Coaching in today’s NBA isn’t just diagramming plays, calling timeouts and deciding when to substitute. As the game has evolved, it’s turned more and more into a players’ league, and fortunately for the Thunder, Head Coach Billy Donovan is experienced in dealing with player turnover and fostering an environment of selflessness amongst highly competitive, and starkly different, personalities.
That’s why it’s not rare to see Donovan sitting one-on-one with not just the likes of Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George but also younger players like Semaj Christon and Jerami Grant. So far in U.S. Cellular Thunder Training Camp, it’s been the talk that has helped ease the process along.