In a Western Conference stacked with seasoned squads like the Nuggets, Warriors, and Rockets, the Thunder quietly carved out attention. Their roster, mostly in their early twenties, proved to be effective. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the pack, scoring a career-high 32.7 points per game on 51.9% shooting, while Jalen Williams ran the offense as the secondary creator, averaging 21.6 points and 5.1 assists. Even with Chet Holmgren missing stretches of the season, the trio showed that OKC is more than a developmental team—they’re real contenders.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s evolution into a dual-threat guard has been central to OKC’s ascent. When Holmgren sat out, the Thunder’s youngsters adjusted. Roles shifted, responsibilities rotated, and the offense kept humming. But the real test lies ahead: can this group maintain focus, energy, and composure through an 82-game grind while facing the pressure of defending a championship?

In a recent analysis for The Athletic, John Hollinger highlighted that while the Oklahoma City Thunder boast one of the league’s most promising young cores, their biggest threats this season may not come from opponents alone, but from mental fatigue and lapses in focus. “Injuries and mental lapses will define how far this young OKC squad can go this season,” Hollinger said.

Last season, Oklahoma City won 68 games and posted a historic point differential despite missing key big men like Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein for long stretches. Hollinger cautions that sustaining this level of excellence demands vigilance, small distractions or even minor dips in intensity can make a difference over a punishing 82-game season.

The mental game becomes even more critical when you look at the top Western teams. The Warriors, for example, lean on experience, sharp shooting, and crisp ball movement, but even they have suffered when concentration faltered, sometimes losing to younger, hungrier squads. The Clippers, despite their star power, have stumbled when overconfidence or lapses allowed opponents to exploit defensive breakdowns. “The competitiveness of the rest of the Western Conference should encourage the Thunder to push hard deep into spring to ensure they have the top seed in the playoffs,” Hollinger explained.

Finally, Hollinger added that “a team like Cleveland or Orlando in the East may rattle off a high enough win total to keep OKC sufficiently motivated to maintain home-court advantage in a potential NBA Finals matchup.” This highlights the broader stakes: even with Western dominance, the Thunder cannot afford mental lapses, as Eastern contenders could indirectly force them to fight harder late in the season.

Mark Daigneault doesn’t just hand out plays and call it a day, he lets his core do their thing. Shai can break down a defense on his own, Williams pushes the pace and makes the guys around him better, and Holmgren isn’t locked to one spot, he can drift, block shots, or slip into the lane for easy buckets. The system’s there to keep everyone on the same page, but they’re trusted to read the game and make plays. Still, Hollinger warns that if the group gets too comfortable, even a talented roster can hit a rough patch.

The $822 million gamble: Can OKC’s young core stay grounded?

Ahead of their 2025–26 media day, the Oklahoma City Thunder faces more scrutiny about their on-court performance. They locked in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams with a combined $822 million which shows the franchise’s belief in its young core, but it is a realm with high stakes involved. The amount of financial investment brings scrutiny, heightened expectations, and a pressure to deliver consistently. Talent alone can’t be enough, especially as the Thunder look to defend their championship in a brutally competitive Western Conference.

And this is not just a caution, history offers more cautionary tales. The 2018-19 Boston Celtics had a roster full of stars, with Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown, yet  they faced internal friction and uneven focus prevented them from reaching their potential.

The 2019-20 Houston Rockets struggled to mesh James Harden and Russell Westbrook despite obvious talent, resulting in playoff disappointment. For OKC, the question is nothing but about focus, chemistry, and the ability to navigate pressure. How they handle these challenges will determine whether this $822 million bet becomes a blueprint for success or a warning for the ages.