As the Oklahoma City Thunder prepare to open the 2025 NBA season and raise their championship banner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spoke with reporters after practice about the emotions of ring night, his goals for the new season, and what makes this Thunder group so connected.
Staying Grounded on Banner Night
“The challenge is gonna be wheeling all the emotions and the joy and the excitement,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Wheeling it all in to be able to get the job done to start the season off the right way. But I think this group is well equipped to do this.”
Building on Last Year’s Chemistry
When asked about the team’s rhythm heading into the opener, Gilgeous-Alexander said their continuity is a major advantage.
“Yeah, pretty good. It should be ahead of a lot of teams since we have basically the same team from last year,” he said. “We won’t be as good tomorrow as we want to be a week from now, or two weeks from now, but I think we’re at a good start for it.”
The Emotions of Ring Night
Gilgeous-Alexander admitted that the emotions of ring night will be real.
“Like I said, that’s going to be the challenge. That’s what we’re going to have to get over tomorrow,” he said. “But nonetheless, we’ll be excited to play basketball for the first time in a minute. It’ll add a little bit more excitement, but we still got to focus and get the job done.”
On seeing the championship ring for the first time, he said, “Yeah, I can’t wait. Just to have the official piece of hardware that I dreamed about for so many years in my childhood and growing up. Yeah, it should be fun tomorrow.”
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Reflecting on the Team’s Identity
Asked what he hopes fans will remember about this team 20 years from now, Gilgeous-Alexander said it’s about accountability and connection.
“Through the ups and the downs, we were very connected,” he said. “We never blamed anybody. We never blamed other people, media, coaches. We did a really good job of looking in the mirror and taking accountability for no matter what it was. We controlled our own destiny.”
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Carrying the Same Mental Approach
Gilgeous-Alexander said the Thunder have tried to maintain the same focus that got them to the Finals.
“Obviously, the last time we played, we were in the NBA Finals, and mentally you’re just in a different space,” he said. “But we’ve been pretty locked in. We’ve been pretty intentional about the things that got us to this point, like building habits. We know what it’s going to take, and it’s just about being intentional and taking steps forward.”
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Seeing a Former Thunder Player Return
When asked about seeing Serge Ibaka at practice, Gilgeous-Alexander smiled.
“Yeah, it’s super cool. He was part of the team that built the foundation here,” he said. “Watched many of his games as a kid growing up. Tremendous basketball player. He’s one of those guys that affected winning at a very high level. We respect him really highly around here.”
Facing Kevin Durant and the Rockets
On opening the season against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets, Gilgeous-Alexander said he hasn’t given it much thought.
“He’s a really good competitor, a really good basketball player,” he said. “He is one of those household names that everybody knows. So yeah, it’ll be a fun matchup, a fun game. They’re a good basketball team as well. There’s no better way to kick off a season against a really good team.”
Continuity and Roster Depth
Gilgeous-Alexander said the team’s continuity will be a major factor this year.
“I don’t think we’ve changed much at all, to be honest,” he said. “I think that’s what’s going to make us even better and even more of a special group. We kept the same group together, and we just have to build on what we just did.”
He also credited coach Mark Daigneault for the Thunder’s flexibility. “Coaches do a really good job of being unpredictable with lineups,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Our bigs, our guards, our wings are used to playing multiple positions and multiple spots. We’re prepared for that because coach has us ready.”
On Alex Caruso’s Winning Mentality
Asked about teammate Alex Caruso, Gilgeous-Alexander praised his leadership.
“AC is who everyone thinks he is,” he said. “He’s just a winner. If I was to sum it up in one word, he just gets the job done. No matter if it’s Wednesday in the middle of the season, Game 7 of the NBA Finals, or Game 1 of the playoffs, he just understands how to win in the moment.”
He added, “He wasn’t one of the guys that was highly recruited out of high school. He had to grind for it, had to work for it. He built the skills to be able to play on any basketball team in the league. His ability to win is second to none in this league.”
Raising His Own Standard
When asked about personal goals, Gilgeous-Alexander said he’s focused on evolution.
“I mean, I wasn’t perfect last year. I could be a lot better in specific areas,” he said. “But essentially, just evolving as a player, continuing to grow, continuing to work on my weaknesses. I don’t feel like in the playoffs last year I was the best version of myself, and that’s what I’m focused on — finding the best version of myself.”