A year ago, the Thunder were the NBA's feel-good story ⚡
They were built, not bought. A homegrown contender led by a young core that genuinely looked like they enjoyed playing together.
They won at a historic pace, captured a championship, and became the blueprint every rebuilding team wanted to follow.
Fast forward one year, and the conversation sounds completely different.
The winning never stopped, but the praise did.
Critics point to the flopping. Opposing fanbases complain about the whistles. Every big win seems to spark another debate about officiating and whether the Thunder get favorable calls.
The script has flipped in record time.
From league darlings to public enemy No. 1, Oklahoma City has experienced the full championship cycle in just 12 months.
The one thing that hasn't changed? They keep stacking wins while the noise gets louder.
Love them or hate them, the Thunder are still exactly where everyone else wants to be 🏆
Mike Breen on SGA:
"Does Shai sell calls sometimes? Absolutely, but so do 287 other players in the NBA… When they weren't a championship contender, nobody complained. They only complain now because they are winning.”
(via @dpshow)