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The campaign to support a Dec. 12 vote for a new arena for downtown OKC launched on Thursday! Learn more at KeepOKCBigLeague.com

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Keep OKC Big League Event

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OKC Thunder Films debuted a story of resilience on local paralympian Derek Loccident.

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Thunder Debuts 'Steps'

He is the youngest guard ever to average at least 30 points on 50% shooting for a season. He tallied a league-leading 45 games scoring 30-plus points and led the league in third-quarter scoring, averaging 10.2 points in the frame.

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Shai Named to the 22-23 All-NBA First Team

From mental and physical tests, to unlearning and learning again, the approach will carry us Onward.

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Obstacles provide opportunities: Royce Young on the 15th season

By Nick Gallo | Broadcast Reporter and Digital Editor | okcthunder.com

Personal ambition, limited internal communication, an amplification of outside voices, a lack of physicality and the fits and starts of an 82-game regular season can all be factors that get in the way for young teams in the NBA.&nbsp;

While no team is ever perfect, the Thunder was intentional for the entirety of the 2022-23 season to understand those potential pitfalls and then worked to ensure they didn’t impact the group. When the dust settled at the end of the year, the organization could reflect with gratitude on not necessarily&nbsp;what&nbsp;happened this season, but&nbsp;how&nbsp;it happened, and the road map that approach provides moving forward.&nbsp;

In his beginning of season remarks, Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti laid out those five possible obstacles that he could see on the horizon, but that the players on the second-youngest team in NBA history might not foresee. On Thursday, when he met with the media to discuss the team’s exciting campaign that ended with a 40-42 record and a pair of play-in games, he re-surfaced those same characteristics as a reminder of what the Thunder navigated all year.&nbsp;

“Guys did a good job with priorities,” said Presti. “That’s in addition to the internal development and player development reasons why we were able to achieve what we achieved this year in terms of progress.”

There were so many bright spots in the Thunder’s season, many of which were blossoms of the seeding and watering the organization had been doing for the two prior seasons as well. The increased production and efficiency of players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey were complemented by the pleasant surprises that come from an environment where exploration and growth can happen.&nbsp;

Like the tide rising onto the seashore, rookie Jalen Williams’ impact continued to swell throughout the year, but just like a deep sandy beach, the team absorbed each wave with synchronicity. By the end of the season, there were four players – Isaiah Joe, Lindy Waters III, Aaron Wiggins and Jaylin Williams – who didn’t see much of the floor at the beginning of the year but were a part of the rotation in the play-in games.&nbsp;

Under head coach Mark Daigneault and with the full support of every member of the Thunder organization, the Thunder undertook a process of exploration throughout the year, observing what worked and what didn’t, then pushed forward in areas where players started to thrive, like when the team went small and played Kenrich Williams at the center spot. Each change in the starting lineup (30 in total this year), each switch up of the rotation and assignment to the G League’s Oklahoma City Blue were opportunities for these young Thunder players to engage in conscious discomfort. That process pushed players to limits in different ways and was rich soil for each one to discover and learn.&nbsp;

“The guys were not put in comfortable positions over the last few years,” said Presti. “We can't bubble wrap everybody. They're going to have to face steep circumstances. They're going to have to compete.”&nbsp;

“When you have a young team, part of the way you make up for some of the gaps that you're gonna have is how quickly do you adapt? How quickly do you learn?” Presti noted. “That's a really important part of development – team development as well as personal development. I thought our guys learned along the way and could apply that stuff pretty quickly. I was really impressed with that. Those are those are pretty good traits.”&nbsp;

In 2022-23 season, the Thunder’s net rating jumped up nine points from the previous year. The team made strides in its physicality and earned the respect and attention of its opponents with its league-leading 17 wins after being down double-digits. Not only did the Thunder defy external expectations, much more importantly it didn’t pay them any mind. Daigneault finished second in the NBA Coach of the Year race. Many Thunder players are in the running for other individual awards and accolades. Yet when players were in between the lines, in film sessions and team meetings, those things were all secondary to how they could help the group succeed.&nbsp;

Presti, who uses music analogies in many of his beginning and end of season remarks, noted that the Thunder played ahead of the beat this past year – meaning that the results outpaced the normal cadence for a team of its age and experience level. While of course that’s a positive, Presti was sure to remind Thunder fans, the media and most crucially the team itself that there will be times over this journey where this young group seems to be behind the beat. That’s okay too, it’s all a part of the path to getting where this team wants to go.&nbsp;

There’s so much buzz in state of Oklahoma and around the world as the bleed blue Thunder fans raced to the airport at 3 a.m. to greet the team after wins and losses alike at the end of the season. With that excitement, there’s an understanding that this team still has a long way to go. The Thunder is still in the experience accumulation stage of its attempt to climb to the top of the NBA mountain, and in order to have a steady hand in the late stages of the season and the postseason, the Thunder must learn from those experiences, gain wisdom and translate that to poise.&nbsp;

“In order to make it, first you have to have instincts as a player and as a team. That kind of keeps you surviving. If you have reasonable instincts, that affords you experiences,” Presti explained. “If you are a good learner, you can accumulate the experiences – good and bad – learn from them, and then eventually over time you can funnel those into wisdom. If you have collected enough of that wisdom, eventually that leads to poise.”&nbsp;

The Thunder held a winning record for only two months this past year, and as it integrates Chet Holmgren as well as another potential lottery pick into the mix next season, the team understands it will be challenged to work from back at square one in October. Those same forces that pull at a young NBA team each season will be there again, staring at a team that may have continuity, but will still look different heading into next season. As the Thunder learned in the 2022-23 season, as much can change within a season as in between seasons, so the team must double down on its core principles of high character, hard work, competitiveness and fitting into the team.&nbsp;

Each player will head into the offseason with their own individual player development plans. The Thunder will attack its work in scouting and at the draft with the same diligence it always does, then bring those new players to Summer League in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas to check in with each guy and introduce the rookies to the group right away.&nbsp;

As soon as you know it, it’ll be September and this collection of young men will be back together in Oklahoma City, building upon the chemistry generated over the last few years, but absorbing more, growing talent into the group. If the Thunder keeps its focus, stays together and maintains the mental and physical discipline to handle the challenges of the offseason in the same way it handled the 2022-23 season, it will have a chance to keep making waves next year and beyond.&nbsp;

“I'm less concerned with what happens,” Presti said. “I'm very, very concerned with how it happens.”

“If we have a calm persistence and the discipline to resist the path of least resistance, I think we will continue to make progress over the course of time,” Presti added.

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Calm Persistence

As the Thunder returned home to Oklahoma City from Minneapolis in the early hours of Saturday morning, they were met with a large, roaring crowd of loyal Thunder fans at the airport. It may have been 3 a.m. but that didn’t stop the chants, signs and passionate cheers from the proud fanbase who celebrated what was a valuable, exciting and high-achieving season for the youngest team in the NBA.&nbsp;

The team racked up 84-games worth of new experiences and lessons including two road matchups in the postseason against the New Orleans Pelicans and the Minnesota Timberwolves. It wasn’t a linear path for OKC this season – it was a year full of breakthroughs as well as regression, but ultimately resulted in a team that was better at the end of the season than they were at the beginning.&nbsp;

Even with the impressive growth that the Thunder demonstrated this year, the team recognizes that it is far from a finished product. Armed now with the lessons and meaningful experiences from this season, the squad will roll up its sleeves and get to work in the offseason. Before they set out on their ways, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault and the entire roster made their way back to the practice facility on Saturday to reflect on the year and all of those valuable lessons in their end-of-season interviews.

Veteran Dario Šarić joined the Thunder in February as a part of a trade with the Phoenix Suns. Even with just a couple of months experience with the team, Šarić fit right into the Thunder’s style of play with his shooting and his high basketball IQ and as the oldest member of the young Thunder roster, Šarić offered his perspective on the closeness that he witnessed with the group.

“It's a very close team. Most guys are similar age. Of course, they have a similar interest and that kind of stuff. But high-quality group of people,” said Šarić. “Competitive – they want to come on the court even if it's off day. They want to work out, they want to be the best version of themselves."

Šarić brought value to the Thunder with his veteran NBA experience and 3-point shooting ability. The thing he tried to bring each day, regardless of his role in the rotation that night, was his professionalism and consistency.

“I bring my toughness, my professionalism every day,” said Šarić. “I try to be the best that I can and show it even if I don’t play. Try to be who I am and healthy part of the organization.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sat down at the podium just a few hours removed from the Thunder’s final game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He had a bandage under his right eye from an elbow that he took from Rudy Gobert. Just like that didn’t stop him from playing the rest of that game, it didn’t stop him from smiling in his end-of-season interview.

“I may not look good, but I feel good,” he reassured the media.

Gilgeous-Alexander played a large role in the Thunder’s success on the floor this season, but his focus as a player was always to play well within a great team. As he reflected on the season, it was the relationships and the connection that the team built up this season.

“The relationships I think I've built, I think we've built throughout the season have been great. Obviously it's a business, and you have guys that are beside you like that you can tell they have your best interests, and it's like a family,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “I think you enjoy the season and you enjoy the travel and all the stuff that doesn't make it fun a little bit more, and it makes everything better.”

Gilgeous-Alexander was named a finalist for the NBA’s Most Improved Award for the season he put together –&nbsp;the best of his career. From leading the league in 30-point games this season to ranking fourth in steals per game, but it came with a consistent dedication to improvement and growth both throughout the year and in the offseason. With each offseason, Gilgeous-Alexander has come back a more improved player and the Canada native intends to attack this offseason with the same approach.

“I try to get better at everything. I try to be the most complete basketball player I can be,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “There's some things I know that I can feel to work on, but I'll go home, chill for a bit, and then attack the program with a couple of my skills coaches and then go to work. I should be better by next year, too.”

As one of the most respected guys in the Thunder locker room and one of the fiercest competitors, Kenrich Williams admitted that it was difficult for him to have to watch as his team fought and competed down the stretch of the season. Even still, the 28-year-old showed a lot of pride in how the group handled itself and the growth it showed throughout the year.

“Just our growth as a team is what I saw, from sitting on the sideline,” said Williams. “Just from the beginning of the year, even training camp, to the end of the year, the last game last night, just our growth as a team, the steps we took.

"Super proud of the guys that they bought into everything that this organization is about, and I'm looking forward to the following years.”

In his fourth year with the Thunder, Williams played 53 games, missing the last 20 of the season after sustaining a wrist injury that required surgery. That didn’t stop him from continuing to be a strong, veteran presence for the group with his voice on the sidelines.

“It's super hard when you're not playing just to try to be like a continuous part of the team even when you're not in uniform,” said Williams. “But I know that my five years of being in the NBA that I do have a voice, so I was able to kind of share some pointers and a little game plan stuff with the guys that translated to the game, so I think overall I did a pretty solid job.”

There had been a lot of highs and lows for Lu Dort throughout his fourth NBA season. The Thunder’s defensive ace encountered the highs of an NBA Play-In tournament win and the lows of injury midway through the year. Even still, Dort looked back on the season with a big smile.

“It was really fun. Just how close we were and the group of guys we had, it was just fun,” said Dort. “We had so much fun in everything that we did together and overall I feel like we had a good season so there's a lot to be happy about this season.”

When looking back at his own game, there’s plenty for Dort to be proud of as well. The defensive ace took on his usual load of hefty defensive assignments and shut down the likes of Luka Doncic, Kawhi Leonard and Damian Lillard. However, the biggest area of growth that Dort felt like he made this season wasn’t on one specific end of the floor – it was a mental jump.

“Really being patient and let the game come to me. It was we really made a big jump and it was kind of hard for me to adjust at first, but just watching film and having talked with the coaches. I felt like I just had to stay efficient, let the game come to me and I felt like the season was way easier towards the end of the season for me to really dig into that.”

For Aleksej Pokuševski, this season was far from ideal. Hampered by injury that kept him out for a significant portion of the season, the 21-year-old played just 34 games this season. Even with that adversity, Pokuševski credited the closeness of the team for his ability to navigate his injuries.

“It’s been great. This team is special because of how young we are and we understand what we’ve got to do to win. We're into that,” said Pokuševski. “It was pretty tough, but I was inside the team a lot, traveling with the team helped me a lot. Guys were supportive.

Before his injury, Pokuševski had shown his ability to guard multiple positions on the defensive end, including significant time at the center spot. Once he recovers from his knee contusion that kept him out the last four games of the season, Pokuševski intends on continuing his growth in defending those bigs.

“Every summer is the same. I want to get stronger. I want to try and be able to guard all the positions,” said Pokuševski. “This year I was on the 5, and I have the option now, so wherever Coach puts me I want to be able to do the work.”

The Thunder saw large strides in Josh Giddey’s game this season. The second year-guard averaged a career-high in scoring while also dishing out 6.2 assists and pulling down 7.9 rebounds. Perhaps the most visible area of growth for Giddey was the physicality and force that he played with on the offensive end. It was an area that he’d focused on last offseason with extra time spent in the weight room.

“I started to figure out that I'm typically going to be a lot bigger than the guys that are guarding me,” said Giddey. “Just trying to use that to my advantage. That’s something that I'm going to continue to do this summer, get stronger, work on those things.”

At just 20 years old, Giddey still has a long runway ahead of him, just like the young Thunder roster as a whole. The Australian guard felt encouraged by what he saw from the team this season – the youngest in the NBA – and how they handled and navigated the highs, lows and new experiences thrown at them this season.

“The best part about this group is we put the past in the past. Previous games don't matter, we move forward so the morale is always higher around the team. I think through an 82 game season it has to be that way. You can't ride all the highs and lows,” said Giddey. “The way we conducted ourselves throughout the season I think was impressive for such a young group and that's what we need to continue to do going forward.”

Tre Mann found himself in an inconsistent role in the Thunder’s rotation this season. The second-year guard spent time in the starting lineup, time in the g-league with the OKC Blue and stretches without playing at all, but as he sat at the podium for his end-of-season interview, Mann explained how he approached the season and why he feels like he’s better for it.

“I do feel like I'm a better player this year. I was an even better player now than the start of this year just from going through a tough time and learning from it,” said Mann. “A situation like this can break people or it can make people and I feel like this one definitely made me. I'm going to use this whole season, this whole experience going into this summer and then going into next year like a learning process.”

Through the tough year, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault gave a lot of credit to Mann for his approach and his mentality through his fluctuating role. Mann said it was his teammates and coaches that helped keep him remain positive and mentally ready each day. The closeness of the team made the season fun for Mann even if it didn’t pan out exactly how he had expected.

“It was fun to be a part of. It just shows how dedicated and how together we were. I feel like we had a great bond and it was just fun coming to work every day and being around the same guys,” said Mann. “I feel like we did a really, really good this year and it was just fun coming to work every day.”

In all of his time as an athlete, in high school or college, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl hadn’t faced an injury that kept him out as long as the ankle injury he sustained this season with the Thunder. The second-year forward missed nearly two months with an ankle sprain and on his return, wasn’t able to find his way back into a regular rotation spot. Looking back on it, Robinson-Earl described his time this year as a “season of growth.”

“The beginning of the season being in the mix, then getting hurt, just kind of finding that flow again. It definitely shows that you just have to be ready for every single day, and what can you keep doing to better yourself despite the situations and staying mentally strong. Making sure you're always ready for when your number is called.”

That season of growth was how he described the year for the team as a whole as well. In his second season, Robinson-Earl recognized the value of the wide-ranging experiences the team was able to gather this year and how it felt going through it with a squad that is as close as the Thunder.

“It was definitely a season of growth for everybody. For the good, for the bad, I think you can learn from all the experiences that everybody went through this season and it definitely was a lot of fun,” said Robinson-Earl. “It's definitely a group I love doing it with, going through the ups and downs. We have a unique bond that a lot of teams don't have because of how young we are and the stage of our career where we're at. It’s definitely a lot of fun being able to go through all the things we do with this team.”

Aaron Wiggins sat down at the podium and couldn’t stop smiling. The second-year wing couldn’t believe that he had just wrapped up his second season and all of the joy that came with playing with this team.

“I was sitting here last year as a rookie and now it's my second year. I’m speechless,” said Wiggins. “As close knit of group as we are and the different personalities and characteristics that everyone brings to the table made this season super fun. And then being able to have postseason play, being able to play on that in that atmosphere and compete for something was super, super fun.”

In his two seasons with the Thunder, Wiggins earned the reputation of being an unflappable professional. He’s experienced everything from starting roles to coming off the bench for the first time in the fourth quarter to logging strings of DNP’s. In each of those situations, Wiggins made an impact in whatever area that was needed –&nbsp;offensively, defensively or just energy whenever his number was called. Heading into the offseason, Wiggins’ focus is on continuing to hone that well-rounded versatility and building on the growth he made this year.

“Defensively, continuing to just get better maneuvering and getting through screens, guarding the ball one-on-one,” explained Wiggins. “Physically I do want to get a little bit stronger, continue to grow there and then offensively, just continuing to work on my shot. I think I made a big jump from last season to this season with my jump shot. So continue to touch up on that and tie in little things here and there to add to my game.”

It had been a long journey for Oklahoma native Lindy Waters III to sit at the podium at the end of the season as a full-time roster player. Waters started the season on a two-way deal, but was converted to a full-time contract in February. Just two years ago, Waters was playing for the Enid Outlaws of the TBL and as he sat at the podium to address the media, he expressed his appreciation for the journey.

“A lot of ups and a lot of downs. I'm grateful for the opportunity. Grateful for every chance I get to step on that court and every chance to put on that jersey. Just looking forward to putting in the work for the summer.”

Waters played in 41 games for the Thunder this season as he worked to build up his cache of experiences on the NBA floor. After a season and a half in an OKC uniform, Waters has a clear vision for what he wants to accomplish in the offseason.

“My conditioning,” said Waters. “I want to come back in world-class shape. This is probably the biggest summer for me in that sense.”

When Isaiah Joe joined the Thunder in October, training camp had already come and gone. The preseason was right around the corner and both Joe and the Thunder were working to learn more about each other. By the time the third-year guard sat at the podium following an 84-game season, he had carved out a solidified role in the Thunder’s lineup and rotation as both a sharp-shooter and a scrappy defender.

“Whenever I first got here, they welcomed me with open arms. All the guys, we all got acquainted really fast. I think this team as a whole we just have a bond that's very strong and I'm really thankful for the opportunity that they've given me,” said Joe. “It's meant a lot I think everybody that plays this game is playing for a reason and whatever that reason may be and OKC done a really good job of implementing me into their system.”

Joe shot a career-high 40-percent from the 3-point line while knocking down a career-high 161 3-pointers. Heading into the summer, Joe is keeping his offseason plans simple, “Keep the main thing, the main thing – being able to shoot the rock.” Additionally, the Arkansas native explained that he’d also like to work on his strength, durability and endurance heading into another 82-game season.

It’s been a long season for rookie Chet Holmgren who missed the entire season after foot surgery. The 7-footer sat down for his end-of-season interview with a basketball in his hands after spending the year working through his rehab and recovery. In addition to making strides physically, Holmgren explained that he learned a lot from the sidelines and watching the NBA up close and personal each night.

“I had a front row seat to the class of getting buckets every night,” said Holmgren. “Obviously it looked a lot different than what was expected, but I just tried to work with what I was given and make sure that I was staying within the team and my focus was on the team and trying to help them succeed.”

The rookie said he was past the rehab portion of his recovery and is shifting into more 5-on-5 action. There will be a plan in place for Holmgren heading into the offseason as he works back to his return to the floor and the rookie gave a lot of credit to the Thunder’s medical staff and the organization for how he’s feeling heading into the summer.

“I feel great,” said Holmgren. “I've had a great team around me helping me get back to a great point and there's been a great plan in place. I feel like I followed that to a tee and it's gotten me in a great spot.”

It wasn’t until rookie Jalen Williams loaded up the plane back home from Minneapolis that he was able to reflect on the experiences he had gone through in his rookie season. Williams played the most games he’d ever played in a single season with 77 under his belt to go along with 64 starts. Despite the long season, it flew by for the brand-new 22-year-old.

“It just went by incredibly fast,” said Williams. “This time last year, I was preparing to get into the NBA. So just kind of reflecting on that and being grateful for the stuff that went into doing that.”

While most rookies hit a rookie wall throughout the long NBA season, that wasn’t the case for Williams who increased his scoring with each month throughout the season while also increasing his capacity for bigger assignments defensively. The rookie gives credit to the organization for how he was able to navigate his eventful NBA season.

“The organization – you forget that it's a business here just because of how family oriented and you know, I think everybody here wants you to succeed,” said Williams. “To play 77 games, I just attribute that to the organization for me being comfortable to come in here and use the resources that they put out.”

Williams was named a finalist for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award for his debut season. The rookie ranked in the top 10 among all rookies in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and field goal percentage this season. All the while, Williams continued to rack up high-level defensive assignments including Domantas Sabonis, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant –&nbsp;showcasing his versatility on both ends of the floor which is something he’s focused on improving heading into his first NBA offseason.

“I want to obviously increase my three point percentage. I think that's just the way the game is evolving. There's something that can always get better,” said Williams. “I think defensively I want to watch what Lu [Dort] does a lot more and kind of be that secondary and help them out in that way. I've gotten a lot of experience to be able to guard different types of players this year, so kind of taking that and to improve on that.”

Rookie Ousmane Dieng was 19 years old when he was drafted out of France to join the Thunder this summer. The forward logged 39 games of action while going through various ups and downs in the season. Dieng encountered a wrist injury that kept him out a significant stretch of the season. He also spent time with the Thunder’s G League affiliate OKC Blue. It was the help of his teammates and the organization that allowed the rookie to navigate the rough seas of his first ever NBA year.

“it was a big help that [Lu Dort] speaks French, too. That was a really big help for me,” said Dieng. “Even other teammates were really cool, and they're here for me, so that's good.”

Dieng attacked each of those experiences with intention whether it was with the Blue, the Thunder or on the sidelines. As a result, Dieng has felt significant growth within his game from the start of the year to now.

“I think it's helped me on the court and off the court. That was a very long season, the longest I've played,” said Dieng. “I learned to never get too low and never get too high after the games.”

Rookie big man Jaylin Williams flashed his smile wide as he sat in front of the microphone. As a child, his family nicknamed him ‘Smiley’ for his contagious grin. That smile was present as the rookie recapped what had been an eventful season both in his journey and the team’s experiences overall.

“I was grateful for whatever happened this year,” said Williams. “All the learning curves I went through, I started and it was incredible. Playing with those guys, playing with one of the best players in the NBA – it's incredible playing every night.”

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Notebook: End-of-Season Interviews

With bags packed for nine days and the possibility of four road games in rowdy postseason environments that many players had never experienced, the Thunder attacked its preparation for the play-in tournament the same way it had for regular season games all season.&nbsp;

The Thunder got in a high intensity practice on Monday, went through game-plan work on Tuesday then after the flight to New Orleans, reeled it back in with a reminder of the togetherness, looseness and joy for the game the team has exhibited all season. That approach, consistent with the way OKC has ramped up to games for years, was an example of the pledge to process the Thunder has operated by over and over. The result was a committed and fearless performance on the road against the Pelicans, as the Thunder became the first 10th seed to win an NBA play-in game.&nbsp;

“From where we were at this point last year to where we are now, it shows the improvement that we've made,” said second-year guard Josh Giddey. “It’s a very small stepping stone to what we're trying to build here but it’s a good first one.”

Two nights later, in another ferocious and desperate road environment, the Thunder built up to the game in a similar way, albeit with longer travel and less time in between games against teams that had their backs against the wall. Despite mimicking the procedure as best as it could, the outcome didn’t go OKC’s way, and the Thunder season ended in the same city where it started, Minneapolis.&nbsp;

The lesson was a valuable one though – that in a two-game, high-stakes situation, the Thunder stayed true to the identity it has built, digested the extremes of postseason basketball and then lived with the results, understanding that it has more control of how it handles the experience than what the scoreboard says at the end of the night.&nbsp;

Back in October, during training camp, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault had Thunder players say a random number. The coaching staff then went to the film of a 2022 NBA Finals game and pressed play on the corresponding possession based on the number thrown out. The lesson was that no matter which play it was, there was going to be something basic, something fundamental to basketball at the highest level that would be relevant to be taught in the first days of camp. That was a quintessential Thunder moment as the team is climbing another massive mountain. The steps that are required at the top are the same as the ones at base camp.&nbsp;

“We just prefer to have an approach and have an environment and have standards that yield results that we bet on over and over,” said Daigneault, who was named a finalist for NBA Coach of the Year. “When the results are positive, we can point back to that process and own it a little bit more. When the results are not the way we want them to turn out, we still have something to show for it and we still can have something to build upon.”&nbsp;

To outside prognosticators before the season, the idea that the young Thunder even had a chance to make the playoffs, or to be in the play-in tournament would have been dismissed out of hand. 40 wins? No way. A road win in the play-in tournament? Get real. Yet a season that started in Minnesota with rookie Jalen Williams taking an elbow to the eye also ended in Minnesota, this time with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wearing an elbow to the orbital area, which required medical attention and caused two chipped teeth.&nbsp;

Gilgeous-Alexander, whom teammate and friend Lu Dort called “a warrior” only missed 2:03 of third quarter action being tended to by medical personnel on Friday. He desperately wanted to get back out on the floor with his brothers and fight to the bitter end with the band. A top candidate to make an All-NBA team and a finalist for the league’s Most Improved Player award, Gilgeous-Alexander was a massive catalyst for the Thunder’s continued improvement through the season. Just like the team’s percolating growth since the fall of 2020, Gilgeous-Alexander’s daily work ethic has been soaking in under the surface for many years, but the petals have bloomed on his game this year.&nbsp;

Despite a 31-point scoring average on over 50-percent shooting, his first career All-Star nod and some dramatic game-winners this season, Gilgeous-Alexander exhibited one of the most important qualities a star player can have – restraint. There was no better example of that selflessness and self-awareness than on Wednesday in New Orleans, when the Pelicans sent double teams his way every time he touched the ball. In the first half, Gilgeous-Alexander scored just 7 points because he simply followed the gameplan by quickly pitching the ball out and letting his teammates gash holes in the defense and knock down shots.&nbsp;

“Winning can be a distraction. Success can be a distraction. Your own ambition can be a distraction,” Daigneault noted. “At the end of the day, you’ve gotta be very present and just play the game.”

Dort, who entered the league as a defensive specialist, has kept his head down and worked the Thunder’s player development system. He notched 20 first-half points to help stabilize the offense, while Giddey played quickly and dominated around the rim, showing off the strength he’s added by staying focused on his physical development. By the time the second half rolled around, New Orleans was behind the action, and Gilgeous-Alexander was able to start looking for his own offense more. He eventually scored 32 points in the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We know who we are,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, who has spearheaded the Thunder’s style of play with all five men making quick pass-shoot-drive decisions in concert with one another.&nbsp;

On a team that put eight rookie or second year players on the floor in a road elimination game on Friday night, a star player like Gilgeous-Alexander demonstrating such restraint sends a massive signal to the rest of the group, including those youngsters. With an average age of 23 and a half years, this year’s Thunder team was the second youngest in NBA history only to last year’s OKC squad. Never using age as an excuse, the Thunder steered into its youth and put as many of those teenage and young-twenties players on the floor in as unpredictable settings as possible this season. An NBA game is already disjointing and uncomfortable, so the Thunder’s strategy was to train adaptability and flexibility into its players from an early age by playing 12 or 13 guys in a single game, while changing up starting and bench units nightly.&nbsp;

“We've got to get our sleeves rolled up, get to work, look in the mirror and understand we have a lot of work to do. We're far from a finished product as a team.” 

The approach may have been a bit unorthodox, but it was a successful tool for the Thunder to keep every man on the roster ready for opportunities. In fact, at the beginning of the year, rookie center Jaylin Williams and guards Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe and Lindy Waters were decidedly out of the initial 10-man rotation but got some spot opportunities as Daigneault kept everyone on their toes. Those four players all saw rotation minutes for the Thunder in the play-in games.&nbsp;

Back on that first night of the season in mid-October, rookie guard Jalen Williams was enthusiastically looking forward to his NBA debut. Just a few minutes into the game, he got popped in the eye so badly that it forced him to miss the next four games and wear a mask for weeks. Much like the rest of the Thunder, a slow start didn’t derail Williams’ focus, and he steadily improved every month of the season (as evidenced by his rising scoring and shooting numbers) as he book-ended the season with Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards and vaulted himself into a Rookie of the Year finalist.&nbsp;

The Thunder views developing the entire roster a competitive advantage, and that mindset won’t waver one iota heading into the 2023 offseason. The coaching and training staffs have growth plans in place for each player that they will be delivering on Saturday, with checkpoints like Summer League and player-led meet ups serving as nice intervals to mark progress.&nbsp;

“We’re just trusting everything that we are doing and everything, all the work that we're doing right now,” said Dort.&nbsp;

The return of a veteran like Kenrich Williams from injury, the steady growth of nascent players like Ousmane Dieng, Tre Mann and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and the presence of the Thunder’s number two overall draft pick from 2022 – Chet Holmgren – will all add to the team’s promising future. With the opportunity to add another lottery pick to the group, the Thunder seems poised to build on the 2022-23 season.&nbsp;

Yet despite the relative success the Thunder has had with only two drafts under its belt since the team began replenishing its talent pool back in 2020, Coach Daigneault and the rest of the organization understand not only how much runway this team has, but that it must continue to keep its collective head down and double down on its approach to be ready to play meaningful games in April once again next year.&nbsp;

“It's been really fun this year,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We’re kind of turning the corner a little bit, but I don't think we're satisfied.”

“We've passed a lot of tests this season, and we should be proud of that. But we haven't built our muscles up quite enough to be where we want to be,” added Daigneault. “We've got to get our sleeves rolled up, get to work, look in the mirror and understand we have a lot of work to do. We're far from a finished product as a team.”&nbsp;

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A Consistent Approach Yields Road Map for Offseason and Beyond

The Thunder hosted a Women in Business Summit to connect and network with industry leaders.

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Women in Business Summit

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