Thunder’s Sam Presti Sends Message to Fans After Championship Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Oklahoma City Thunder just completed a postseason that will long be remembered in the city and for fans of the team. They finished with the league’s best record at 68-14, giving them home-court advantage throughout the NBA Playoffs and NBA Finals.
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Some didn’t think that would play a factor after the Thunder made quick work of the Minnesota Timberwolves, taking the series 4-1. However, the Indiana Pacers proved more challenging than anticipated and pushed the Thunder to a seven-game series.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 19, 2025.Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Thunder’s Sam Presti sends message to fans after Championship season
In the winner-take-all Game 7, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles tendon and was forced to miss the rest of the game. The Pacers gave the Thunder a run for their money, but the Thunder were ultimately too much for the short-handed Pacers.
Following the Thunder’s win, General Manager Sam Presti thanked the fans for their support throughout the season.
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“Want to thank our fans clearly,” Presti said. “They’ve been fantastic for us over the last 2 months… The support at the parade, you can’t really put that into words.”
This marked the Thunder’s first-ever NBA Championship in just their second appearance in the finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named the NBA Finals’ Most Valuable Player after taking home the MVP award in the regular season while leading the league in scoring.
The Thunder will now have the tough task of defending their title. We saw the Boston Celtics fall short of doing so, and the league hasn’t seen back-to-back titles since the Golden State Warriors won in 2017 and repeated in 2018. If any team is geared to protect their title, it’s the Thunder, as nearly none of Oklahoma City’s key players are set to become free agents.
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If you’re someone who believes the key to winning is longevity, all the more reason to believe that the Thunder can repeat next season. They’re currently the betting favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook at +225.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.