The Oklahoma City Thunder haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2019-20 NBA campaign but they are on their way back to the postseason. You can already bet on that, as the Thunder are in the thick of the race for the top seed in the Western Conference standings. A big reason for the rapid rise of the Thunder this season is no other than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is playing at an MVP level in the 2023-24 NBA season.
Lu Dort Tells An Intriguing 2022 Story About Oklahoma City Thunder Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

But Gilgeous-Alexander has always been a big believer in the Thunder because of his immense confidence in himself. His teammate with the Thunder, Luguentz Dort, even remembers that one time in 2022 when they learned that Donovan Mitchell was traded by the Utah Jazz to the Cleveland Cavaliers. That transaction got Gilgeous-Alexander nodding in approval.
Via Anthony Slater of The Athletic:
hen Donovan Mitchell got traded to Cleveland (in the summer of 2022),” Dort said. “Shai was like, ‘Oh, yes, another All-Star out of the West.
The Thunder were coming off just a 24-58 campaign at the time but Gilgeous-Alexander was already thinking about the top competition for the Thunder in the West.

The Thunder have become a legitimate force not just in the West but in the entire league. They are in a neck-and-neck battle to the top of the conference against the reigning NBA champions Denver Nuggets, with SGA leading the way. With Gilgeous pacing the Thunder’s attack and with an excellent cast of players around him, Oklahoma City can’t be overlooked anymore.
On the season, the former Kentucky Wildcats star is averaging 31.1 points on 54.4 percent shooting from the field.

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