The Oklahoma City Thunder capped off their meteoric rise over the past few years by taking down the Indiana Pacers in seven games in the 2025 NBA Finals. In less than a month now, they will return to action to begin their title defense, and according to some comments made by general manager Sam Presti, it’s clear this team isn’t content with winning just one championship.
Armed with an elite young core led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, the Thunder are entering the new season as the favorites to win it all again, and that’s a billing they will maintain until someone knocks them off their throne. That’s going to be a tall task, and the team’s unique mentality, which was recently outlined by Presti, may make defeating them in the upcoming season even more difficult.
Sam Presti, Thunder Set Sights on Repeating as NBA Champions
After a lengthy rebuild, the Thunder have risen from the ashes in recent seasons to become a powerhouse in the NBA. They have the league’s reigning MVP in Gilgeous-Alexander and two All-Star caliber players alongside him in Williams and Chet Holmgren. With a slew of talented two-way players behind them, Oklahoma City cruised through the regular season last year before eventually winning a war of attrition against Indiana in the Finals.
The team has rightfully spent the offseason celebrating, while also making slight tweaks to their roster in an effort to load up for the new season. The Thunder are in a unique position where they appear set to contend for several years down the line, which has become much more difficult to do thanks to the league’s new salary cap.
In sports, experiencing a “championship hangover” is a natural pitfall that some squads face, and that’s something the Thunder are looking to avoid. In order to do that, OKC has to forget about last season, which is what Presti is urging everyone in the organization to do now that the new season is right around the corner.
“In Oklahoma, we’re builders,” Presti said when speaking to reporters on Thursday. We’re not guardians. We’re not guarding or defending the past, that’s over, and it’s ours. We are pursuing our future and whatever comes next. We have the opportunity to be a really, really good team again, but it’s not gonna happen by imitating ourselves or trying to recreate a specific outcome. If we want to pursue excellence, we have to let go of last year and start again.”
Could the Thunder Win the 2026 NBA Finals?
GettyShai Gilgeous-Alexander speaks to the press after defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game Seven of the 2025 NBA Finals on June 22, 2025.
Repeating as a champion in the NBA is easier said than done, especially given the salary cap constraints every team in the league faces. And yet, that doesn’t stop fans from predicting that the reigning champion will repeat every single season. The Thunder are in the same boat, and while they know they face long odds, they are embracing the challenge that is ahead of them.
Oklahoma City possesses a rare blend of youth and depth that will help it remain an incredibly tough team to beat. Of course, folks were saying the same thing about the Boston Celtics last year, and look at them now. The road ahead is going to be long and challenging for the Thunder, but if they can remain healthy and continue playing at a high level on both sides of the court, Presti’s words here could look prophetic in just a few months.
Thunder GM Sam Presti Issues Clear Message on OKC’s Quest to Repeat as Champions