LAS VEGAS — Daniel Dixon couldn’t describe his coaching style.

It’s been hours, not quite days or weeks, since the Oklahoma City Blue assistant was handed the reins to coach the Thunder’s Summer League roster, the heir to Blue head coach Kameron Woods.

Such little time that the mention of Dixon’s last name left rookie Dillon Jones bewildered.

“Oh, Coach Daniel,” Jones said, reminded of Dixon’s fresh title. "I didn't know his whole government name."

Then Jones explained why Dixon’s transition would hardly feel like one.

“He’s a smart coach,” Jones said. “In the little time that I’ve been here, I’ve been picking all the coaches' brains. In my first practices, he’s done a great job of pulling me over and explaining different things and the nuances of the game and things I maybe don’t see.”

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Nuances like where the low man helps from on defense, when and how to shrink the floor, where to be positioned. All defense. That’s how Dixon, a 6-foot-6 former William & Mary wing that played several seasons in the G League, made his name.

But Dixon isn’t the Blue’s secretary of defense this week. He’s been upgraded to the oval offense, tasked with heading the development of young 20-somethings in the most counterproductive location on Earth.

Dixon’s first order of business, in addressing media for the first time as a head coach on Friday, was to declare that Ousmane Dieng was finished with Summer League. It was always the Thunder’s plan, Dixon assured, to let Dieng run free in Salt Lake City and shift development focuses to some of the newcomers in Las Vegas.

It’s an order Oklahoma City has kept long before Dixon. And it’s one he’ll continue to keep.

“Everybody’s got their own individual plan,” Dixon said. “We’re in constant communication every single day.”

Las Vegas Summer League, even if not for the duration of the trip, will shift to Jones. And to Ajay Mitchell. And, eventually, further down the bench to some of the underdeveloped pieces on the Thunder’s summer roster. That’s what Dixon lives for.

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He and the Thunder organization are aligned in that sense. Clutching development to the chest, holding it near and dear like a newborn child. His coaching style might not exist yet. But his DNA is rooted in how precious he considers early development.

“I guess we’ll find out,” Dixon said, asked of his coaching style. “I think I just like to bring a lot of energy, and the biggest thing is focusing on development because I think that’s the biggest passion that I have. To help these guys get to where they want to get in the most delicate time of their careers.”

Dixon’s transition, regardless of being a natural as a coach, bears some seamlessness elsewhere. This fall will mark his third season on Woods’ staff. They’re similar in ways; Their thinking of the game, their verbiage, their approach. The difference, if anything, is Dixon’s brevity.

“He thinks I can be long winded at times,” Dixon half-jokingly said of Woods.

Dixon will learn what he looks like on the sidelines soon enough. His identity, the way it’s received. If his reviews hold any weight, his last name will stick.

“He’s been around a long time learning, and I feel like he’s born for this,” guard Adam Flagler said of Dixon. “He’s a natural born leader.”

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Las Vegas Summer League

When: July 12-22

Where: Thomas & Mack Center/Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas

Thunder schedule: 

• Saturday: vs Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m. CT, NBA TV

• July 15: vs. Miami Heat, 5 p.m. CT, ESPNU

• July 17: vs. Phoenix Suns, 7 p.m. CT, NBA TV

• July 19: vs. Golden State Warriors, 9:30 p.m. CT, NBA TV

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Who is OKC Thunder coach at NBA Summer League? Meet Daniel Dixon