Just being around a winning team can be a galvanizing experience for a player.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are aiming to become a dynasty, and that starts with becoming the first NBA team in seven years to retain the title.
There is a long road ahead in 2025-26, and amid the wait for the season to begin, one of their players is attempting to continue his winning habit.
Ousmane Dieng will be in action for France at EuroBasket, and is determined to win another title.
Ousmane Dieng, 22, played a peripheral role in the Thunder’s success, featuring in only 37 regular season games and three playoff games.
Speaking after his third season with the team, Dieng believes he learned a lot from the past season.
He told the French media: “I improved a lot in many areas, which makes the game seem simpler, slower. I also progressed a lot physically.
“Achieving a title is a dream come true, but I also learned a lot along the way. I learned from the playoffs that every possession counts, because we lost twice at the buzzer, we must not waste it.”
Dieng was referring to late individual game losses to the Denver Nuggets and the Indiana Pacers. In both series OKC recovered to clinch them 4-3.
He aims to take his lessons into EuroBasket, adding: “It’s an important experience for the future but also for the French team: I learned how to win titles.”
France are one of the favorites to win EuroBasket, and one of their main competitors will be Serbia, led by Nuggets star Nikola Jokic.
They will also feature Dieng’s Thunder teammate Nikola Topic, who missed all of last season recovering from a torn ACL.
Topic impressed at NBA Summer League, and getting more game time in ahead of the season will be beneficial for both him and Dieng – but there can only be one winner.
