In the offseason leading up to this special 2024-25 season, I would consistently praise the OKC Thunder for what they’d accomplished and the abnormally high rate of speed at which they were improving. “Expect this to be the year, the Thunder will advance to the Western Conference Finals — especially if the additions of Alex Caruso & Isaiah Hartenstein fill obvious holes in the roster,” this typist would peck and repeat on radio and TV.

It didn’t take long into this magical season to elevate my expectations of this talented, deep, sound & tightly bonded bunch to advance to the NBA Finals.

I’ll be darned if this historically young Thunder didn’t keep coming and coming and coming. Yes, we upped our expectations to the only one remaining. We’d become convinced that your OKC Thunder would win its first NBA Championship.

Oklahoma City would win 68 regular-season games (tied fifth-most in NBA history), set an NBA margin of victory record (12.9 points per game), and transition from slight to legit to strong favorite; then to stunningly robust odds that would carry on through Sunday night when they hoisted hardware.

Fast forward to now. The newly crowned champs now possess one of the greatest seasons in pro basketball. Record-shattering to a degree that leaves you shaking your head when they mark down another record accomplishment.

OKC avoided the two significant roadblocks in staving off championship-caliber teams in seven games – Denver and Indiana. Losing Game 1s both times meant they’d have to play through losing that much-desired and valued home court advantage; each time rising to the occasion in legitimate ‘must-win’ games. Punctuated with solid victories in Game 7s in both the Western Conference and the NBA Finals.

And BTW, the Thunder’s season-long excellence did pay off. Don’t kid yourself. Wanna play the finale in front of Blue and Gold loyal howlers? Or do you think our just-as-loyal screaming hyenas filling Paycom to the brim might contribute to playing best in the ultimate game in team sports? Big Blue earned the right to host the finale. And history screams that homecourt advantages in Game 7s are so momentous that the hosts are now 16-4. Like those odds, don’t you?

It is the franchise’s second championship, first since moving from Seattle in 2008 & rebranding from the Seattle Supersonics to the Oklahoma City Thunder; completed at 10 p.m. Sunday, winning the NBA Finals over the Indiana Pacers 103-91.

And yes, per norm, the sharpies knew best. Their billion-dollar belief that the princes of the third-smallest market would officially make them look brilliant. Again. Like we’ve always said, the smartest bet is to never bet against the linemakers. There is a reason hotels and casinos fly you in, put you in 5-star hotels, have champagne opened and chilled upon entering your palatial suite, buy all your food and drinks, and occasionally more; then limo you back to the airport after you’ve graced them with your pre$ence. And win or lo$e, they’ll sign you & yours up again for a return trip soon. That is, IF you’ve played enough of their game$ to merit $uch luxury & $urface genero$ity.

Among things standing out are that this was the NBA Finals’ first Game 7 since 2016 – the twentieth in 79 NBA seasons. Oklahoma City won 68 regular-season games (tied for the fifth most in NBA history), set a league record for average margin of victory (12.9 points per game) and had the league MVP on its side before reaching its crowning achievement.

26-year-old Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander capped a historic season. After leading the league in scoring, Sunday night, he posted 29 points with 12 assists in the series-clinching win and was unanimously voted Finals MVP.

You may have heard that this mature, gentle, but relentlessly fearless on-court cat is the first in 25 years to win regular-season MVP, the scoring title crown, and finals MVP in the same season. He averaged 30.3 in the series & shot 92 percent in the playoffs from the line, and while mates initially clanked much-needed helpers from charity, SGA calmly sank 11-of-12 at the stripe & recorded a steal and two blocks.

Afterwards, SGA said, “Feels amazing — so much weight off my shoulders.”

J-Dub contributed 20 with two thefts, and when needed most, the tall thin man Chet Holmgren contributed 18 points, eight boards and five blocks. Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso pitched in 10 points and three steals each, off the bench.

The Thunder got the break of the night, and of the series, when Tyreese Haliburton stumbled for a second time in the Finals at the exact same spot on the court. But this time, his calf strain elevated painfully to the dreaded Achilles tear. Unsurprisingly, decent & respectful Paycom fans groaned then applauded courteously when this uber-talented former ISU Cyclone hobbled off the court. Done for the night.

Then, OKC ratcheted up its inexplicably potent No. 1 defense. And when they got the chance to do what they do best, the Pacers were soon to be toast. Thirty-two points off 23 turnovers.

The third quarter was what we’ve seen from the Thunder all season. A devastating display of hard/athletic defense, slapping balls loose, diving on the floor, completing steals, and converting them into insurmountable points. Like a cobra strike.

In the 3rd quarter, OKC outscored the Pacers 34 to 20. Made 14 of 28 shots to 8 of 17 for Indy. Fiercely fought for a 5 to zero discrepancy in steals, which were converted into 18 Thunder points to another goose egg total for the visitors. A 16 to 8 Paint Point advantage was icing on the cake.

Leaving Paycom Center late in the night, I couldn’t have dreamed of a better final game to cover the OKC Thunder. Retiring in one week, my top-of-mind thought was this: this whole Thunder experience (thank you, Mick Cornett, for bringing those New Orleans Hornets to town! Much more on that later) is highlighted by getting to know and working with extraordinary people.

Knowing most of the owners, management, coaches and, to a degree, the star players, sure helps. It makes me proud to emphasize the truth. The skill levels are one thing.

But this uncommon success could not have been achieved without the character & class consistently displayed by this team. When’s the last time you were embarrassed to be a fan of the Thunder?

Rather than seeing the names of players in headlines or in the news for breaking the law, what we saw to an incredible level was a group of classy, unselfish, humble, and yes, talented players. Players who can now call themselves world champs. The best basketball team on Planet Earth. The Oklahoma City Thunder are officially and forever NBA Champions.