Philadelphia 76ers Media Day | Paul George | 09.26.25

Philadelphia 76ers Media Day | Paul George | 09.26.25

guy. Hey Paul, good to see you. Um I I guess we’ll just we’ll rip the injury band-aid off right away. Um just how are you feeling? Um what has this off seasonason been like as far as recovery process and how soon do you think you will be back on the court either in a practice setting or or a game type setting? Yeah. Um first good morning everybody. Um I think uh you know I’m getting better and better. Um feeling stronger and stronger. Um hopefully um you know this next couple weeks is very important um leading into the season, the start of the season, the opening night, all of that stuff. Um all I can do is is just focus on doing that day after day, taking it one day at a time. Um I do, you know, think I will be at a good place hopefully earlier than sooner or than later. Um but um just as far as my body, I I do feel better. I do feel good. Um a lot better than I did last year, which is saying a lot. Um cuz you know, I was dealing with a lot last year trying to play through a lot of stuff, which I just, you know, just couldn’t get over the hump. Um so it is great to be in a better place to go into this season. Hey Paul, how you doing? first of all. Um, secondly, obviously last season is what it is, injuries, stuff you weren’t able to really control. How much of last season do you really kind of look at as motivation and be like, “Hey, like we can’t have another season like last year again going into this year?” Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, last year was tough. One of the toughest seasons I’ve been a part of. Um, not just from a team standpoint, but just from a personal standpoint. Um, but you know, again, I I’m from a motivational standpoint, um, can’t get no worse than last year, right? Like, um, that was a rock bottom kind of season. Um, I think it was a disappointment personally for myself. Um, and obviously from the fans here, um, but I do think it’s a lot to look forward to. We’ve been leaning on one another. We’ve been, you know, I’ve been here for about two, three weeks now. Been in the gym every day. Been in the wait room every day. And you look around and it’s 12, 13, 14 other guys here as well. 3 weeks before a season started. So, I think that alone stands out to guys are committed to getting better. We’re hungry. Um, and guys look good. You know, I’ve I’ve watched the work that they’ve all put in. Um, so you know, the motivation is there. Um, you know, we’re we’re we’re just hanging on one another, man. We we are excited of what’s to come. Um, but we’re we’re definitely, you know, taking it one day at a time of of just stacking good days. Hey, Paul, right here in the middle. Uh, yeah, you mentioned just playing through a lot last year. I mean, you were even getting injections at one point to be able to go. Have you reconsidered your approach at all as far as when you’ll try to grind it out and and when you’ll maybe be a little more cautious uh moving forward? Yeah. Um you know, I’m not a doctor. Um but, you know, I think just trusting my body, trusting the process going into this season. Um the team is allowing me to kind of be um as 100 as possible. Um cuz you know that’s that’s what I signed up for. That’s what they signed me for. Um is to come in and and be the Paul George that they went out and recruited last summer. Um and so for me to do that I I do got to be healthy. And um you know that’s that’s really it. Again, I’m putting the work in. I’m putting the time in. I’m seeing the progress. Um I’m feeling more and more like myself each day. Um and that’s the most important thing. um as the dates are winding down um getting into the season to start. So, I like where I’m at. Um I like, you know, how we’ve progressed things and uh that’s the only way I can look at it right now. Over here, uh this team obviously has quite a bit of young talent as well. Now, I’m just curious sort of what you feel your role is as far as helping whether it’s guys like Jared or this new rookie class, the younger pieces on this team, like what you can do to help their development, whether that’s on the court or off the court. Yeah, I think uh just continue to be a leader. Um I think this year is a better role uh for me coming into this. I know the situation. I know where I’m needed at. I know uh you know I’m comfortable within the locker room, within the coaching staff, the front office um and what role I can play as as a veteran and and a leader and developing our young guys and getting them as prepared as possible. Um I’ve, you know, been able to kind of talk and again I’ve been here for three weeks. Uh VJ’s been here in here every day. Jar’s been in here every day. Um JB’s been in here every day, you know. So I’ve been around those guys. is I’ve seen their work. I’ve seen, you know, how them, you know, getting better on a daily basis and and just giving teaching points here and there. Um Justin as well, been in here every day. So, um you know, I had a great convo with Nick uh two days ago on uh you know, just teaching the trades, the trick of the trades that I’ve been taught and through experiences in games of what I’ve learned and picked up. and um you know he counting on me. He’s relying on me to kind of help the young guys um you know whether it’s working on how to get open or defensive concepts or uh you know just being in the right places. Um you know he he’s counting on me to kind of be another voice to kind of help the young guys. So um yeah you know that that means a lot to me um for coach to have that trust in me to kind of help the young guys out. Hey Paul over here uh I was going to ask similar question. So it’s kind of a followup. Last year you came basically the idea was to be I think it was fair to say sort of the final piece on a championship contender. You’re talking about the role here sort of I guess do you see your role more as veteran mentor is kind of what it sound like as opposed to that? Is there a way to do both? I guess how you kind of approach season I you know I think it’s it’s everything again getting healthy. I’m the Paul George that uh the 76ers went out and signed. Um I do think I still got a lot of game in me. Um playing at a high level like that’s still who I am. Um, I got to get healthy to get to that point, but I’m not I don’t I I I won’t be I don’t think a part of uh camp going into it, but I do have a voice in being a part of the team to help the young guys and and and you know, kind of touch that point early on into the season to start out. So, um I guess to your question is being both. Um I plan on being both. Paul, you kind of already touched on it, but just last year was pretty chaotic, you know, recruiting and then moving your family, cross country, all that. Um, I guess just is there more of a comfortability in general here for you, you know, being settled in and knowing what’s asked of you? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. You know, last year was just a lot in limbo. Um, and the decision to come to Philadelphia was kind of late. Um, no excuses to to none of it. Uh, but it is nice to kind of know what we’re doing. Kids are taken care of. We know what school they’re going to be at. We know what area we’re going to live in. We know what house that we’re going to stay at. Um, so kind of all of that stuff is taken care of going into a season. So, um, to kind of start off with, you know, kind of know things pulling me in different directions is is a great start, um, to the season. Um and and again having a year under my belt, building relationships here with the guys. Um still the same coaching core for the most part, roster core for the most part. Um so, you know, just another year of us being together, of us talking, of us hanging out. Um I think will definitely be more beneficial. Paul, kind of along those same lines, um, injuries obviously the biggest problem last year, but for you, how challenging was finding a way to fit in with this group, and do you feel more prepared for that going into this season? Uh, yeah, I definitely feel more prepared going into it this season. Again, talking with Nick, um, better understanding of the fit, the role. Um, but, you know, again, last year was just challenging. It was just challenging trying to, you know, play at 80 85% the whole time while still learning a new system, new offense. Um, you know, new players, uh, coach differently. You know, it it was just it was rough. It was a tough year. Um, but I think again going into this season, the understanding of where I’m at, um, what to expect and, um, you know, yeah, it’s just, you know, with anything you’re over time, you’ll get better. you’ll you’ll understand you’ll develop the style of of where you’re at. Um so yeah, I do think I’m off to a better start going into this year. Two more. What’s up, Paul? You said you don’t think you’ll be a part of the start of training camp. What are you able to do at this particular time? Um I’m pretty much everything but full contact. Um I’m in the weight room. I’m lifting, working out every day. I’m on the court. um not ready to start the full ramp up of uh conditioning on court with running and stuff like that, but I’m on the court. I’m working out. I’m, you know, doing uh stationary drills. Um you know, one or two dribble moves. Um you know, I’m still able to move and and be active on court, just not ready to be a full-on um contact participant right now. Is there a timeline for that or there like a a next stage you have to reach before you can get to get to um being in full contact? Yeah, I think you know just again continue to slowly progress, ramp up. Um there’s been no swelling. Actually, the swelling’s been going down as I’ve been ramping up. So, that’s the best possible news. Uh but, you know, I don’t think there’s a timeline. It’s kind of just, you know, how the body is doing as we’re ramping up the work. Um, and again, if no swelling is showing up, then we’re we’re kind of in a good place to to kind of see where I’m at there and be evaluated. Paul, you mentioned talking with Nick about your role last year. You’ve played quite a bit of before. I’m just curious, is that something you’ve talked about doing with Nick? Is that something you’re open to doing, comfortable doing? Uh, you know, whatever sort of lineup combination that ends up being. Yeah. Um, you asked me, if you asked me about this 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have been a fan of it. Um, but today’s game, man, there’s not, you know, real fours like they used to be. So, um, and at this point in my career, you know, let the young guys, you know, go out, play the wing positions. We got great defenders in KO, VJ, um, Quinton, um, you know, so, um, and then, you know, again, I know where I’m at in my career. um I can adjust and play at the fourth spot, give extra um you know, ball handling on the floor, better spacing. Um you know, so I’m I’m very comfortable playing at the four spot this year um with being kind of a point forward uh type of style in in Nick’s uh offense. Um so I’m comfortable with it this year. Thank you, DJ. Yeah, thank you guys.

Paul George speaks to the media during the Sixers Media Day.