Thunder Rise Built on Patience, Culture, Young Stars and Element of Surprise

The Oklahoma City Thunder and their rise from a rebuilding project to a legitimate Western Conference powerhouse is one of the most impressive stories in the NBA this season.NBA, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

After making jumps of 16 and 17 wins over the past two seasons, this team has turned into a juggernaut — led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren (when healthy) emerging as star-caliber players.

Instead of opting for another trade to bring in a big-name star after last spring’s second-round playoff exit, Thunder GM Sam Presti took a different approach.

He prioritized adding the right role players to complement the young core, signing Isaiah Hartenstein and trading for Alex Caruso, who at 30, became the oldest player on the roster when he was acquired in a deal with the Chicago Bulls this summer.

Now, nearing the halfway point of the season, Oklahoma City is on pace for a 69-win campaign, despite Holmgren being sidelined after just 10 games with a fractured pelvis.

The Thunder have been particularly dominant on defense, allowing a league-low 102.9 points per 100 possessions, a mark that’s 3.8 points better than any other team. Their defensive excellence will be put to the test Thursday night as they host the Cleveland Cavaliers, who ended the Thunder’s 15-game win streak on Jan. 8.

For newcomers like Hartenstein, the Thunder’s culture has made a strong impression.

“I think a lot of young guys focus too much on what’s going to happen in the future, but I feel like they’re really good at making sure we’re getting better each day,” said the 26-year-old big man, who is the third-oldest player on the roster.

He credits the team’s success to its emphasis on the “boring stuff” — the small details that make a championship team. This discipline, paired with their youthful energy, has been crucial for the Thunder’s rapid rise.

Coach Mark Daigneault likens Gilgeous-Alexander’s evolution into one of the league’s elite players to investing in a mutual fund — slow and steady, with day-by-day gains compounding over time.

This analogy applies to the Thunder’s broader path as well. When Presti promoted Daigneault to head coach four and a half years ago, the team was in full rebuild mode, and progress was slow.

But Daigneault kept the focus on playing the right way, even when the results weren’t immediate. As Gilgeous-Alexander himself put it, those foundational years set the stage for what the team has become today: a contender.

Presti’s decision to avoid making big trades during the rebuild, even when armed with a historic stockpile of draft picks, has paid off. The Thunder’s patience and emphasis on player development have borne fruit, and now they sit atop the Western Conference standings.

“They want to be a part of something bigger than themselves,” Daigneault said of his players, adding that the team’s maturity has been key to their success. “You take those people, you put ‘em in a stable environment, you educate ‘em on the value of all the invisible things, and you hammer that environment over and over again.”

It’s clear: Oklahoma City is no longer a team in transition — they’re a team ready to compete for championships.

With a mix of young talent, defensive prowess, and a culture built on steady growth, the Thunder are poised to continue their rise as one of the NBA’s most dangerous teams.

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