The Oklahoma City Thunder all but assured their presence in the National Championship game with their 128-126 victory over the Timberwolves in Minnesota Monday night. Needing just one more win over the next three games to clinch the Western Conference, the Thunder have nearly reached the mountain, so how did they do it? They used the NBA 2K model.
They leveraged an aging star (Paul George) and a crappy season (2021) for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (traded for George), Chet Holmgren (picked sixth overall with their pick), and Jalen Williams (picked 12th overall with a pick received in the George trade). It’s a move that comes straight out of the franchise-mode rebuilding playbook! They built their big three in one offseason and have been adding new support pieces ever since.
Another move straight out of the Franchise mode playbook is their hoarding of draft picks (10 first-rounders and 11 second-rounders in the next five years!). Not only have they built a team just like you would in NBA 2K25, but they are also doing much better than I could ever hope to do in the game. The amount of young players (they have an average age of just north of 25 for their 12 active players) they have accumulated, and the amount of draft capital they have is incredibly impressive and should allow them to become a true dynasty for the rest of the 2020s and even the 2030s!
This is what this team looks like:
Starters
PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 98 OVR (PG/SG)
Age: 26
Years left of team control: 2
Archetype: all-around star
Badges: 25 (14 gold)
Summary: SGA was recently named league MVP and is one of the few true young stars in the NBA. He is a prolific scorer, putting up the most points per game this year with 32.7 while also putting up a career year in assists (32) and leading the Thunder to a 68-win season. He’s one of the smartest players in the NBA and is a perfect player to build a team around. His attribute breakdown looks like this:
- Outside scoring: 94
- Inside scoring: 77
- Athleticism: 85
- Playmaking: 93
- Defense: 84
- Rebounding: 47
- Intangibles: 98
- Potential: 98
SG Luguentz Dort 82 OVR (SF/PF)
Age: 26
Years left of team control: 2
Archetype: 2-way 3-level shot creator
Badges: 11 (8 gold)
Summary: The defensive specialist of the team, Dort, made 1st team all-defense this season and is so good he actually has a nickname for when he’s defending someone one-on-one, “the Dorture Chamber!” He could be considered the weak link in the starting lineup offensively and is technically lined up out of position in the current iteration of the roster, but his defense forces him onto the court, so even if he is eventually replaced in this spot by a true shooting guard, he will still get his minutes. He gives the team lineup flexibility and can come in to set the pace and tenor of a game with his physicality and defense. His breakdown looks like this:
- Outside scoring: 77
- Inside scoring: 61
- Athleticism: 85
- Playmaking: 63
- Defense: 82
- Rebounding: 50
- Intangibles: 50
- Potential: 82
SF Jalen Williams 89 OVR (PF/SF)
Age: 24
Years left of team control: 2
Archetype: 2-way 3-level shot creator
Badges: 16 (1 gold)
Summary: It’s a complete sham that J-Dub only has one gold badge in NBA 2K25; if you’ve watched him in the playoffs (or regular season) this year, you’ll see a player with gobs of potential with elite offense at all three levels. He’s also an impressive defender and can even grab a board or two over guys much bigger than him in the paint. He is one-third of their big three, along with SGA and Chet, but is the most underrated of the three. He’s their go-to outside scorer on the wing and has a complete set of tools that would make him the future star of just about any other team in the league, but unfortunately for him, he’s got to share the spotlight in OKC (that didn’t end up working out too great the last time that happened with the Thunder!). This is what his attribute breakdown looks like:
- Outside scoring: 87
- Inside scoring: 69
- Athleticism: 81
- Playmaking: 79
- Defense: 79
- Rebounding: 50
- Intangibles: 85
- Potential: 82
PF Chet Holmgren 87 OVR (C/PF)
Age: 23
Years left of team control: 2
Archetype: 2-way 3-level scoring threat
Badges: 18 (4 gold)
Summary: Chet may be a little raw in places in his game, but his natural talent is undeniable, and he’s already made a huge impact on the team, averaging 15 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks per game this season and helping lead the team as part of their big three. Chet’s a year or two (and 10 to 20 pounds of muscle) away from fully unlocking his true potential, and when he does, look out! He could be an MVP-caliber player. His attributes in-game look like this:
- Outside scoring: 83
- Inside scoring: 80
- Athleticism: 75
- Playmaking: 58
- Defense: 79
- Rebounding: 71
- Intangibles: 80
- Potential: 94
C Isaiah Hartenstein 84 OVR (C)
Age: 27
Years left of team control: 2
Archetype: 2-way inside-the-arc-threat
Badges: 11 (5 gold)
Summary: Hartenstein is the only starter on the team who doesn’t have three-level scoring abilities inherent in their archetype. He does have a two-way ability, which is evident in all five Thunder starters, a testament to their balance and focus on defense. Hartenstein is a crucial element in that defense, serving as an anchor on a team that lacks a lot of large, physical post players. Hartenstein’s attributes look like this:
- Outside scoring: 78
- Inside scoring: 72
- Athleticism: 76
- Playmaking: 55
- Defense: 65
- Rebounding: 83
- Intangibles: 70
- Potential: 85
Bench
6th Alex Caruso 80 OVR (SG/SF)
Age: 31
Years left of team control: 4
Archetype: Wing Stopper
Badges: 11 (5 gold)
Summary: He’s the elder statesman of the team and a fan favorite in OKC. Alex Caruso may not look like much, but he’s an absolute beast on the court. He lines up at center in their small ball packages and was able to shut down multi-time MVP Nikola Jokic in the paint during a game in the last round of the playoffs. Mostly, he will line up as a wing on their second unit or replace Dort in the starting squad. He plays a similar aggressive defensive style to Dort and also gets most of his offense from beyond the arc. Caruso adds energy and electricity off the bench and could compete for the Sixth Man of the Year trophy next season if he stays on the bench. His attributes are:
- Outside scoring: 69
- Inside scoring: 51
- Athleticism: 76
- Playmaking: 75
- Defense: 84
- Rebounding: 50
- Intangibles: 50
- Potential: 82
7th Aaron Wiggins 79 OVR (PF/SF)
Age: 26
Years left of team control: 4
Archetype: Inside-out scoring threat
Badges: 5 (2 gold)
Summary: A key piece off the bench, Wiggins (no relation to former first overall pick Andrew Wiggins) averaged double-digit scoring numbers this season with 12 PPG and an impressive 48.8 FG%. His attributes are:
- Outside Shooting: 82
- Inside Shooting: 63
- Athleticism: 73
- Playmaking: 64
- Defense: 53
- Rebounding: 54
- Intangibles: 75
- Potential: 80
8th Cason Wallace 79 OVR (PG/SG)
Age: 21
Years left of team control: 3
Archetype: Defensive menace
Badges: 4 (0 gold)
Summary: Wallace got great minutes this year, averaging over 27 per game; he made the most of it by averaging 1.8 steals per game and cementing himself as a defender not to be trifled with. He also increased his offensive output, putting up nearly 8.5 points and 2.5 assists per game. His attributes are:
- Outside Shooting: 79
- Inside Shooting: 54
- Athleticism: 78
- Playmaking: 69
- Defense: 75
- Rebounding: 47
- Intangibles: 98
- Potential: 82
9th Isaiah Joe 79 OVR (SG/PG)
Age: 25
Years left of team control: 3
Archetype: Inside-out shot creator
Badges: 6 (1 gold)
Summary: Another great player coming off the bench, just like Wallace, Wiggins, and Caruso, is a three-point threat, but his shot might be the best of the three, hitting 41.2% of his threes this season. The outside shot is Joe’s specialty, with a little under 80% of his shots coming from beyond the arc this season. His attributes are as follows:
- Outside Shooting: 83
- Inside Shooting: 57
- Athleticism: 74
- Playmaking: 62
- Defense: 52
- Rebounding: 44
- Intangibles: 75
- Potential: 79
10th Jaylin Williams 79 OVR (C)
Age: 22
Years left of team control: 1
Archetype: 3-level scoring threat
Badges: 9 (1 gold)
Summary: A modern scoring center, Williams (no relation to the other Jalen Williams on the team), is a better shooter than he is a post player. Most of his shots come from beyond the arc, and he’s actually a pretty good facilitator as well, getting 2.6 on average in just 16 minutes per game. His length/size and shooting/passing skills create a really rosy picture of his future. He could be an impact player for this team… if they can keep him around. Here are his attributes:
- Outside Shooting: 83
- Inside Shooting: 68
- Athleticism: 68
- Playmaking: 65
- Defense: 63
- Rebounding: 75
- Intangibles: 75
- Potential: 79
11th Kenrich Williams 78 OVR (PF/C)
Age: 30
Years left of team control: 2
Archetype: stretch four
Badges: 2 (0 gold)
Summary: With seven years in the league, Williams is one of the team’s most experienced players, providing a veteran presence to the deep bench. Like Jaylin Williams, Kenrich is also a great shooter, with much of his value coming from beyond the arc.
- Outside Shooting: 83
- Inside Shooting: 63
- Athleticism: 75
- Playmaking: 62
- Defense: 66
- Rebounding: 61
- Intangibles: 60
- Potential: 78
12th Ajay Mitchell 76 OVR (SG/PG)
Age: 22
Years left of team control: 2
Archetype: perimeter threat
Badges: 5 (0 gold)
Summary: One of the few Thunder players to have a good game-three performance against the Timberwolves, Mitchell’s effort and shooting efficiency are an exciting blend going forward.
- Outside Shooting: 84
- Inside Shooting: 52
- Athleticism: 75
- Playmaking: 72
- Defense: 52
- Rebounding: 45
- Intangibles: 70
- Potential: 82
Stashed
Depth Ousmane Dieng 74 OVR (PF/SF)
Age: 22
Years left of team control: 1
Archetype: Ballhawk
Badges: 0 (0 gold)
Summary:
- Outside Shooting: 72
- Inside Shooting: 58
- Athleticism: 78
- Playmaking: 64
- Defense: 63
- Rebounding: 61
- Intangibles: 85
- Potential: 82
Depth Nikola Topic 72 OVR (PG/SG)
Age: 22
Years left of team control: 4
Archetype: Rim attacker
Badges: 0 (0 gold)
Summary:
- Outside Shooting: 72
- Inside Shooting: 58
- Athleticism: 75
- Playmaking: 81
- Defense: 51
- Rebounding: 40
- Intangibles: 60
- Potential: 84
Depth Dillon Jones 69 OVR (PF/SF)
Age: 23
Years left of team control: 4
Archetype: perimeter defender
Badges: 0 (0 gold)
Summary:
- Outside Shooting: 55
- Inside Shooting: 58
- Athleticism: 78
- Playmaking: 65
- Defense: 57
- Rebounding: 63
- Intangibles: 55
- Potential: 77
G-League Branden Carlson 71 OVR (C)
Age: 25
Years left of team control: 1
Archetype: stretch five
Badges: 0 (0 gold)
Summary:
- Outside Shooting: 72
- Inside Shooting: 65
- Athleticism: 60
- Playmaking: 39
- Defense: 39
- Rebounding: 67
- Intangibles: 80
- Potential: 71
G-League Adam Flagler 67 OVR (SG/PG)
Age: 25
Archetype: mid-range scoring threat
Years left of team control: 1
Badges: 0 (0 gold)
Summary:
- Outside Shooting: 70
- Inside Shooting: 50
- Athleticism: 72
- Playmaking: 61
- Defense: 45
- Rebounding: 35
- Intangibles: 80
- Potential: 71
G-League Alex Ducas 67 OVR (SG/SF)
Age: 24
Years left of team control: 1
Archetype: catch and shoot threat
Badges: 0 (0 gold)
Summary:
- Outside Shooting: 67
- Inside Shooting: 51
- Athleticism: 73
- Playmaking: 59
- Defense: 49
- Rebounding: 43
- Intangibles: 30
- Potential: 71
Draft picks
- 2025 1st round pick 15 (MIA)
- 2025 1st round pick 24 (LAC)
- 2025 2nd round pick 44 (ATL)
- 2026 1st round pick (OKC)
- 2026 1st round pick (PHI top 4 protected)
- 2026 1st round pick (UTA top 8 protected)
- 2026 2nd round pick (OKC, DAL, or PHI)
- 2027 1st round pick (LAC swap rights)
- 2027 1st round pick (DEN top 5 protected)
- 2027 2nd round pick (OKC)
- 2027 2nd round pick (HOU, IND, or MIA)
- 2028 1st round pick (DAL swap rights)
- 2028 2nd round pick (OKC)
- 2028 2nd round pick (MIL)
- 2028 2nd round pick (UTA)
- 2029 1st round pick (OKC)
- 2029 1st round pick (DEN top 5 protected)
- 2029 2nd round pick (OKC)
- 2029 2nd round pick (BOS)
- 2029 2nd round pick (MIA)
- 2029 2nd round pick (HOU)
