Oklahoma City's Aleksej Pokusevski Seeing Immediate Returns for Offseason Work
Not only was the preseason opener the first time for fans to see new Oklahoma City Thunder draft picks, but it also offered the first look at Aleksej Pokusevski’s offseason progress.
The Serbian big had a nice end to the season last year, but was held out of Summer League action so that he could work on his body and continue to add strength to his frame.
In his preseason debut against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night, Pokusevski saw some immediate returns for his work.
“He didn’t play a perfect game,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said after the game. “It wasn’t his best game but what I would say is if you take a step back and think back to last year at this time, he’s significantly improved his game.”
Pokusevski looked more comfortable taking the ball under the basket, and he was able to pose more of a threat battling for rebounds and was willing to battle down low offensively, Daigneault said.
Even in the first preseason game, Daigneault said there was one key play which showed the progress Pokusevski has already made.
“He’s improved his body,” Daigneault said. “One anecdote for that is I don’t know how long it took for him to get to the free throw line last season, you know like months past, kids grew up before he got to the line.
“Tonight he gets to the line, he made a couple of layups which is just a tangible example of there’s going to be progress. Progress takes time… He’s a better player clearly.”
The ability for Pokusevski to battle on the boards will be essential to his game, as his passing ability and court vision will allow him to trigger the Thunder offense, regardless of if he is playing with the starters or the OKC reserves.
“I think we played great when we played fast and we weren’t thinking too much,” Pokusevski said after the game.
Though he has added a little bit of strength, Pokusevski appears to have retained his quickness, allowing him to continue to play on the wing.
Daigneault said the Thunder would continue to evaluate Pokusevski’s game, but he’ll be allowed to play plenty of roles as the season plays out.
“Whatever coach asks me to do, I’m going to do it,” Pokusevski said. “Playing in the starting five or in the second unit, it doesn’t matter for me. I just want to play and help the team win.”
But Pokusevski knows that improving his body and adding to his frame isn’t just an offseason goal. It will be an ongoing process as the 19-year-old continues to grow and learn throughout his second NBA season.
“I can’t wait to keep working on everything and just playing with pace and stronger,” he said. “I feel a little bit better on the court. I hope the work during the summer is going to show up during the season.”
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