Oct 5, 2025; North Charleston, South Carolina, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) tosses up a shot against the Charlotte Hornets in the first quarter at North Charleston Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Arthur Ellis-Imagn Images Arthur Ellis-Imagn Images

Aaron Wiggins, Ousmane Dieng Shine in First Preseason Bout

Originally posted on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI
By Nate Aker | Last updated Oct 6, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Oklahoma City Thunder has kicked off its preseason for the 2025-26 campaign, and its preseason squad picked right up where the champions left off at the end of last season.

With a 23-point performance, Aaron Wiggins led the way for Oklahoma City to a 134-114 victory against the Charlotte Hornets in the preseason opener, locking them down defensively while shooting over 50% from the field. It was fitting, and another example as to how Wiggins continues to progress.

Many times we saw last season, Wiggins has the capability to take over a game. Whether it was multiple 30-plus scoring games, or even the 41-point outing he had against the Sacramento Kings, he really demonstrated his skill set as a scorer—and for those outside the Thunder sphere, that was new.

He let that be known on Sunday evening against Sacramento, and not too far behind him was Ousmane Dieng.

Dieng, now a fourth-year Thunder, hasn't quite been able to crack the rotation on a consistent, important basis despite being an excitable asset with a lot of potential. Now at 22-years old, his time is ticking a bit faster.

And on Sunday, Dieng performed very well at the preseason level. This was the third most points he's scored in a preseason contest in his career, as 17 points on 50% shooting six assists, eight rebounds and a steal helped propel the Thunder to a victory.

Dieng needs this kind of confidence boost—but even if he shows out at this level, garnering significant time on this Thunder roster is going to be an uphill battle. Still, these type of momentum-gathering performances are certainly beneficial.

Beyond Dieng, Chris Youngblood and Jaylin Williams are two names that were called upon often in the game. Williams, scoring 17 with three assists and two boards, and Youngblood, who scored the second most with 20 points going 7-for-11 from the field, both had their imprints made in the Thunder's 21-point victory.

But as momentum is gathered, Wiggins will continue to establish himself as a valid starter and vital contributor to this team—and for Dieng, he has to progress and progress, and demonstrate that at a high level if he hopes to carve out a role with Oklahoma City.

This article first appeared on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: