The Oklahoma City Thunder are the 2025 NBA Champions. And despite competing in a stacked Western Conference, this title could be the first of many.
An emotionally heavy Game 7 saw the Oklahoma City Thunder triumph 103-91 against the Indiana Pacers.
The new champions were led in scoring by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who completed the rare feat of winning the scoring title, MVP, and Finals MVP.
OKC’s stacked roster is expected to stay together for 2025-26 too, and they also have the 15th overall pick in the NBA Draft.
Most impressively, OKC won this year’s title without their 2024 Draft pick, Nikola Topic.
Nikola Topic is an exciting young prospect who spent time playing in Serbia before being drafted at number 12 overall last season.
He sustained a torn ACL in January 2024, months before the Draft, but OKC still saw enough talent to take a gamble on his potential.
They also had a stacked roster that allowed them to be patient, and keep Topic on the sidelines even when healthy.
Speaking to The Dan Patrick Show, NBA expert Chris Mannix says he has been told that OKC expect Topic to be involved next season.
Mannix said: “He was out all year with a knee injury. When I speak to people in Oklahoma City about him, they are like ‘he’s going to be in the rotation next year.’
“He’s a 6’6″ point guard that has one of those dynamic European games.”
Topic is the first NBA player to become a champion in the league without playing a single game, HoopsHype reports.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2024-25 season was the franchise’s first ever NBA title. And they hope it will be the start of a dynasty.
The last team to go back-to-back was the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018, and OKC are well positioned to come back stronger.
Mannix said: “They are less likely to lose pricy veterans, Lu Dort for example, that they are not going to be able to replace them with guys who are close to that level.
“That’s why I think this team, as much as any team over the past six or seven years has a chance to have some longevity at the top.”
