Even though it hasn’t even been two decades since the Oklahoma City Thunder arrived, the NBA champion has had a rich history of contenders. They’re one of the winningest teams since they relocated in 2008 and have been a perennial playoff squad.

The Thunder have had deep playoff runs every other season with an All-NBA representative in most of their years. They’ve had an unreal span of three MVP winners. Sam Presti has enjoyed ridiculous job longevity because of his ability to rebuild and fortify championship contenders.

As the Thunder prepare to enter their 18th season, Thunder Wire will conduct top-five positional rankings. Let’s look at small forward:

5. Carmelo Anthony

Thunder stint (2017-18, 1 season): 16.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.3 APG, 40.4% shooting, 35.7% 3-point shooting

The excitement around Anthony’s arrival could’ve been felt in the air. One of the more recognizable names in the league chose to be traded to OKC. The Hall-of-Famer helped define the 2000s of the NBA. Alas, his brief relationship with the Thunder peaked at the start. Once the actual basketball was played, the honeymoon era ended.

Anthony’s sole season was remembered with inconsistency and disappointment. Paired with Russell Westbrook and Paul George, there were plenty of household names, but that didn’t translate to wins. To his credit, he sacrificed the most and eventually settled into his minimized role. But that wasn’t enough to prevent an eventual Round 1 exit. He was traded after one season.

4. Aaron Wiggins

Thunder stint (2021-Present, 4-plus seasons): 8.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.3 APG, 50.4% shooting, 38.9% 3-point shooting

This sounds like a broken record, but Wiggins has been one of the Thunder’s better developmental success stories. The former No. 55 pick went from two-way afterthought to a rotation player of an NBA champion. Despite dealing with an inconsistent role, he’s always stayed ready. This past season saw him have career highs across the board as he turned into one of OKC’s better self-creation scorers.

When the Thunder needed a bucket, Wiggins stepped up. He created off the dribble but also showed he could be a catch-and-shoot threat. His outside shot has slowly come into form over the seasons. The savvy off-ball cutter has made a living out of outsmarting the defense. Entering his fifth season, he’s carved out a lengthy career. When you win an NBA championship, you need career years out of several role players. That’s what Wiggins had on his way to a ring.

3. Jalen Williams

Thunder stint (2022-Present, 3-plus seasons): 18.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, 51.3% shooting, 38.2% 3-point shooting

This is where there’s a gap in the rankings. The top three are All-Star players. And with Williams, there’s a strong chance he could usurp a top-two spot. The 24-year-old has quickly ascended into one of the league’s best players. He became a first-time All-Star and All-NBA player this past season and was the second-best player on an NBA champion. Oh yeah, he also dropped 40 points in an NBA Finals game on an injured wrist.

The Thunder wouldn’t have won the Larry O’Brien trophy without Williams. His skyrocket rise to stardom has arguably been Sam Presti’s best draft hit, which is saying something when you look at his star-studded resume. Nobody blinked when he received Gen Z Scottie Pippen comparisons. And the scary part is, he has tons more room to grow. Expect him to climb these rankings over the next handful of seasons as he hopes to add more rings to his hand.

2. Paul George

Thunder stint (2017-19, 2 seasons): 25.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.7 APG, 43.4% shooting, 39.2% 3-point shooting

Even though his tenure is overshadowed by the trade package he gifted OKC, George still had arguably his best two seasons there. The Thunder shocked the NBA world when they acquired the multi-time All-Star from the Pacers in a deal that paired Westbrook with another top-five small forward one year after Kevin Durant left. The move was a gamble by the usually conservative front office. He only had a year left on his contract with screams of Los Angeles being his next home.

Instead, the Thunder curried enough favor with George to convince him to sign a long-term extension. He went on to have his best season as he finished third in MVP in the 2018-19 season. He averaged a career-high 28 points and attempted nearly 10 3-pointers a game. All while being one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, who also stole the ball. Alas, two straight Round 1 exits forced OKC to pivot. He was shipped to the Clippers and jump-started the NBA’s Herschel Walker trade. The Thunder won a championship thanks to what they received back in the deal.

1. Kevin Durant

Thunder stint (2007-16, 9 seasons): 27.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 48.3% shooting, 38.0% 3-point shooting

Hate him all you want, but Durant is one of the 15 greatest players in NBA history. And when a basketball pantheon plays for your franchise for nearly a decade, they deserve the top spot until further notice. Everybody knows who he is. He was viewed as a top-two player in the 2010s and won a ridiculous four scoring titles during his time in OKC. While he won his rings in Golden State, it was on the Thunder where he enjoyed his highest individual accolades.

Durant made seven All-Star and six All-NBA appearances in OKC. He won his sole MVP award in the 2013-14 season. He headlined a title contender for nearly a decade. The Thunder were always in the title conversation, even though they ultimately didn’t win one with him. They made four Western Conference Finals and an NBA Finals appearance. That’s gotta count for something. While his 2016 divorce has caused hurt feelings that are still there nearly a decade later, you can’t ignore what he did in OKC and where his all-time status is with the franchise. He was a walking 30 points on efficient shooting every night.