Advertisement - scroll for more content
Rylan Stiles: Friday and Saturday, the Oklahoma City Thunder hosted its third annual Legacy Weekend, inviting former Thunder players back to enjoy a game, connect with each other and the community. Friday, 16 former players including Thabo Sefolosha (2009-14), Nick Collison (2008-18), Johan Petro (2008-09), Nenad Krstić (2008-11), Kyle Singler (2015-18), Nazr Mohammed (2011-12), Eric Maynor (2009-13), DJ White (2008-11), Steven Hill (2008-09), Daequan Cook (2010-12), Kyle Weaver (2008-10), Morris Peterson (2010-11), Mike Wilks (2008-09), Lazar Hayward (2011-12), Damien Wilkins (2008-09), and Desmond Mason (2008-09) attended the Thunder vs Wizards game and were recognized in-game. Saturday, several former players along with current players Jaylin Williams and Cason Wallace visited the Northeast Health and Wellness Center to lead a basketball clinic for seniors. From the Thunder: pic.twitter.com/eoI2jAxiId
Jarrett Jack, a former NBA vet himself who joined Monty Williams’ coaching staff this offseason and coached their summer league team, had inquiries about the Pistons’ latest lottery pick, Ausar Thompson. “He would ask me things like what are his strengths, what are his weaknesses, how can I get him the ball,” Overtime elite GM Damien Wilkins recalled in a phone interview with the Free Press on Thursday. “I would just tell him, ‘Just put him on the floor. Just put him in the game. They are basketball players, Ausar and Amen. They’re basketball players. You put him on the floor and a lot of good things are going to happen.’”
“A lot of positive things are going to transpire throughout the game with (the twins) on the floor because they do so many things,” Wilkins said. “They take pride in defense. They take pride in locking their guys down. They take pride in making their teammates better. They take pride in making the right play. They take pride in playing hard. Just those abilities alone, the skillset alone, make them net positives when they get on the floor. “
“The things I’ve seen them do both on film and in person, just how fast twitch they are, their reaction time, the ground that they cover, all of those athletic abilities and knowing the game, knowing the cutoff angles, seeing things before they happen, those are uncanny instincts and fast twitch things that they do, and people just don’t have,” Wilkins said. “It’s rare. God sprinkled a little extra on them.”
“Everyone wants to know, ‘Who’s better?’” OTE general manager Damien Wilkins said of the twins, who have each gained about 25 pounds since moving to Atlanta. “The truth is, it just depends on what you’re looking for. Want a point guard? Take Amen. Need a wing? Pick Ausar.”
Advertisement
Damien Wilkins: Nah...not my man Dre Emmit, bruh. Wow, smh
Wilkins didn't make an impact on wins and losses on the court. He appeared in just 19 games and averaged a career-low 1.7 points before his release in January. As much as Wilkins resonated with the Pacers, the Pacers resonated with him. The chemistry experiment changed his career goals after basketball and clarified for the Pacers the image they wanted to project in the wake of Paul George's exit. "I aspire to be a general manager of an NBA team one day," says Wilkins, 38, who played 10 NBA seasons and has been in and out of the G-League after going undrafted in 2004. "I just had a friend asking me, 'If you have a guy that’s super-talented but he’s a knucklehead who can affect your locker room, how do you manage that?'"
Advertisement
Damien Wilkins: Tuff Juice!! #Salute
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement