Heading into the 2026-27 NBA season, several retooled teams are receiving a lot of hype, including LeBron James and the new-look Philadelphia 76ers and Giannis Antetokounmpo and the new-look Miami Heat.
Plus, the two teams that played in the NBA Finals in June – the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs – are both expected to be right back in the thick of the contender conversation.
LeBron James Warns NBA Fans Not to Write Off Oklahoma City Thunder
But, while there are certainly some shiny new teams for fans to be enamored with, James warned fans against writing off the Oklahoma City Thunder on a new episode of his Mind the Game podcast.
The Thunder lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Spurs last season after winning the NBA title in 2025, and James doesn’t think that people should overlook the Thunder heading into the upcoming campaign.
“It’s very important that we as fans of the game and the casuals don’t write off OKC just yet. Because you’re so intrigued obviously with [San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama] and what [the Spurs] bring to the table and obviously the young guys, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle, you love what they bring to the game. And I love watching those guys. They’re unbelievable, but we’re quick to turn the page a lot faster than when we should,” James said, via Bleacher Report.
“And I hope that we do not turn the page too fast on OKC. They got too much talent. They got too much experience. They were hungry last year and injuries always can affect some things. We always talk about the most important [thing] is being healthy. If those guys are healthy, they’ll be right there. They’ll be right there again. They’re that good.”
No one necessarily forgot about the Thunder, but James does have a point. NBA fans are quick to forget and move onto the next thing, and since the Thunder didn’t make it to the Finals last season or make any splashy moves over the offseason, they could be overlooked, which would indeed be a mistake.
76ers Will Face Thunder Twice During Upcoming NBA Season
James and the 76ers will get a first-hand look at the Thunder twice during the upcoming campaign, but both of those meetings will come in the next calendar year. The Sixers will host Oklahoma City in South Philly on Jan. 6, and the Thunder will return the favor on Feb. 13.
For what it’s worth, the Thunder have won four straight games over the 76ers heading into the season, but James and Jaylen Brown weren’t on the Sixers for any of those games, so it could be a different story in the new season.
76ers’ LeBron James Sends Warning About Western Conference Contender