Inside The Thunder

NBA Analyst Gets Real About OKC Thunder Culture

The Oklahoma City Thunder are a legitimate title contender in the NBA.

Kade Kimble

Oct 27, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder players gather during a time out against the Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Oct 27, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder players gather during a time out against the Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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After taking down the Atlanta Hawks 128-104 in a Sunday night battle, the Oklahoma City Thunder are now 3-0 on the season. Along with being one of four unbeaten teams remaining in the NBA's young season, the Thunder has a +58 point differential.

Oklahoma City isn't just winning their games, they're coming away with dominant victories proving just how good and deep they are as a team.

There are plenty of driving factors as to how the Thunder is delivering a knockout punch in each of these games, building double-digit leads by the time the final buzzer sounds. However, plenty of it comes back to the cohesion in which the team plays.

Former NBA player and current analyst Sam Mitchell was very complimentary of the culture the Thunder has.

"[Thunder general manager] Sam Presti has put together a culture that lets these players know they care about them. They are a family," Mitchell said. "OKC is the most cohesive group I have ever seen. ...When they do an interview after the game, it's the whole team on the floor."

There are a few recent examples of how deep the culture runs in Oklahoma City. When the Thunder faced Tre Mann following the trade that sent him to the Charlotte Hornets last season, the entire core of the team took a picture with him. The same goes for Josh Giddey and the Chicago Bulls just a game ago.

The evidence is there on the floor, too. The team is up off the bench when any player makes any type of play. Despite having an MVP candidate and two soon-to-be All-Stars, there genuinely are no egos on any part of the club's roster.

What the Thunder are building in Oklahoma City is truthfully special, and they'll be contenders for years to come because of their cohesion.

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Kade Kimble
KADE KIMBLE

Kade has been covering a wide variety of teams ranging from the NFL to the NBA and college athletics since joining Sports Illustrated's On SI in 2022.

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