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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER MEDIA CONFERENCE

June 1, 2016

Cameron Payne

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Q. What was the experience of the Playoffs like?
CAMERON PAYNE: Man, it was a great season. Made the Western Conference Finals my first year. I couldn't ask for anything better than that. I experienced a lot, learned a lot. We went through a lot of adversity this year, and it helped us grow as a team, and for me being a part of that, I feel like it's going to make me a really good player.

Q. Talk about the Playoffs specifically, kind of pulled in and out of the rotation, especially this first year. Just being in that environment but also playing and struggling at times.
CAMERON PAYNE: Well, it's definitely different from the regular season for sure. It's just you have to be very focused every day, locked in, because you never know when you're going to get in -- like you said, I was pulled in and out. Just coming in, staying ready, paying attention to the game plan, it's just a different level from the regular season.

It was a lot of fun, but getting pulled in and out was just a learning experience. I just know I've got to be better.

Q. When you were in against San Antonio, did you feel like yourself or was the environment a little bit too much?
CAMERON PAYNE: No, I felt like myself. I just wanted to make the right play every time, and that can get you sometimes instead of just being relaxed and going out and playing.

Q. What do you remember about the stretch where you weren't in the rotation to start the year and then I think it was right around Christmas or so they put you in your first game and you kind of went off. Is that something you kind of look back on, that 10 or so game stretch?
CAMERON PAYNE: I look back at it all the time just to see when I first started playing and stuff. But I felt like I was just so anxious to play. I was so anxious. Once I got the opportunity, I felt like I was ready. I felt like I prepared for it, and I came out and I played pretty good. I feel like I had gained a lot of electricity, and a lot of people felt like I was a pretty good player. I felt like I was doing a pretty good job during that little stretch. But it fell off. I started missing shots, and I kind of let that get to me instead of just going to the next game.

But like I said, this year has been up and down. Got hit with a lot of adversity, but it made me a better player.

Q. Like people say that rookie wall; is there anything to that, the shooting? What kind of led to those struggles mid-season?
CAMERON PAYNE: I wouldn't say rookie fall. I really felt like I didn't hit that wall. I felt like I hit that wall because of the people on our team. They just keep you going. But it's basketball. You're not going to make every shot. Things are going to happen. Things are not going to go your way. You've just got to be happy with the result no matter what.

Q. When they traded D.J., did you feel like they were handing over that backup role to you?
CAMERON PAYNE: Kinda sorta, but at the same time, we were getting somebody in return, so I never felt that it was just given to me. I knew I still was in competition, still had to work hard, still had to come in every day and do the same things I was doing to keep that position or to get it back.

Q. You obviously showed your quickness, your vision, playmaking ability towards the end of the season. Guys give you a ton of credit for the way you defended in that Spurs game to end the year. Where can you continue to grow? What are your top priority areas to get better?
CAMERON PAYNE: I've got to get bigger, first off. I know I look 12 every game. I've definitely got to get better. I've got to work on my defense, still get better defensively. Like I say all the time, offense is going to come. It's going to come with playing defense and getting stops and getting on the break and things like that, and that's what comes out of me when we just get playing just in transition and things like that. Me getting better defensively and getting bigger is the main two focus points.

Q. Are you still using the walking boot when you're not playing, and what was the reason for that? Can you kind of explain that for us?
CAMERON PAYNE: It was just precautionary. I mean, we've got great doctors. They were just looking out for me. But now just getting ready for Summer League, I'm not in it anymore, just getting ready for Summer League.

Q. You're definitely going to play Summer League?
CAMERON PAYNE: As of right now, yes, I am.

Q. Were you surprised at all that your dancing pregame with Russ took off like it did? It's all over the internet, causes a fight?
CAMERON PAYNE: Yeah, I actually was surprised because we was doing it all season and no one cared. I mean, probably some site put up something about it. I know we did, the Thunder did a lot, but no one really cared, because I mean, they were just getting ready for the game. Now when the Playoffs came, Mavericks really made it a big deal, and the fact that it came on every night, it came on every night we played. It was a TV game, so they seen us every night doing it, so I felt like that's when people felt the need to talk about it.

Q. Is it fun, that phenomenon at all for you? I'm sure your friends are texting you that you're dancing with one of the --
CAMERON PAYNE: Yeah, it's fun. It's definitely fun. I mean, to actually -- you know what I'm saying? People want to distract or take away from something that you're doing, and it makes it seem like they're jealous. It was fun because I like getting in people's heads. With us doing that, people felt like saying, they're trying to show us up or something, and it's like, no, just getting ready for the game, just something we do every day. It was a ton of fun.

Q. What did you learn most from Russ this year?
CAMERON PAYNE: Being ready every day, being ready to come out and play ready. That's the main thing, because he does it every day, no matter if we're just watching film, no matter if we're just getting treatment or if it's a game day, he comes ready for anything we have to do. That's one of the biggest things that he taught me this year.

Q. Not every rookie's personality kind of impacts the locker room. Did you get a sense that just your relationship with Russ and with Kevin and some of these guys that you were able to kind of make an impact off the court even if you weren't necessarily in the rotation at certain times?
CAMERON PAYNE: I kind of felt like I did, but I mean, just the same way I try to get them to give me confidence, I just try to do the same back in return. Just when I'm on the bench, just try to get them any little ounce of confidence they need to make the next shot or make the next defensive shot, or even in practice, just try to talk, keep talking. Anything that gives them confidence, it goes a long way.

Q. Even though you didn't play much in the Playoffs, did you get a sense from the organization they have you as a big piece of the organization moving forward next season?
CAMERON PAYNE: I mean, I felt like me being there and watching is going to help me, is going to help me for sure. But I really don't know what they got for me. I'm just going to be ready when my name is called. I'll be ready.

Q. The handshakes with Russ obviously kind of blew up. You've got something with every single player. I feel like you have that more than any guy on the team. Did you like walk up to guys and say, let's think of a handshake, or did that just kind of happen?
CAMERON PAYNE: No, everybody has a handshake with everybody, but it's just the starting five handshakes are just kind of -- you've just got to make them real good. But I just have some with everybody. That's the type of person I am. I want to be special with every player, with you, with you, with you. Just because it got a lot of attention, I feel it was just something that I do. I just like that; you know what I'm saying? What's the word I'm looking for? I just like to be cool with everybody. That's basically all it is. I'm a fun guy. I like smiling. I like seeing other people smile, so just the little handshake, it goes a long way, so I just try to keep it updated all the time.

Q. What's your favorite one?
CAMERON PAYNE: Me and Russ for sure, just because we change it on the fly every game.

Q. Was there a point you were really frustrated about a lack of playing time this season, and is there any positive to take out of that?
CAMERON PAYNE: Definitely, because at the beginning, I wanted to play. I wanted to play every game if I could, but like I said, it's just adversity, something you've got to fight through. But like I've been saying all year, just got to be ready for whenever my name is called. Just got to keep working, and once I get the opportunity, just be ready for it.

Q. Did watching the Playoffs, watching Randy Foye, Roberson out there defending teach you how important those minor things in the game are?
CAMERON PAYNE: Definitely, but we got that all from learning, listening, and studying the game plan. Like in the Spurs series when I was in the rotation, my biggest thing was figure out what Patty Mills did, constantly, him and Tony Parker, constantly with one of my coaches, and it helped me defensively. I felt like the game plan and listening, focusing in, and actually, like you said, watching other players, it helps a lot.

Q. When you say trying to figure out Patty Mills, would you just watch tape of every play?
CAMERON PAYNE: Yeah, I definitely watched a lot of tape about him, just the way his tendencies were, like him going right, like shooting going right, just little things like that, so when you get in the game you know his tendencies basically.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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