Even With Added Talent, Oklahoma City's Identity Still Centered Around Hustle

The Thunder's roster has evolved, but the core values of the team remain in place.

Oklahoma City's roster has filled out in a big way. It feels like a different lifetime ago when the Thunder trotted out lineups of 10-day contracts and two-way players with no familiarity in the lineup. Even during those days though, Oklahoma City was a pesky team that made any team in the NBA keep its foot on the gas.

That's the reason why having constant pillars throughout the rebuild was so important. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort and Kenrich Williams have seen the team evolve into a competitor and a playoff hopeful in a deep Western Conference. Even with the evolution, the team's identity has stayed the same. No matter the talent, the Thunder will play extremely hard on the court and out-hustle anyone.

The early returns on the 2023 team look similar to that of years past. Oklahoma City ranks No. 1 in the NBA in contested shots at 55.3. The third-place Dallas Mavericks sit at 50.6 per game, showing how far ahead the Thunder is from the pack. Mark Daigneault's team also ranks fifth in the NBA in loose balls recovered, which has been a clear emphasis early on.

Oklahoma City is at a disadvantage rebounding, so fighting for loose balls on the floor is important for this team moving forward. Thanks to Chet Holmgren, the Thunder's defense has seen an uptick in blocks, recording the ninth most blocks per game on average. He has asserted himself as a dominant rim protector early on in his career.

With Jaylin Williams and Kenny Hustle missing the first five games of action together, and Kenny Hustle still being sidelined, OKC has taken a hit in the charge category. It will definitely shoot up with those two back on the court together, though.

As the Thunder continues to improve and win games, keeping its identity will be crucial. It's how the team can separate itself from the mold of the modern NBA and make up for size mismatches on the floor. The Thunder brand of hard-nosed basketball is what makes the team so fun to watch on a nightly basis.

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