After All-Star, OKC Ready to Reunite and Compete Together

At the beginning of the season, Thunder General Manager Sam Presti said he was looking forward to seeing this year’s team tap into the “values of the game” – competitiveness with intrinsic motivation, respecting tradition and a selflessness that makes a team greater than the sum of its parts. 

It was fitting then that one of the largest contingents at All-Star Weekend the Thunder has ever had – a crew of five players – attended this year when the event was held in one of the hallowed homesteads of hoops, Indiana, with its history of the early adoption of the game of basketball in the early 1900’s. 

Indiana is known for one of the most famous high school state tournaments in the country and having America’s largest basketball arena for a 20-year stretch at the dawn of the game’s growth (Butler Fieldhouse), not to mention Hoosiers, Larry Legend and more. It was the perfect site for the Thunder quintet to hit the ground and exemplify its own hard-working hometown of Oklahoma City. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Keyontae Johnson represented noticeable, steady growth in participation from the Thunder on this weekend over the last few years. 

“It's amazing. It's a good feeling to seeing the thing develop – not only for myself, but for my peers and guys I'm around all the time and guys that are like brothers to me,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We’ve just got to try to keep pushing forward, and whatever has been working to try to continue to do so and keep getting better.”

The “thing” that has developed is a group that has built some continuity together over the last few years – turning itself from a team that played hard but needed to see the pictures to execute into one that can consistently “compete together”. That’s the bar that head coach Mark Daigneault says is his number one goal for the team each night. The Thunder’s measured approach, which ripples beautifully with the even-keeled energy Gilgeous-Alexander pours in, has focused on how it is playing, not what the scoreboard looks like each night. And wouldn’t you know it – the scoreboard has taken care of itself. 

After jolting up by 16 wins from the 2021-22 season to a 40-win campaign in 2022-23, this year’s Thunder squad is jockeying for position at the top of the Western Conference with a 37-17 record at the 2024 All-Star Break – on pace for an identical 16-win jump once again. But even at All-Star Weekend, where the rules are made up and the points don’t matter, the Thunder’s lips didn’t get loose. Eyes didn’t wander to the standings. Ears didn’t get tuned to the praise. 

“You want to win, that’s every team’s ultimate goal. Obviously, this year we’ve gotten off to a really good start in that category,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, before delivering a massive caveat. “I honestly just try to stay very present, try to stay in the moment and not look too far ahead or look back. Just try to take advantage of every moment.” 

“It’s a mentality, almost a message to ourselves that the job’s not finished. Not even close,” Gilgeous-Alexander added. “Our goal isn’t to be 37-17 halfway through the season. We want bigger things and better things.” 

On Saturday before the Rising Stars Game, a surprise snowstorm descended on the puffer jackets of passionate basketball fans as they walked through downtown Indianapolis and into Gainbridge Fieldhouse–whose name is even an homage to the iconic basketball arenas that spontaneously popped up around Indiana as the game grew. Like the barnstormers of decades long gone by, these hoop heads, like the Thunder, didn’t care about the elements, just about the game. 

Inside, the Thunder had three representatives in the Rising Stars Game – a showcase for rookie and sophomore NBA players who are shining brightly in their first two seasons. For the Thunder, it was another stark indicator that even with great results this year, it still has a long runway ahead.

Even in a showcase game, there were all sorts of signs of the Thunder basketball that fans will see once again next week that starts the stretch run of the 28 remaining regular season games. An example of the habits this team just can’t shake: rookie Cason Wallace, who was on Team Pau Gasol, may have created Rising Stars history by setting an actual body-to-body screen to free up a teammate. 

“It was just within the flow of the game,” Wallace chuckled. “I wanted somebody else to score the ball at the moment, and that was the easiest way to get a bucket.” 

Wallace then proceeded to play to his strengths – knocking down a pair of 3-pointers, making a steal and then finishing with authority on a fast break windmill dunk. 

“I feel like I’ve been playing well on a very good team,” said the matter-of-fact Wallace regarding why he was named a Rising Star. “Everybody is talking about how the job is not finished and how we’re going to come back with even more juice.” 

Holmgren and Williams were on Team Jalen Rose, who beat Team Tamika Catchings 40-35 in the first round. JDub had three assists, choosing to facilitate and “play the right way” instead of going for his own glory. More on that later. On the game-winning possession, Chet attacked but then dished to Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin, who had a game-high 18 points and hit the game-winner to reach the target score of 40. Mathurin went on to win the Rising Stars MVP, thanks in part to his two Thunder teammates putting him in position to succeed. Holmgren and Williams played off each other, entertained the crowd and spent most of the weekend together before showing up to support Gilgeous-Alexander at Sunday’s All-Star Game. 

“I’m just thankful to be out here with the group of guys that we’ve got, trying to win games,” said Holmgren. “It’s a blessing to be here. I’m completely grateful.”  

In the Rising Stars championship game, Williams got his chance to shine, not by showboating but by competing like he would in a real game. He showed his typical restraint and only took 3 shots in the championship game, but he hit the most important one – the game-winning three-pointer. JDub pretended to run a “stack” play to get a defender to commit to going under the three-point line, then proceeded to bury a top of the key triple to give his team the victory. Even in an unfamiliar exhibition, Williams was playing his game. 

“The trajectory I had coming from Santa Clara, trying to work my way through the draft class – a lot of hard work,” said Williams on the TNT broadcast before the game. “It was really gratifying.” 

“My parents are here to enjoy the festivities. You never know when you’ll get invited to this weekend again or be a part of any event, so any time you can it’s a blessing,” added Williams, with an authentic humility that belies his burgeoning two-way talent.

Two-time Most Stylish Man of the Year according to GQ, Shai streamed in and out of appearances throughout Indianapolis like a brook gracefully finding its next bend. Always put together yet seemingly without effort, Gilgeous-Alexander flowed into an 8:30 a.m. conversation about fashion and style in front of select fans to promote Converse at Foot Locker then floated into a Canada Goose event with as much ease as the gentle snowflakes that dropped onto the brim of the pink bucket hat he was wearing. 

Williams blew in like the wind to about a dozen events over the weekend, breezing into conversation after conversation without interruption. He swirled with media influencers at NBA House and adidas events, fans at JD Sports and former NBA players all over Indianapolis, picking up energy as he gusted towards Sunday. 

Rumbling through his very first All-Star Weekend was Chet Holmgren, who said he had an extra level of appreciation to be in this position given the year-long rehab he underwent last season. His personality was on subtle display at an uproarious event alongside Williams and a pair of Miami Heat players – Bam Adebayo and Jaime Jaquez Jr. It was an NBA game show with American Express, where Holmgren’s grounded nature provided a perfect foil for the bubbly host. Scrutinizing the rules one by one and ready to signal for a replay review like he does on the court, Holmgren was on top of every detail. He was also stunningly aligned with his teammate Williams on each partner trivia question as they, well, competed together. 

Later in the weekend, they got away from the battle and focused on the bigger picture by signing autographs and taking photos with Make-a-Wish kids at an event for William Morris Endeavor (WME). 

The hard-nosed Wallace couldn’t stay away from the basketball court, jumping in to help coaches teach kids at a Jr. NBA Clinic at the Indiana Convention Center. It just so happens that about a decade ago, Wallace attended a Jr. NBA Clinic just like that one, so he was thrilled to have the full circle moment to give back. 

“Just keep putting in the work every day,” Wallace said of his message to kids. “You never know where basketball will take you, so just keep working.” 

The rookie two-way forward Johnson attended an American Heart Association Event, where he learned how to perform CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). It was a poignant and fitting event given Johnson’s on-court cardiac arrest and inspiring recovery back in 2020 while at the University of Florida – a story that captivated and inspired the nation. 

Off the court, Thunder players were totally in character, and demonstrated it with the type of class that makes Oklahoma City proud. 

On Sunday afternoon, the Thunder got one more reminder of the fact that despite the success thus far, this is still one of the youngest teams in the NBA with hardworking talent brimming from all corners of the roster. Johnson, 50^th pick from the 2023 NBA Draft, was featured in the G League’s Up Next game – an opportunity for the G League’s best to compete on a league-wide platform that they rarely have access to during the season. Johnson’s team lost in the semi-finals, but his family was in the stands wearing his jersey so he was all smiles at the end of the game. 

“It's been a great experience,” Johnson said before reflecting on being in Indianapolis alongside four Thunder teammates. “It shows how well the coaches and the rest of the players are with development. I’m just trying to take advantage of the situation.” 

That evening, it was time for Gilgeous-Alexander to take center stage as an All-Star Starter – an exhilarating feat given this is just the second All-Star appearance of his career. Coming off a surging final half of the 2022-23 regular season that vaulted him to First Team All-NBA, Gilgeous-Alexander has vaulted into his sixth NBA year as a bona fide nightmare for opponents and a star with massive upside remaining at just the age of 25. 

Sunday night’s All-Star Game was the highest scoring in NBA history, and despite 3s being launched from halfcourt, players clearing the runway for dunks and none of the 12 Western Conference All-Stars playing more than 30 minutes, Gilgeous-Alexander put together a stat line you could drop into the list of the 53 regular season games he’s played this year and it’d fit right in: 31 points, six assists and four rebounds and on 12-of-16 shooting, though unlike most of those games, his team lost 211-186. 

Introduced as the first Western Conference starter, Shai modestly raised a hand to the crowd to thank them, then got to work finding his spots. He played off his teammates, knocked down some perimeter shots and was on the spot for one of the more viral sequences of the night – a play where Nikola Jokic and Luka Dončić went the length of the court without the ball touching the ground once – only with aerial passes – a sequence that resulted in a tipped pass to Shai for an easy layup. Later, Gilgeous-Alexander channeled a play from his Thunder teammate Holmgren earlier in the season and tossed himself an alley-oop off the backboard. Even a serious competitor like Gilgeous-Alexander let himself enjoy the moment too. 

“You dream about it as a kid,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of All-Star Weekend. “When you get here, you think you're ready for it, but you're not.”

With All-Star Weekend in the books, it’s time for the Thunder to turn its attention to the final third of the season, which begins with a home back-to-back against a Western Conference powerhouse in the LA Clippers on Thursday and a clash with the Washington Wizards on Friday. Paycom Center will be rocking, the noise and lights will only get louder, but the Thunder plans to stay as steady as the incoming tide – making incremental, relentless headway. 

“We just take the same mentality: stay in the moment and plug away every day,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “When we get to the end of the year, whenever the end of our season is, we’ll look back and make adjustments and try to figure them out, but right now we just try to stay focused on the task at hand.”