“They deserve it because they are truly the best fans” — Russell Westbrook on OKC Thunder winning title without him
Ace Russell Westbrook‘s period with the Oklahoma City Thunder got here to shut in 2019, the noise round the franchise had began to quiet, elevating questions on whether or not they would ever recuperate from the “almost dynasty” they had with Russ, Kevin Durant and James Harden.
In what was a heartbreaking loss in opposition to the Portland Trail Blazers in that 12 months’s playoffs, Damian Lillard‘s historic game-winner from 37 toes out despatched the total staff residence packing.
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Not lengthy after, the Thunder started a generational rebuild, executing a collection of blockbuster trades, shifting away key items Westbrook, Paul George and Jerami Grantin trade for a record-setting 15 first-round draft picks.
During these trades, OKC obtained Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and used those self same picks to draft their All-Star guard Jalen Williams, Aaron Wiggins and Nikola Topicwhereas additionally utilizing the final of its capital to accumulate Jared McCain throughout this 12 months’s commerce deadline.
Fast ahead a number of years, and the Thunder are on the verge of turning into a dynasty and are at the high of the NBA, winning their first-ever title in 2025 and having the franchise’s third-ever MVP in SGA — one thing they could not do with Westbrook at the helm.
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Despite that, Russ does not really feel any resentment or bitterness about OKC’s success after his departure.
“I was extremely, extremely happy for them, for the fans, they deserve it because they are truly the best fans in sports,” Russ said.
Russ’ tragic failures with OKC
The Thunder chosen Russ with the fourth general choose in the 2008 draft, forming him with Kevin Durant, and a 12 months later with James Harden. Not lengthy after, the 2009-10 squad stays the youngest playoff staff in NBA historical past, adopted by the 2010-11 staff, which is the second-youngest.
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During that point, OKC was the youngest staff to dominate in the fashionable NBA, turning into the youngest staff ever to achieve the finals in many years when they did so in 2012 with a 23-year-old Durant and Westbrook, and a 22-year-old Harden.
After shedding to a dominant Miami Heat staff that includes LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosch In 2012, the Thunder traded Harden. This transfer later proved to be the franchise’s greatest blunder ever, as James turned an MVP and a famous person.
Years after that, the luck simply wasn’t on the Thunder’s facet in the playoffs, as accidents derailed what had been statistically the franchise’s best championship home windows: Westbrook’s meniscus tear in the first spherical of the 2013 playoffs, Serge Ibaka‘s calf-strain in the second spherical in 2014, and Durant’s foot harm that saved him sidelined for many of the 2014-15 season.
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After that, the Thunder’s heartbreaks acquired even worse. Despite main the 73-9 Golden State Warriors In the 2016 Western Conference Finals three video games to at least one, OKC would blow its lead and finally lose earlier than Durant shocked everybody by becoming a member of the identical staff in the offseason.
With KD’s departure, Westbrook went nuclear by averaging a triple-double for a number of seasons. However, he by no means acquired over the hump and could not carry the staff previous the first spherical, regardless of George becoming a member of him a 12 months after Durant left. Injuries and underperformances in key moments as soon as once more overshadowed OKC.
OKC is seeking to repeat
However, it’s secure to say the Thunder have moved previous the tragic losses throughout their iconic period with Westbrook and Durant at the helm and have performed a 180-degree flip. After their championship season final 12 months, they have saved constructing off their success and have maintained a sheer degree of dominance all through.
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Despite winning 4 fewer video games this season, OKC has as soon as once more posted the NBA’s best file at 64-18 and appears like the clear favourite to repeat.
Still, since 2019, the sample of champions not repeating has been established and it is on Thunder to interrupt it.
This story was initially printed by Basketball Network on Apr 29, 2026, the place it first appeared in the Latest News part. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
