OKLAHOMA CITY — Yesterday I was invited to attend a screening for Oklahoma City’s annual deadCenter Film Festival. Patrick Patterson stopped by to view the documentary and host the Q&A afterwards with the film’s creators.

Patrick Patterson hosted the Q&A following the conclusion of the film. Here is what he had to say pic.twitter.com/IXTriwqref — Brady Trantham (@BradyDoesSports) June 7, 2019

Afterwards, Patterson and I talked about everything from his post-basketball career, Avengers to keeping in touch with his old Toronto Raptor teammates during the NBA Finals.

What has your offseason been like?

Spending most of my time out in LA. Just working out two or three times a day, and then trying to pave the way to life after basketball with the movies.

How does your love of movies help you get involved in whatever city you’ve played for? How do movies play into your post-basketball life?

With the love of movies that I have, just growing up, seeing how it had an effect on me as far as placing me into this world away from reality and not have to worry about my own life and just enjoy something pure for an hour and a half or two hours.

Now as an adult in the NBA, trying to find a way to involve myself with fans, try to find a way to get myself out there with fans to hang out with me, get to know me off the court, thus Pat Presents was born when I was Toronto and I carried that over here to Oklahoma.

With film festivals, not only do I get to see a movie, a documentary before it’s released to the public, it’s about being in that environment. Whether it’s the creators behind the film, the people putting it on, the creators trying to get their masterpieces out into the world. For me, my joy is seeing other people come up, seeing other people do things that they love and put it out into the universe.

What is your dream scenario for life after your NBA career is over?

My dream scenario would be me and one of my good buddies who lives in Toronto, he’s a director who’s done a lot of things in the film industry, he’s done commercials, etcetera, etcetera. Teaming up with him in the future, we’ve had multiple talks in my life, throughout my NBA career about teaming up and creating our own production company, creating our own content, films, short films, scripts whatever it may be and putting it out into the public. The ultimate goal is to one day have something that I’ve created so that all these other kids can love and other people at film festivals putting stuff out into the public, hopefully that is me in the future.

You interned for Marvel last year — ?

Last year, was it last year?

The seasons and years bleed together. Plus I’m an idiot and can’t remember (laughs nervously)

Two years ago I interned at Open Road Film Festival and last year I interned with Marvel and Paramount. I had a couple meetings and talks.

Have you been able to continue that this summer?

Not this summer yet. At some point during the summer I will contact certain people and different production companies and try and talk to certain individuals who are in the movie world whether it’s a writer, producer or a CEO. Just to bounce ideas and pick their brains about how they got to where they are, the process, the hard work, the grind and how they fell in love with it.

At your exit interview in April, I asked you if you had your tickets for Avengers: Endgame ready. You told me you did and that you were sitting in the front row. Did you literally sit in the front row?

I literally sat in the front row.

How was that? (laughs again – I need to stop laughing)

It wasn’t my first time doing that, (laughs) it wasn’t as bad. Of course my neck was sore, I should have brought my neck pillow since I was looking up the whole time. It was worth it, one-hundred percent it was worth it. They put out videos of the crowd’s reaction watching the film. The number one thing I remember is when Captain America said “Avengers, assemble” and the Avengers just come out of everywhere, the crowd erupted, people were jumping up and down screaming. When Capt’ caught Thor’s Hammer, people screamed. In times like that, in that environment, it is so fun. But I should have brought a neck pillow (laughs).

You were a Toronto Raptor for so long. You played with Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet. Is it fair to say you have a rooting interest in these NBA Finals?

Oh, it’s fair to say. I let it be known on social media. I’m not afraid to support them just because I have no ill-will those guys on the team. We are all still in touch, I still talk to them. I love the city, the fans are amazing, the food is great. So I have no problems towards them. I would love to see them win. Not only for the guys on the team who I’m still close to, but for the people of the city of Toronto.

TFC the soccer team won it a few years ago, but then other than that, there’s been a large drought in that city for such a long time. The Maple Leafs are so iconic. The Blue Jays had their tear in the MLB with (Jose) Bautista and they’re playing quite well and they never made it there. I think the year they were supposed to win they lost to Cleveland (Indians).

So there’s been a drought for a while and I feel this has been a long time coming since the Vince Carter days, Tracy McGrady, DeMar DeRozan, all those guys who were there. And now having Kawhi (Leonard) I feel like it’s long overdue. I’m happy for them, rooting for them. I hope they can close it out.

Watching a guy like VanVleet hit big shots on the biggest stage against possibly the greatest dynasty the NBA has ever seen, did you see that coming when he was a rookie?

It’s like, Fred, Pascal, seeing those guys when they were young and rookies in the NBA and watching them play in the G-League and watching them have success there. Coming up with the Raptors and playing well but not necessarily getting the minutes they have now. But you could always see some type of spark in guys like that who never back down.

Fred being so small but not hesitating to attack the paint and jump up there with the big dogs. Never afraid to back down. Pascal has improved so much throughout these years. His confidence is through the roof. Seeing where they are now, I never would have expected or thought it would be as grand as it now but always believed that they would have success.

One last film/TV question, are you a Game of Thrones fan?

I am a late-Game of Thrones fan.

I started watching after season five.

I’m on season five right now (laughs). I’ve tried to stay off social media as much as possible so I don’t read all the new stuff. I finally gave in and said, “you know what, I’ve gotta do this,” so I started watching it.

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I truly feel for Patrick. He has no idea what terrible disappointments lie ahead for his Thrones experience. Regardless, special thanks to Patterson for taking time to talk.

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Brady Trantham has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for The Franchise since April 2018 and for Thunder Digest since 2016. He hosts a Thunder podcast with Madysson Morris “OKC-82 Podcast” which can be found on all podcast outlets, and is a featured co-host on the Franchise Thunder Insider’s Show on Saturdays from 10-12, in addition to weekly guest spots on “The Franchise Drive” on Tuesdays and “The Franchise Morning Show” on Wednesdays. Follow him on Twitter @BradyDoesSports