Grant talks offseason, Oladipo
Longtime friends Jerami Grant and Victor Oladipo made themselves known through a hard work ethic.
Since the Thunder’s playoff exit in April, Jerami
Grant has mixed in relaxation with getting back to work in Oklahoma City and his native Washington, D.C.
The Thunder acquired the 6-foot-8, 210-pounder on Nov. 1 from Philadelphia. The 23-year-old went on to flash potential as a versatile defender and developing 3-point option (10.2 points, 1.8 blocks per 36 minutes; 37.1 3-point percentage).
Back in Oklahoma City this week after some down time in the Bahamas, Grant sat down with The Oklahoman:
Q: When you mention progress this offseason, what are you referring to?
A: “I think getting stronger. I think they’re doing a great job here of getting me stronger in certain areas. I think they’re specific to what we want to do with my body. And on the court, being able to read the defense, slow my game down a little bit, not moving 100 miles an hour.”
Did you feel like you were
moving too fast on offense, particularly drives?
“I wouldn’t even say move too fast, but I think sometimes I lose my balance. So, I think it’s finding a balance of moving at a certain speed while staying on balance. It’s not gonna come overnight, but I think I’ll be fine . ... Driving to the basket, being able to keep my man on side of me, not let him push me off the (3-point) line, being able to create space, being able to finish easier.”
When was the first time you met Victor Oladipo?
“I was in seventh grade. He was a freshman. I was going up to the high school, we had 6 a.m. workouts. My brother (Chicago Bulls guard Jerian Grant) was there, too, 6 a.m. every day. We was just hoopin’. They played on the freshman team together. They weren’t really friends before that, but as soon as they met each other they got close. We played two years there together and played in the same AAU program, so we were always together. He was always over at our house spending the night. Me, him and my brother, we were never the top recruits coming out of high school. I think the work ethic is something we all hang our hats on.”
I wanted to read something to you and see what you think of it:
Now, what y’all wanna do? Wannabe ballers, shot callers, brawlers Who be dippin’ in the Benz with the spoilers On the low from the Jake in the Taurus Tryin’ to get my hands on some Grants like Horace ...
(Note: The lyrics are from Puff Daddy & the Family’s 1997 hit “All About the Benjamins.” Grant’s uncle, Horace, won four NBA titles and has career earnings of nearly $68 million. Jerami was just 3 years old when the song debuted).
“I think that’s amazing. When I first heard it I was like, ‘Wow. My uncle.’ I actually didn’t hear it until somewhere in high school. I really wasn’t listening to nothing like that. It’s big time. You know how players are. When they hear their name in a song, it’s kinda like you made it. Just for me to hear it, my family to hear it, it’s kinda like, ‘Wow, he was actually big time.’ He wasn’t just on NBA teams, he wasn’t just on the championship teams, he was actually starting and making a big difference.”
You ever talk to him about the song?
“Oh yeah, I’ve brought it up a couple of times. He’ll play it every now and then just because.”
Is your dad (Former NBA veteran Harvey Grant, Horace’s twin brother) jealous he didn’t get his name on the song?
“I think he’s more jealous about the rings than the song.”