The Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the NBA’s youngest franchises but have already built a strong legacy with a passionate fan base and a history of developing superstar talent. Originally founded as the Seattle SuperSonics in 1967, the team relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, bringing professional basketball to a city that quickly embraced its new team.
The early years of the Thunder were defined by a core of young stars who rapidly turned the franchise into a contender. With Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden, the team reached the NBA Finals in 2012, where they fell to the Miami Heat. Despite coming up short, this era established Oklahoma City as one of the league’s most exciting teams. Harden was traded to Houston after the 2012 season, but Durant and Westbrook continued to lead the team to multiple deep playoff runs, including a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2016.
After Durant’s departure to the Golden State Warriors in 2016, Westbrook became the face of the franchise, winning the NBA MVP award in 2017 while averaging a triple-double for the season. The team later acquired Paul George, but after another few seasons without a championship breakthrough, both Westbrook and George were traded in 2019, marking the start of a rebuild.
Today, the Thunder are once again a team on the rise, led by young star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, along with promising talents like Chet Holmgren and Josh Giddey. With a strong front office and a treasure trove of draft picks, Oklahoma City is positioned to be a contender in the near future. Despite being a small-market team, the Thunder continue to be a respected franchise known for smart roster building and exciting young talent.