Oklahoma City Thunder fans are feeling the joy brought by an NBA Finals berth for the first time since 2012. Nothing has been easy for OKC, and the way they are thriving today says a lot about that journey. With the Thunder finally back in the NBA Finals stage, is this the year that they will bring a title home?
The enduring pain of not winning a championship has been tough for OKC fans. Going back 13 years ago, the Thunder were a young team on the big stage. This year’s run is special, but it feels like many people have been predicting it as well.
OKC NBA Finals Return is the Foretold Arrival
Not long ago, Thunder GM Sam Presti said that he wanted an arrival for the team, but is OKC’s NBA Finals return the one thing that he has foretold?
“When we do get back to the postseason, we want it to be an arrival, not an appearance.” – Sam Prestipic.twitter.com/n1aDhC6uZX
— Thunder Film Room (@ThunderFilmRoom) April 1, 2024
The Road to the Arrival
By this time, everyone knows the story of how OKC came swinging and was one win away from a NBA Finals return in 2016. They had a 3-1 series lead in the Western Conference Finals. Then it all fell apart in the next three games with three straight losses. Kevin Durant left for the Golden State Warriors in the offseason. Since then, OKC has been struggling to keep its competitive runs afloat. There were a few sparks of a potential run after that, but none ended well.
So when OKC and Presti blew it all open, OKC went fishing for talent. That led to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander becoming the new face of the team. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams would end up joining in via the draft, bringing OKC to a new era that had high hopes. A few more seasons later, and the Thunder is already dominating the league.
🏆 WEDNESDAY'S FINAL SCORES 🏆
SGA powers the @okcthunder to the Finals for the first time since 2012!
Chet Holmgren: 22 PTS, 7 REB, 3 BLK
Jalen Williams: 19 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV Game 1: June 5, 8:30pm/et, ABC pic.twitter.com/VNkPXyE9Z7— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2025
From battling in the Play-In Tournament in 2023 to finishing as the first seed in the West in 2024 and 2025, OKC has seen a historic rise to prominence. The explosion of talent has been impressive, and the Thunder anre earning the respect they deserve. Finally back in the NBA Finals, the journey now continues, and this is the start of a new dawn.
The New Big Three
We have seen how the trio of Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden brought a new dynamic to the league. It was a promising look for one of the small-market teams, and yet the three ended up walking away without any championships. With the new big three coming in together, there were plenty of doubts and criticism.
Many questioned SGA’s capability to play as a true point guard, and others criticized J-Dub’s struggles. Holmgren is said to be too weak to be a scoring option, and how his inconsistencies are affecting the team. All of those would end up being answered by the Thunder in the 2025 playoffs, and the trio was just special.
OKC making the Finals for the first time since 2012 is wholesome.
Back then it was KD, Russ & Harden.
Now it’s SGA, J-Dub & Chet.Two teams led by three young stars. pic.twitter.com/mAJE43n0Zk
— Joel Moran (@joelvmoran) May 29, 2025
At the end of the day, the OKC trio are thriving. All of them are showing their elite potential. What’s scary is that they are still young – way far from their collective prime. Yet, OKC is bringing in one win after another, and it does seem that they are leaving the door for the future wide open.
The Return to the NBA Finals
Respect is earned, not given. Oklahoma City knows that well, which is why they have been focusing on dominating. Winning is never easy, especially in an 82-game stretch coupled by the grueling playoffs. Yet, OKC is standing tall. Sam Presti laying out the path for this team has just been masterful, and he deserves his flowers.
Thunder owner Clay Bennett, General Manager Sam Presti and head coach Mark Daigneault embrace after a Finals-clinching win: pic.twitter.com/eULqQmG3kT
— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) May 29, 2025
It has been a long time since the NBA has seen the Thunder taking up space on the biggest stage of the game. OKC is definitely coming not just for this year, but for the window that’s open to them. As was foretold, the Thunder is shocking a lot of critics, and this berth to the NBA Finals may well be the “arrival” that Presti is looking for.
Look out, NBA. The OKC NBA Finals return is just a step towards greatness, and the Thunder aren’t dodging any smoke this time around.
Photo credit: © Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
