Picking up from where I left off a few days ago...
Just like SAS, the Thunder franchise took advantage of their NBA draft opportunities in order to build their lackluster squad into a championship contender. However, following their move out of Seattle, the Thunder were forced to build their franchise from the ground up in a brand new NBA community.
Unlike
other small market teams that squandered draft day opportunities in the
past (WAS- K. Brown; DET- D. Milicic; POR- G. Oden; to name a few), the
future Thunder of Oklahoma City actually managed to make three very
smart first round picks between 2007-08 that inevitably led to the
future success of the franchise.
Following an ominous, or Oden-ous, first overall pick by the Blazers in '07, the Thunder smartly snagged Kevin Durant with the second overall pick, and in 2008, they grabbed Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green in the first round to complete the beginnings of a young Big 3 in OKC.
In
all honesty, the Thunder scouts did an almost flawless job of draft day
recruiting following their move to the Midwest because they chose
talented, team-oriented players that wanted wins, rings, and respect.
Besides Durant, scouts were undecided about Westbrook and Green's potential in the NBA, so naturally they both came into the league with a bit of a chip on their shoulders, and they were hungry to prove haters wrong.
Were they athletic? Yes.
Were they basketball savvy? Hard to tell.
Regardless, they shared a basketball pedigree that revolved around hard work and dedication.
Despite the uncertainty, Durant, Westbrook, and Green helped cement the foundation for a competitive, winning culture in a city that had never supported an NBA franchise before. The Thunder got involved in the community and mingled with their fans, and in turn, their fans stood by and supported their team through the thick and the thin.
Rocket science right?
Actually, Oklahoma City as a basketball community was just patient. And in 2009, their patience paid off again in the form of a top-5 draft pick that brought James Harden into Oklahoma City.
Following
Harden's adoption into the Thunder family, the management took the time
to nurture their group of young talent, and develop their team together
as one unit, almost like a family.
They took the good with the bad over a few rough seasons, but they stayed determined to themselves, their teammates, and their community.
Most importantly, they fought through the highs and lows together, taking each disappointment in stride, while learning from their mistakes.
In other words, their maturity was growing at an exponential rate.
Postseason or not, the Thunder were visibly improving with each passing season, and consequently, they developed an identity as a franchise that was determined to achieve greatness at any cost.
Although
the Thunder traded Green to the Celtics for Kendrick Perkins last year,
by that time they had already solidified a "Thunder brand of
basketball" that each staff member of the franchise was committed to
(coaches, players, managers, etc.). Also, the Thunder justed needed to
fortify their post presence on defense.
Fast forward to now (which is the future) and they are only 3 games away from a chance at an NBA title.
So, who was it that said small market squads can't compete in the NBA?
Whoever it was, they were wrong.
Matt Silverston is a columnist for FootBasket. He also runs the basketball blog, Mind of Mattman. You can also follow him on Twitter.
Just like SAS, the Thunder franchise took advantage of their NBA draft opportunities in order to build their lackluster squad into a championship contender. However, following their move out of Seattle, the Thunder were forced to build their franchise from the ground up in a brand new NBA community.
Following an ominous, or Oden-ous, first overall pick by the Blazers in '07, the Thunder smartly snagged Kevin Durant with the second overall pick, and in 2008, they grabbed Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green in the first round to complete the beginnings of a young Big 3 in OKC.
Besides Durant, scouts were undecided about Westbrook and Green's potential in the NBA, so naturally they both came into the league with a bit of a chip on their shoulders, and they were hungry to prove haters wrong.
Were they athletic? Yes.
Were they basketball savvy? Hard to tell.
Regardless, they shared a basketball pedigree that revolved around hard work and dedication.
Despite the uncertainty, Durant, Westbrook, and Green helped cement the foundation for a competitive, winning culture in a city that had never supported an NBA franchise before. The Thunder got involved in the community and mingled with their fans, and in turn, their fans stood by and supported their team through the thick and the thin.
Rocket science right?
Actually, Oklahoma City as a basketball community was just patient. And in 2009, their patience paid off again in the form of a top-5 draft pick that brought James Harden into Oklahoma City.
They took the good with the bad over a few rough seasons, but they stayed determined to themselves, their teammates, and their community.
Most importantly, they fought through the highs and lows together, taking each disappointment in stride, while learning from their mistakes.
In other words, their maturity was growing at an exponential rate.
Postseason or not, the Thunder were visibly improving with each passing season, and consequently, they developed an identity as a franchise that was determined to achieve greatness at any cost.
Fast forward to now (which is the future) and they are only 3 games away from a chance at an NBA title.
Whoever it was, they were wrong.
Matt Silverston is a columnist for FootBasket. He also runs the basketball blog, Mind of Mattman. You can also follow him on Twitter.
