m playing alongside him [Shai], but a lot of it is just rolling with the punches and trusting the work.”

Q: Shai, how much do you reflect on the tough years—the 22- and 24-win seasons?

SGA: “Every now and then. Those moments helped shape my character. They’ve shown me you stay humble, you persevere, and if you do the right things, you can turn it around. I always channel back into those memories—they keep me grounded.”

Q: How did your early years in the league, like the bubble season or rookie year with the Clippers, help prepare you for this?

SGA: “Absolutely. The guys on those teams were real NBA veterans. They showed me what it takes to excel in this league. You can’t recreate or reteach that experience. I was blessed to be on those teams.”

Q: Shai, what stood out to you about the team’s performance, especially in the first half?

SGA: “The way we got stops. It almost seemed like we did everything we were supposed to do defensively. From there, it felt like it was tough on everybody. We were clicking on all cylinders—what their tendencies are, what our game plan is, how we want to impact the game. And then we were able to just run and have fun offensively.”

Q: Jalen, what’s it been like defending bigger players after entering the league as a guard?

JW: “It’s been very physical. I attribute a lot of it to that sophomore summer—taking my body seriously, eating right, putting more weight on. I came in at 195. Now I can guard bigger players and be more versatile. I like playing defense, and our team does too.”

Q: How important was Coach Daigneault in this run?

JW: “It’s been fun. It’s cool watching a coach evolve with us. There’s a really cool trust throughout the team, and his relationship with every player is unique. He understands us, even though he didn’t play. He’s competitive with coaching and X’s and O’s—and we feed off that.”