This Oklahoma City Thunder group has been years in the making.
Sam Presti has hoarded more NBA draft picks than any general manager in league history, but it’s not like he has done it without a purpose.
You could state the obvious and talk about how he’s looking to land a superstar, either via trade or in the draft, but it goes beyond that.
This Thunder team consists of players with similar personality traits, and you can tell that they would run through a brick wall for each other.
That was made evident by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s latest quote.
Following his team’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Canadian star claimed that he knows that he cannot win on his own, which is why, as much as he prioritizes winning, he knows he needs every single one of the guys around him, adding that he genuinely likes them and cares about them (via Thunder Film Room).
"I really like my teammates, like genuinely… It’s a special group of guys. I enjoy being around them… I prioritize winning & you can’t win alone. I need every one of those guys to get done what I want to get done.”
what a quote. what a leader. pic.twitter.com/jRMP6TM1CF
— #1 Thunder Film Room (@ThunderFilmRoom) December 1, 2023
Team chemistry can uplift and build a team as much as it can destroy it.
We’ve seen teams that were supposed to dominate from day one struggle because their stars’ personalities didn’t mesh or because egos and personal agendas got in the way of team success.
The young Thunder are 12-6, and it seems like they’re finally ready to take a leap forward.
As for Gilgeous-Alexander, he continues to grow not only into a two-way superstar and All-NBA caliber player but also into something even harder to find: A true leader.
NEXT: Analyst Says NBA Rookie Is Already An All-Star This Season
