It’s taken 13 years, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are closing in on the mountaintop of the NBA world. Their Game 5 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves secured a return to the NBA Finals. In a sense, this run feels like a serious case of deja vu. The last time they made the NBA Finals, their roster construction followed the same principle as today’s roll.
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OKC once had one of the best young cores in the NBA, with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden teaming up before they entered their true primes. Their runway to contention appeared to be extremely long, but, unfortunately, the 2012 NBA Finals appearance would be the last time the three would be teammates.
Fast forward to 2025, and the Thunder have a new group of young stars leading the way. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren still have their whole careers ahead of them. It’s easy to become consumed by the allure of what this team could potentially achieve for years to come. But it’s imperative not to turn a blind eye to the past.
ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst was around for OKC’s last NBA Finals push. He has noticed numerous similarities between the two iterations of the team. In his opinion, one key aspect sets this year’s roster apart from the Durant-led group.
“This is a team that’s playing with a joy and an unburdenness that you don’t normally see in contenders,” Windhorst said on ESPN’s First Take. “Masked with an organization that is extremely mature.”
The Thunder organization has learned from their past mistakes. That 2012 front office core is still intact. The roster itself might be youthful, but the franchise has loads of experience keeping them afloat.
This has led to a massive trickle-down effect on the players. OKC is the youngest team in the NBA, yet their performance on a nightly basis rivals that of a seasoned veteran squad. The result is a beautiful brand of basketball that NBA analyst Michael Wilbon has never seen before.
“The harmony in which these guys are playing and interacting with one another feels different than the previous OKC edition,” Wilbon said.
From post-game interviews to on-court interactions, it’s clear this Thunder team maintains a strong rapport with one another. Within that camaraderie is a belief that they can win it all.
As great as things seem currently, the team will face difficult financial decisions in the future. Thankfully, that won’t be a major concern until the 2026-27 season.
Money woes seem to be the least of anyone’s worries right now, as OKC is so close to finally bringing home an NBA championship. They’ve checked 12 wins off their list and only have four more to achieve their ultimate goal.
