Top 5 Oklahoma City Thunder Players Ever

Top 5 Oklahoma City Thunder Players of All Time

For OKC fans, the championship fever isn’t over just yet. After all, they have waited 17 long years just to get to the top of the NBA world as one of the most competitive teams that the league has seen. But under the shadows of that historic Thunder season that fans have seen is also a long list of known players who have contributed much to the history of the team as a whole.

Oklahoma City Thunder players huddle after a tough loss, showing unity and emotion on the court

Appreciating Greatness in OKC

First of all, Oklahoma City is a small market. This just means that there aren’t that many stars who actually want to go there or even request to be traded there. Small market teams mean small businesses, small influence, small presence, and definitely not a lot of attention compared to some of the biggest teams in the league.

For instance, the Thunder’s presence in the market is so little compared to the likes of the New York Knicks (the biggest market team in the NBA), the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Boston Celtics (two of the winningest teams in the NBA Finals). OKC is way behind in that regard, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have a rich history, nor do they not have a set of historic players in their own regard.

The Thunder championship has elevated OKC's status image

After all, we have seen Oklahoma City emerge from the ashes and become one of the most entertaining teams in the NBA since its inception. In all of its history since moving to OKC, the Thunder have only missed a total of five playoff runs, being in the postseason chase in all of the other seasons they’ve played in.

So when it comes to their stars – either homegrown or just traded into the squad, one can say that Thunder fans are definitely appreciative of their players. It cannot be denied that they cherish them enough to support them all the way, and even hate them when they opt to move on from the team as well.

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Who Are the Top Five Thunder Players in History?

It goes without saying that in its short history in the NBA as a team (excluding the Seattle Supersonics' history), Oklahoma City does take pride in having its best stars on the floor and battling at the highest level possible. Of course, we would be considering overall performances, the success they had with the franchise, and the love of the fanbase in the long run.

5. Kevin Durant

Now, before you get going saying that I’m a massive KD critic, no, I’ve been a massive fan of Durant up to this moment. It’s just that with all of his success in OKC – scoring titles, massive playoff runs, and even an MVP back in 2014. However, we can all agree that Oklahoma is yet to move on since he left the Thunder in the summer of 2016 and joined the team that eliminated them in seven games in the prior run – the Golden State Warriors.

Still, Durant was the pioneer of the Thunder – and led them in the early years, where they built off a team that came off Seattle before eventually becoming the Thunder. We all know how he has proven to be an elite performer in his time with OKC, and it says a lot about his contributions as a pillar of the eventual team that would become a top contender under his lead over the years.

Kevin Durant image

4. Jalen Williams

While he is just three years into his career with Oklahoma City, it is no secret that Jalen Williams has become a fan favorite at this point in time. He is young, sure, but his love for the city that drafted him and watched him become a star and a champion in a short while is somewhat seen as a majestic growth to begin with. The fact that he’s just 24 says a lot about how he is getting loved by the fans – all the way to leading them to their first championship.

There’s no doubt that J-Dub is expected to be a centerpiece for the Thunder in the coming years, alongside Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. What makes him deserving of the fourth spot is the fact that he is already committed to OKC and pays a lot of homage to the Thunder’s history – even inspiring himself with the legacy of Kevin Durant’s big three over the years before their own era.

Jalen Williams image

3. Nick Collison

Not a star, not a big-time scorer – but a pivotal piece in the entire OKC franchise. Dubbed as Mr. Thunder, Nick Collison ranks this high for his loyalty in Oklahoma City – which is arguably one of the city’s core values given how they value players staying with the team. On top of that, Collison is also now a part of the Thunder’s front office, which means he was the last piece of the old Thunder to win a title with the same organization.

Spending his first four years with Seattle and then the rest of his career with the Thunder, Collison was beloved by fans, often receiving a lot of cheers from the team as he proved to be a pivotal bench impact player and was known well to be a vocal player in the locker room back in the day. That says a lot about his contribution to the team and how he has played a huge role in their success as well.

Nick Collison image

2. Russell Westbrook

Loyalty and hustle – that is the brand that Russell Westbrook is known for, and it cannot be denied that he gave everything he had for OKC. Winning the MVP in 2017 and setting triple-double records over the subsequent years while also leading the Thunder to playoff runs, Westbrook stands out as a massive part of Oklahoma City’s history, and it is safe to say that he deserves a lot of praise for his success with the team.

It is no secret that Kevin Durant’s departure and his subsequent extension proved to be a huge point of discussion among fans as to how he showed that he could be the next face of the Thunder at that time. He has gone through the toughest losses and stood by OKC’s side, and Westbrook never wavered nor in fact asked to be traded – OKC’s trade in his final year with the team was born out of a desire to restart to begin with.

Russell Westbrook image

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

At this point, we all know how SGA has proven to be the new face of the Thunder, and that’s without a doubt. Season MVP, WCF MVP, Finals MVP, and most of all, a championship for the first time in Oklahoma City – that is a massive feat, and he should definitely have a statue outside Paycom Center when the time comes. Still, SGA has a long way to go, but the way he stuck with the team in its dark years was already a selling point as to why he is the best to ever wear the Thunder uniform.

On top of that SGA recently signed a massive extension deal that will see him all the way through 2030-31. He even took a pay cut of $105 million had he signed the extension next season, and that was to leave room for OKC to offer extensions to both Holmgren and Williams as well, which says a lot about how he is committed to the team and is definitely the top player in the history of Oklahoma City.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander image

A Legacy Built on Loyalty, Grit, and Heart

Oklahoma City’s climb to the NBA mountaintop is not just the story of a team; it’s the story of a culture built on loyalty, grit, and a deep connection between the players and the city they represent. From the early dominance of Kevin Durant and the relentless fire of Russell Westbrook, to the loyalty of Nick Collison, and the rising promise of Jalen Williams, each player has etched their name into Thunder lore in their own unique way.

But at the top of it all stands Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the face of the franchise, who helped turn dreams into reality by delivering OKC its first NBA championship. His leadership, humility, and dedication to the Thunder’s future elevate him above even the most storied players in team history.

In a small-market city that thrives on passion and pride, these five players represent not just basketball excellence, but a commitment to something bigger than themselves. Thunder fans can proudly say they didn’t just witness a championship, they lived through the making of legends.