After the 2019-20 season, the Oklahoma City Thunder entered a soft rebuild but still made the Playoffs with Chris Paul leading the way. A year later, following CP3’s trade to the Phoenix Suns, OKC committed to a full rebuild. The focus was on accumulating losses to secure high draft picks while developing young talent, particularly Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Fast forward three years, and the Thunder have surpassed expectations. With a core of SGA, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Lu Dort, they secured the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Heading into this upcoming season, the Thunder are considered title contenders, and many NBA experts predict they will be one of the most targeted teams in the league.
This success, in large part, is due to the meticulous work of general manager Sam Presti, who carefully assembled this roster.
Fortunately, Presti gave his introductory interview on Wednesday, sharing insights about the upcoming season. I’ve included some of his most notable quotes below.
Watch Sam Presti’s full 1.5 hour introductory press conference here.
