On June 5, 2025, the OKC Thunder will compete in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012 and for the first time since their former star, Kevin Durant, departed for the Golden State Warriors. Propelled by the talents of 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the franchise will play the winner of the Pacers-Knicks series for a chance at NBA glory.
Advertisement
With much of the league’s fan base anticipating the final series, some are seizing the opportunity to compare SGA’s achievements to those of Kevin Durant in 2012. One of those individuals happens to be former Thunder center Kendrick Perkins, who weighed in on Gilgeous-Alexander’s impact on the Thunder.
When asked how he would view SGA if the Thunder won this season’s championship, Big Perk, who was teammates with Kevin Durant during their run to the 2012 NBA Finals, stated, “Two things, number one, he will be the greatest Thunder ever! Yes, past Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.”
Perkins further highlighted Gilgeous-Alexander’s achievements, noting how the Canadian has averaged over 30 ppg for three consecutive seasons now, all while shooting more than 50% from the field.
That’s not all, though. He’s the first MVP since Steph Curry to make the NBA Finals in the same year, and should the Thunder go on to win, he could become the first player since LeBron James to win MVP and Finals MVP in the same season.
Of course, all that would do is cement the way we’ve been looking at SGA for a while now. Only superstars manage to do what he’s been doing this season, and Perkins wholeheartedly believes a Thunder championship would mean bona fide superstar status for Shai.
“Secondly, he would get his superstar jacket and sit at the table with LeBron James, Jokic, Steph, KD, and Giannis,” he continued. “Enter in that room of being a legit superstar because he has checked all the boxes, and there’s nothing else for him to do but add to his legacy.”
Perkins is known for making some of the most outlandish claims in NBA media, but if one were to take an objective look, people might agree with Big Perk. Although no one, including Perkins, is stating that SGA is a better basketball player than Kevin Durant, there may be some credence to Big Perk’s statement.
KD won the NBA MVP title two seasons after leading the Thunder to the Finals. Although he, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, and James Harden overcame Dallas, the Lakers, and San Antonio on their way to the finals, they could not get past LeBron and the Miami Heat.
As a member of the OKC Thunder, Kevin Durant may be seen as their “homegrown“ superstar who did not succeed. Yes, he did not succeed against one of the greatest players of all time, LeBron James, but many OKC fans will still regard that run as a failure, especially if they win the championship this season.
Additionally, many OKC fans still feel resentment towards KD’s departure from the Golden State Warriors, which may also be at the root of such claims.
Should SGA and this young Thunder squad go all the way, there’s not a lot of fans in Oklahoma City that will argue with anyone placing Gilgeous Alexander above KD in their all-time Thunder rankings.
