The 2025-26 NBA season is rapidly approaching for the reigning champion OKC Thunder.
OKC will begin its title defense on Oct. 21 with a home game against the Houston Rockets. The Thunder is led by last season’s Most Valuable Player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s surrounded by a roster that’s the best in basketball.
Here are the top five storylines for OKC entering this season:
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5. How will the battle for bench minutes play out?
OKC arguably had the best bench in the NBA last season, and it should be even deeper this time around. The only player the Thunder didn’t bring back from its 15-man roster was Dillon Jones, who logged 10.2 minutes per game.
OKC also will integrate former lottery selection Nikola Topić, who didn’t play as a rookie last season due to a partially torn ACL in his left knee. Fellow guard Ajay Mitchell will compete for minutes, as well, after missing significant time last season due to a toe injury. And let’s not forget about two-way signees Branden Carlson and Brooks Barnhizer, who can be called up when needed.
Even without rookie center Thomas Sorber, who’ll miss the entire season due to a torn ACL in his right knee, OKC has no shortage of options off the bench. It’ll be interesting to see how backup minutes are distributed.
4. Will Jalen Williams continue his rapid rise toward superstardom?
Jalen Williams achieved star status last season. He earned All-NBA third team and All-Defensive second team selections with career-high averages of 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists.
And at only 24 years old, Williams has the potential to get even better. The 6-foot-5 forward is already a stellar defender who can guard every position. If he can get downhill more often on offense, that’ll lead to more trips to the free-throw line and more kickout opportunities for his teammates.
There are only a handful of superstars in the NBA. But Williams is one of the league’s most promising young players, and he could certainly reach that tier in the near future.
3. Is this the year it all comes together for Chet Holmgren?
Chet Holmgren is a 7-1 forward who can knock down shots from deep and put the ball on the floor. He’s also an elite shot blocker, and he’s capable of switching onto guards and defending on the perimeter.
But staying healthy is the top priority for Holmgren, who has only played in 52.3% of OKC’s games since he joined the team as a rookie in 2022. He also has room to improve as a shot creator, and adding muscle will help when protecting the rim.
If Holmgren can put the pieces together this season, he has the potential to be a first-time All-Star and a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. It’d be quite the leap for a player who’s only 23 years old.
2. How much better can Shai Gilgeous-Alexander possibly get?
After finishing as the runner-up for MVP in 2023-24, Gilgeous-Alexander somehow took his game to another level last season. He led the league in scoring (32.7 points per game), earned regular-season MVP honors and was named the Finals MVP after leading OKC to its first championship.
So, how will Gilgeous-Alexander follow that up? Will he become the first Canadian-born player since Steve Nash to win back-to-back MVPs? Will he make his first All-Defensive team after receiving some votes in each of the last three seasons? Will he cement his title as the league’s most unguardable player by becoming a 40% 3-point shooter?
Nothing is off the table for Gilgeous-Alexander, who continues to find ways to get better each season. It’s hard to imagine that trend stopping now, considering the 27-year-old superstar is barely entering his prime.
1. Can OKC snap the streak of new champions?
The days of dynasties in the NBA are seemingly over. The league has crowned a different champion in each of the last seven seasons, and there are numerous title contenders this time around.
OKC has the pieces to snap that streak, though. It has a superstar in Gilgeous-Alexander. It has a wealth of elite defenders such as Lu Dort, Williams, Holmgren and Alex Caruso. And it has the depth and versatility to create mismatches against any opponent.
Teams such as Denver, Houston, Cleveland and New York will threaten the throne. But the Thunder will try to fend them off and continue its reign of dominance.
Justin Martinez covers sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.