'Unwritten Chapter:' Mark Daigneault Enters Fifth Season As Head Thunder Head Coach

Thunder Reporter Steve McGehee sits down with Thunder Head Coach Mark Daigneault to discuss his fifth year as coach.

Daigneault, who nearly led the Thunder to the Western Conference semi-finals last season, said he looks forward to what the new season brings.

"The guys have worked really hard, not only in training camp, but all summer, preparing for the season," Daigneault said. "The fact that a new season is rolling around, it's an unwritten chapter, you know that we get to lay out."

The Thunder's first game of the season, set for Thursday against the Denver Nuggets, is rapidly approaching.

As for Daigneault, who said the Thunder roster has improved since last season, is enjoying an era of team cohesiveness.

"It's only gotten better as we've developed continuity with them, and we've learned them, and they've learned us, and we've built kind of a relationship with guys," Daigneault said. "I'm watching [Jaylin Williams] right now, he's in his third year, I can't believe it's gone that fast with him, but we've developed a relationship with him over time. So not only do I love coaching them because they're awesome and great people, but it gets better as time goes on, which is pretty cool."

Daigneault said Williams, who suffered an injury in preseason play, is progressing in the meantime. Of Jalen Williams, Daigneault described his condition as "day to day."

"Dub's [Jalen Williams] day to day right now," Daigneault said. "He took a little bit more practice reps today than he did yesterday."

When it comes to dealing with outside noise and expectations, Daigneault said the team leans on its own standards.

"We always have to be, you know, aware of what's going on around us, but we also have to lean on the internal standards of the organization and internal standards of our of our team," Daigneault said."Understand that whatever we accomplish, we're going to earn and the way you earn it is with work."

Tipoff for the Thunder's first game in Denver is set for 9 p.m. Central Time.