The Oklahoma City Thunder Made History So Why Didn’t They Get The Love They Should Have

In a season full of noise, the Oklahoma City Thunder were the quiet storm.

In the world of hot takes, gossip, and big-market bias that defines much of today’s NBA media landscape, it’s easy for nuance, and sometimes even history itself, to be overlooked. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the glaring absence of national recognition for the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2024-25 season, which quietly ranks among the most remarkable in modern basketball history.

This sounds crazy, I know. This year’s Thunder team has  the MVP, two All NBA guys, two All Defensive guys, had two Allstars, someone in the Rising Stars game, the Coach of the Year from last season, and the deepest roster in the league. All of that and they are still under coveted.

So much so they had to basically beg media to watch the games because they knew they deserved much more recognition than they were getting.

Despite rewriting the narrative around small-market teams, building an elite young core organically, and achieving milestones that rival legendary squads of the past, the Thunder’s achievements have flown under the radar. Why isn’t the media talking about it?

A Historic Season by the Numbers

Let’s set the record straight: the Thunder didn’t just have a “good” year, they had a historic one.

• 68 wins in the regular season, the franchise’s first since the Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook era that they’ve won 60+ games and set a new franchise record for wins which also happens to be the 4th most wins in NBA history.
• The youngest team to finish top three in both offensive and defensive rating.
• A Western Conference Finals berth (or beyond, depending on the final outcome), achieved with a core where no star is over 26 years old.
• An MVP season from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has evolved into a two-way leader and one of the most efficient high-usage players in the league.
• Development leaps from Jalen Williams who was an Allstar and helped the Thunder be the only team this season with two All NBA and All Defensive guys.
• All time NET rating

This wasn’t just a season of wins. It was the manifestation of a long-term vision: a team rebuilt from the ground up, through patience, trust in player development, and bold front office decision-making. It’s the kind of story sports media should be salivating over.

There’s an uncomfortable truth behind the media’s silence. Oklahoma City isn’t a flashy market. The Thunder don’t have courtside celebrities, Instagram drama, or tabloid-ready narratives. Their stars are low-key. Their coach, Mark Daigneault, isn’t a household name yet. The team doesn’t feed the media machine with soundbites, off court distractions, or legacy-defining retirements.

Compare that to the constant spotlight on franchises like the Lakers or Knicks, or the disproportionate coverage of aging stars chasing relevance. The Thunder are a basketball team, first and foremost, disciplined, unified, and humble. And in today’s media economy, that doesn’t work if you want to get clicks.

A Blueprint for the Future, Ignored in the Present

What makes the lack of coverage even more disappointing is the fact that Oklahoma City is offering a blueprint for sustainable success in the NBA. Especially given the limitations the new CBA offers. While other franchises mortgage their future for a one or two year window, the Thunder have built for the long haul by stockpiling draft picks, developing internal talent, and cultivating a culture rooted in accountability that breeds success.

It’s not just a feel good story, it’s a model for how to build a contender in the post superteam era.

And still, the prevailing headlines in national outlets remain focused on teams with worse records and more turmoil or drama. The Thunder ascent is being treated as an afterthought rather than the main plot.

Fans Know. History Will Too.

Fortunately, the fans, especially those in Oklahoma, know what this team has accomplished. They know they’re witnessing something special. Something historic. The kind of season that doesn’t come around often. The kind of season that turns memories into legacy.

And eventually, so will the media and rest of the world. If the Thunder win a title, maybe sooner than anyone outside OKC expected, those same outlets will rush to retell the story they once ignored. They’ll call it a surprise. But the truth is, it’s been happening in plain sight.

As the Thunder have said for most of their historic 2024-25 season, watch the games.

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