Championships are not built on talent alone. They start in the front office, where bold vision shapes everything. Sam Presti saw that early and never played it safe. Now, Chet Holmgren believes that impact deserves more than quiet respect. For him, the Thunder’s rise is no accident, and their architect might just be worthy of something far greater.

The 24-year-old big man appeared on Mafuzzy Chef Serge Ibaka and shared his thoughts. Holmgren said, “I think the first statue outside the new arena is probably going to be a Presti statue. I’m pretty sure he makes the decisions on who’s the statue, so he’d probably know better than me. If there was a vote, I’d vote for it.”

In June 2007, Sam Presti stepped in as the league’s youngest GM after Rick Sund stepped aside. Backed by owner Clay Bennett, who praised his calm, precise mindset shaped with the San Antonio Spurs, Presti quickly took control. Even Lenny Wilkens shifted roles to clear the path. Meanwhile, a struggling 31–51 team entered rebuild mode, and Presti wasted no time setting the tone.

At the 2007 draft, he flipped Ray Allen into the 5th pick, Jeff Green, pairing him with No. 2 pick Kevin Durant. Then came a clever move involving Rashard Lewis, creating a $9M exception that turned into Kurt Thomas and two first-rounders, one of whom became Serge Ibaka. He added coach P. J. Carlesimo, endured a 20–62 season, yet saw Durant win Rookie of the Year. Then, in 2008, he drafted Russell Westbrook and Ibaka again before the move to Oklahoma City.

These were just hints towards what the GM could do in the future. So, Chet Holmgren went on, “I wasn’t here for the entire lifetime of the Thunder, obviously, but since I’ve been here, I don’t want to discredit all the players, because all the players are extremely talented, came in talented, continue to work, continue to improve.”

Therefore, Holmgren’s argument is simple. Talent alone guarantees nothing in the NBA. Plenty of gifted players fade because the system around them fails. Here, he thus credits Presti for building the right ecosystem. The structure, culture, and support matter. In that setup, players feel free, confident, and ultimately perform at their peak consistently.

Now, why does Sam Presti deserve a statue before Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Russell Westbrook?

Sam Presti over SGA and Westbrook?

For Chet Holmgren, Presti enters the statue debate for a different reason. He shaped the Oklahoma City Thunder from the ground up and kept them relevant across eras. After the post-Kevin Durant slump, Sam Presti went bold. He sent Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and a treasure chest of picks from 2021 to 2026, including swaps.

Then came the Russell Westbrook move to the Houston Rockets, bringing back Chris Paul, plus more draft control. That deal reunited Westbrook with James Harden and quietly closed one Thunder chapter. A surprising 2019–20 run followed, yet Presti pivoted again. Veterans like Paul, Steven Adams, Gallinari, and Dennis Schröder moved out. Meanwhile, Billy Donovan exited, and Mark Daigneault stepped in.

They reset around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted Josh Giddey at No. 6 in 2021, stacking assets to a staggering 38 future picks, split evenly into 19 firsts and 19 seconds. In 2022, Chet Holmgren went No. 2, alongside Jalen Williams at 12. Shai then exploded into an All-Star and All-NBA First Team force, pushing a 40–42 season. Another lottery trip followed, where Cason Wallace arrived at No. 10. By 2024, Giddey flipped to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso. One year later, it all clicked. The Thunder lifted the 2025 NBA title, sealing Presti’s first ring.

Therefore, statues often follow emotion. Players create moments fans hold onto. Westbrook already carries legendary status, while Shai leads the title era. So the order feels natural. Honor the stars first. Then circle back to Presti, the mind behind it all. And if there were a vote, Chet Holmgren would blindly pick his GM over anyone else.