One Larry O’Brien puts you in the forefront of all NBA discussions for a calendar year. Two in a row puts you in all-time conversations that will forever be immortalized. The Oklahoma City Thunder hope to reach that status as they prepare for their first NBA championship defense.

Continuing their preseason, the Thunder are closer to 2025-26 Opening Night. Once that regular season is here, expect them to receive the rest of the league’s best punch every other night. That comes with the territory of sitting on the NBA throne.

The theme since Sam Presti talked to the media in his preseason press conference has been to turn the page. That doesn’t mean they can’t embrace the daunting task of being a rare back-to-back champion, though. If anything, they’re cognizant of that historic challenge.

You always hear that the current NBA champion is best set up to win a second. But perhaps the Thunder have the best chance to do that since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018 with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.

The Thunder will run it back with mostly the same roster. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have room to collectively grow. The same can be said for the rest of their roster filled with players in their early 20s.

One veteran teammate who’s ready for the quest is Alex Caruso. He talked after the Thunder had practice on Wednesday. The two-time NBA champion said they’d be wrong to ignore their grandiose goals of adding another ring to their hand and making the dynasty talks more legitimate

“Every year I’m in the league, I think I can win a championship. Whether it’s true or not is up for debate from the outside world,” Caruso said. “That’s our goal. It would be a lie if we said, ‘No, we’re just going to show up and try to have a good year.’ Obviously, we want to win the championship again. There’s a lot that goes into that.”

Since the Thunder acquired Caruso, he’s been an awesome addition on the court and even more valuable off it with his championship pedigree. His story of showing his championship ring around the locker room last season added to OKC’s mythos. Now, his experience will be relied upon in a different way as the only guy who’s been on a defending NBA champion.

“Obviously, we want to win. I think that’s why we play the game. That’s why we’re here and having practice and getting ready for the regular season. But there’s a lot that goes into that, man,” Caruso said. “Humbly, being on the opposite side of losing more than I’ve won in my career, it’s really f—ing hard.”

At this point in his career, Caruso has seen everything. The former undrafted rookie has carved out a lengthy career and turned into one of the best defensive players of his era. He now has the chance to be known as one of those role players who enhanced every contender he was part of. A handful of rings will demonstrate that.

“One’s not enough. I won my second one last year and now I want a third,” Caruso said. “It’s addicting, dude. Once you get the first one, you want the next one more.”

Alex Caruso: “Every year I’m in the league I think I can win a championship… That’s our goal. It would be a lie if we said, ‘No we’re just going to show up a try to have a good year.’ Obviously we want to win the championship again… There’s a lot that goes into that. Humbly,… pic.twitter.com/VtXB5oINxI

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) October 8, 2025