OKC Thunder Enter the Season With a Weight Lifted Off Its Shoulders

Over the last few seasons, Oklahoma City has had to endure plenty of weight on its shoulders. Being the youngest team in the NBA with a lot of what-ifs, nobody expected to see this team rise this fast. The Thunder surprised the entire NBA on its way to the top.

Even dating back to the play-in season in 2022-23, Oklahoma City had to prove its worth. Not only were they on a mission to prove things as a team, but the roster was full of young prospects trying to prove their worth as NBA players, too. Everyone was on a mission. Oklahoma City heavily exceeded expectations, even counting in the fact that they missed the playoffs by just a hair.

And then, of course, came the season where the Thunder took the league by storm. People knew Oklahoma City was going to be a problem in the future after the year prior, but nobody could’ve predicted the rapid rise to the top. The Thunder won the Western Conference, surpassed the 50-win mark, and seemed to be finally announcing its arrival. There was still so much pressure on the young team, though. The entire season, it felt like every NBA talking head and fan doubted this team because of their age, and the elite veteran teams in the West seemed daunting in the postseason.

Eventually, the doubters were right, and that pressure was too much to handle. After the magical 2023-24 regular season, Oklahoma City fizzled out in the second round against a battle-tested, talented Dallas Mavericks team. The cloud was still over the franchise’s head — getting so close to the end goal, but falling short. Oklahoma City has had so many good teams over the years, but up until last season had never been able to get over the hump.

This past season, Oklahoma City finally broke through. After over 15 years since moving to the city, the Thunder won an elusive NBA championship, marking eternal glory. The doubters were still in full force until the final buzzer, but once it sounded, there was nothing anyone could say anymore. There was no more pressure.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finally took home a well-deserved MVP award after a few years of being so close. Jalen Williams silenced his critics who wondered if he could be a second option, and even added a 40-points NBA Finals performance to his resume in the process. Chet Holmgren set both NBA Finals and NBA Playoffs records in defensive categories and blocks, proving all of his predraft critics wrong. The Thunder’s big three pulled it off, there was no one left to silence.

And now, heading into a new season, Oklahoma City is officially in unfamiliar territory. There’s nobody left to prove wrong, both as a team and as individuals. The pressure is completely off. Everyone is well aware of just how good this team and the players on it are. That’s why they’re title favorites once again.

It has to be a freeing feeling for the franchise and the roster. There’s nothing to focus on but basketball, and going back-to-back would be the icing on the cake. As the Thunder always preaches, it’s one day at a time, and the new season starts a new chapter. But it’s a chapter without weight on its shoulders, beginning the quest of proving the betters right instead of wrong.