The current Oklahoma City Thunder team has captured everyone’s attention. With their growth and development, the current Thunder team might be the best in franchise history.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been dominant in 2025, which led to their first NBA Finals run since 2012. They were the favorites to win from the start of the 2024-25 season, and they are meeting expectations.
With the core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams, the Thunder are in good hands. They are a young core group of players, which bodes well for their long-term future. This has led Jay Williams and others to call them a future dynasty.
The Thunder were already one of the best teams in the 2023-24 season, but they were still pretty young. General manager Sam Presti went to the drawing board, which led to OKC snapping up Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Those were game-changing moves for the Thunder, as they became the best team during the regular season. They won 68 games, which translated well into their postseason run, including a dominant victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It was a fantastic season, especially for the Holmgren-led defense, which is receiving deserved hype. On ESPN’s Get Up, Jay Williams showered the franchise with praise because he sees this young core staying together. He even compared it to the 2012 team led by Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.
“I still think this OKC team is underhyped. There is definitely a Spurs-like dynasty feel to them. No drama, no flash, no superstar celebrity energy. Just inevitability,” Williams said on Get Up.
“The core of SGA, Chet, and Jalen Williams, is more complementary than the KD, Russ, Harden ever was.”
“It’s not a shot to them. It’s just a reflection based on the trust, balance, and the culture that was established. This feels like a system built to last for a long time.”
Oklahoma City has a fantastic team built on smart decisions. The trade for Gilgeous-Alexander was a masterclass in getting assets. He was their best acquisition, but the draft picks were also helpful. Jalen Williams was part of the package with the pick from the Los Angeles Clippers. Williams’ growth is impressive because he has become an auxiliary star player alongside Holmgren.
It is an impressive achievement because the front office built this team. Presti did his homework in identifying the players who fit the system, and that is paying off. The 2025 Playoffs are not yet over, but they are the overwhelming favorites to win the title.
Even if they somehow lose in the 2025 Finals, the young core will band together and compete for more championships. This bodes well for Presti’s long-term plans for the team, as they want to keep contending.
