Winning the Larry O'Brien Trophy is the Holy Grail of the league, the ultimate measurement of greatness. The Oklahoma City Thunder , led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , won the NBA title last season as one of the youngest teams in the league. What makes them particularly intriguing is that many predict they could become a dynasty.
On paper, they have it all: a young team, a young head coach in Mark Daigneault, who, along with GM Sam Presti has been patiently building this squad from the ground up, and a superstar in SGA who simply elevates them to that next level.
SGA himself spoke about how much last season's championship meant to him and what it represents for his future.
"A step in the right direction for sure, without a doubt," Gilgeous-Alexander said for the OKC Thunder Wire. "All of the guys that I study, idolize, look up to, get to that level multiple times. There's still a lot of work to do. I didn't play basketball just to win one time and be done."
Of course, that's the only logical mindset for any athlete. The truth, however, is that throughout NBA history, many great players have never experienced the joy of winning a title. If we focus only on guards, names like James Harden and Allen Iverson immediately come to mind, players who, much like Gilgeous-Alexander, dominated the game in their eras.
No matter how great they were, they simply can't be mentioned in the same breath as Kobe Bryant , Dwyane Wade , or Stephen Curry , and let's not even start with Michael Jordan. Curry, as part of the league's last true dynasty, stands as the most recent example of sustained greatness. Today, we're living in an era of unprecedented parity, with seven different champions in the last seven seasons.
In recent years, it seemed like the Denver Nuggets and then the Boston Celtics could go down that dynastic path. Both teams had stars in their prime, deep rosters, and superstars like Nikola Jokic and Jayson Tatum who made them perennial contenders. But front office missteps and injuries have so far slowed that momentum.
With OKC, that isn't the case. Injuries are always a possibility, but Presti's strategic moves have ensured that even in the event of setbacks or roster changes, the team has enough flexibility to adapt and remain competitive.
All of this builds the narrative that if Shai continues to dominate at this level, the Thunder will remain in constant title contention. And if the Canadian superstar adds a few more rings and MVPs to his resume, his name will inevitably be mentioned among the greatest guards of all time.
The Kentucky product's playing style resembles Dwyane Wade 's as he's one of the league's best two-way players, deadly from midrange and elite at attacking the rim. He's complete, capable of running an offense as the primary ball handler and thrives in clutch situations.
Around him is a roster full of youthful energy and defensive versatility – ten players who can all contribute in multiple ways – while Shai, as the team's leader, elevates everything to another level. Paul Pierce explained why Oklahoma is built to dominate with Shai .
"They play the right way, I like the way they play," Pierce said . "I like Shai. The culture they've built over there is different. You know, when you watch them do interviews, you see he's got all his team with him. It's crazy how young he is to be at this level right now. They can start a dynasty really. This team is built for a long run."
That chemistry The Truth talks about is visible both on and off the court, making OKC one of the favourites heading into next season. SGA is coming off three straight seasons averaging at least 30 points on 50 percent or more from the field, and his prime should last for several more years.
It's almost scary to think this team can get even better. Everything suggests that when it's all said and done, we'll be talking about the 2025 MVP as one of the greatest to ever do it.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 5, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
