AILSA CHANG, HOST:
The Oklahoma City Thunder are on their way to the NBA playoffs that start this week. They are the best team in the NBA, but some of their most viral moments haven't happened on the court, but rather on the sidelines. Clips of player interviews with the team's sideline reporter Nick Gallo have been as popular with fans all season long. And Nick Gallo is here to tell us about the team's chances in the playoffs and whether or not he's really having that much fun on the court. Welcome, Nick.
NICK GALLO: Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it.
CHANG: Oh, we so appreciate having you. OK, so your team is doing so great, but it feels like fans are also totally responding to your chemistry with the players. And, you know, for people who have not seen these videos - how do I describe this? - there is a lot of affectionate teasing going on. Like, sometimes the players dress you up in towels as you're trying to talk to them. I also saw they managed to get a hoodie and a jersey over your suit. And you don't break. You're trying to be all business still.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
GALLO: Isaiah, you guys went on that massive 18-0 run in that third quarter. What's happening out here when you guys are totally in tune like that?
ISAIAH JOE: Oh, man, we're just playing together...
CHANG: I mean, can I just ask you, Nick - thank God nobody tries to dress me up in towels as I'm live on air - but as that is happening to you, what is going on in your head as you're trying to conduct these interviews (laughter), as they're messing with you?
GALLO: Well, you know, the thing that I'm always cognizant of is that, you know, this is their moment. These guys have worked their whole lives to get to this point, to be in the NBA, and they've done something that people all over the world can't do, which is win an NBA basketball game. It's hard enough to win one.
CHANG: Totally.
GALLO: And so, you know, I kind of feel like I owe it to them to let them have their moment be their moment. And that's been the joy of all of this is that it's been completely organic from the start. And I trust those guys with my life, obviously, as you can see.
CHANG: I mean, your job is so different from my job. Like, I don't get to develop affection and personal relationships with the people that I interview. So I think what you do is very cool. It's very different. But how did it all start? Like, how did you start cultivating this relationship with the team?
GALLO: Yeah. So Chet Holmgren, who's one of our young players, when he first got to the team, he insisted that every postgame interview that he did be with another teammate.
CHANG: OK.
GALLO: And, you know, I think part of that was just sort of this leadership quality that he felt like, you know, I don't want to be singled out. I want somebody to come over here with me.
CHANG: Sure.
GALLO: And then, back in January of 2024, I was doing a sideline interview with one of our great young role players, Aaron Wiggins, and it was kind of one of those simultaneous ones where ESPN was doing an interview, I was doing an interview off to the side, and as some of his teammates were coming off the floor...
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED BASKETBALL PLAYERS: (Imitating barking).
GALLO: ...They just came over and started barking at him. And it was Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams (ph)...
CHANG: Like dogs, yeah?
GALLO: ...Who we call J-Dub. Yes. Yeah, 'cause he was - you know, he was a dog out there on the floor. And so...
CHANG: (Laughter).
GALLO: ...You know, that one kind of took off that night. And then it just, you know, unraveled and reraveled into a life of its own with all sorts of different iterations. But, you know, that's the amazing thing, is it's all been really organic. None of it is ever preplanned or staged or premeditated whatsoever.
CHANG: Well, going into the playoffs, what should people know about this team, you think?
GALLO: Well, they've got a leading MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. They've got multiple All-Defensive Team candidates in Lu Dort and Jalen Williams. Jalen Williams is also an All-NBA candidate. Cason Wallace certainly a candidate for All-Defense as well. They also have in Shai a candidate for the Sportsmanship of the Year Award. And we have another Jaylin Williams on the team - different spelling - who is in the running for Teammate of the Year. And so it's just - it's a really dynamic group.
CHANG: Yeah.
GALLO: It's a young group that, you know, obviously, through the joy that they express out there on the floor, is extremely close, but also very talented and very fired up and hungry to, you know, accomplish together.
CHANG: Nick Gallo, sideline reporter for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Thank you so much, Nick. Keep having fun. Keep loving your job.
GALLO: Thanks so much for having me.
(SOUNDBITE OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST SONG, "CAN I KICK IT?") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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