After losing one of the best trios of ‘What Could’ve Been’ nearly a decade ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder went on to revamp their roster in a way no one saw coming. General manager Sam Presti’s smart and calculated moves of hitting the reset button brought in players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren to name a few. But is this team better than the one from the old OKC days? Well, this NBA analyst sure believes so.
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One of the voices of NBA Today on SiriusXMNBARadio, NBA analyst Justin Termine drew impudent comparisons between the old Thunder squad of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden to this new, revamped OKC roster.
“They might be better than Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Harden…Maybe Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on the level of Durant, Harden, and Westbrook. Maybe Chet is never as good as any of those three guys, same thing with Jaden Williams. They can be good players, they can be All-NBA players, which I think they might be. But they’re never MVP candidates.”
“From this perspective, they’re better. They fit better. All three guys complement each other perfectly…It seems like this team is a little bit less egoless with their young players whereas all three of those guys got massive egos. And two, they just complement each other better which wasn’t the case with those three guys back then.”
“This team is a little less egoless”@TermineRadio tells @JumpShot8 why he thinks this current Thunder team could be the franchise’s best ever. #NBAPlayoffs
Hear Thunder/Mavericks Game 3 coming up at 3:30p on NBA Radio 📻 https://t.co/iiUuqRLHYL pic.twitter.com/pvC0h6QMOJ
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) May 11, 2024
Justin Termine made a valid argument on the comparisons between the two eras of players in Thunder basketball history. When talking in terms of chemistry, this new Thunder squad does have a certain advantage.
The team does not seem to have a specific player that may be considered a ball hog. Instead, this new Thunder squad believes in their fellow teammates and does not shy away from passing the rock and sharing the love on offense.
The team may rely on SGA to get points in crucial moments but the players and even the coaching staff have, more or less, the same level of confidence in the rest of the roster as much as they do in their All-Stars and potential stars.
However, when talking about the accomplishments, the individual accolades, and the level of success the old Thunder squad had; they are still lightyears ahead of what the current roster has been able to achieve.
Current OKC stars showing love to Kevin Durant and Co.
The world may compare the two eras of players in Oklahoma City Thunder’s basketball history, but this new squad still has immense love and respect for the players who had Paycom Center (Chesapeake Arena before) roaring with fans before their arrival.
While Chet Holmgren may be the poster guy for Kevin Durant’s latest signature sneaker, KD 17, the 7’1 rookie was honest and upfront about Durant’s work ethic and his attention to detail. Mentioning how KD has seen it all in the past 17 years in the league, Holmgren hopes to follow in his footsteps.
Apart from Holmgren’s admiration for the former Thunder star, current OKC All-Star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander too has cultivated a close relationship with former 2017 MVP and nine-time All-Star, Russell Westbrook.
“He’s one of the best competitors to ever play the game…(Westbrook) is a really good guy off the court and a guy that I’m cool with. We’re friends you know, he’s just a really good guy.”
This new Oklahoma City squad might go on to replace the feats of KD, Brodie, and The Beard, but they haven’t forgotten what those players achieved in terms of individual success and their contributions to Thunder basketball.
