Our City of Champions, Determination and Heart: Growing Up with the Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been a constant source of inspiration in my life, shaping not only my love for the game of basketball, but teaching me essential values that have helped me to grow into the person I am today. As a born and raised Oklahoma City kid, some of my earliest memories took place inside the Ford Center, where I was eager to see what professional basketball had to offer. Though I could not fully grasp what I was watching at the time, it was apparent to me that it was special.
From witnessing the excitement of the Hornets’ brief stint in Oklahoma City – undeniable proof that this City was desperate to grasp onto something and could love a franchise with all its heart – to experiencing the team’s first heartbreaking title run, to now, celebrating as a City of Champions with our new, young and lovable roster – this organization exemplifies how hard work, perseverance, and grit pay off.
The highs and lows I’ve experienced with the Thunder have taught me just that. This team was my childhood – I felt as though I was personal friends with the team, and losing some of our core players felt like a personal assault. However, in the midst of disappointment, I was encouraged by Russell Westbrook, and how he continued to embrace the City in a heartwarming style. I’ll never forget hardly paying attention during ACT tutoring when he broke the triple-double record. Watching him hoist the MVP trophy and hit the game winner against Denver are some of my favorite moments as a fan. So, when Westbrook exited, I was understandably devastated. However, that change caused my mindset to shift – while I always thought the players were far and away the most important part of a team, what the Oklahoma City Thunder did in the coming years made me realize people are always working behind the scenes to bring to life the vision we all see on the court.
Arguably the most inspiring member of the franchise, Sam Presti, showed an entire city why you never give up. Even when things were at their lowest, he continued to push for excellence. Fast forward to today, and we’ve spent nearly two months as a City of Champions. Our City, who knows the mere presence of the professional game of basketball symbolizes our triumphant climb from the depths of terror and onto the world stage. Our City, previously known for tragedies and oil busts, is now internationally validated. Clay Bennett and Sam Presti’s persistence, hard work and relentless determination has turned this team and City, our little home on the prairie, into the face of the NBA. By selflessly trading for the eventual MVP of the league and drafting core talent to go around him, this team is set up for success for the foreseeable future.
To me, the most special part of this franchise is knowing that, even without the Larry O’Brien trophy, our City and fan base would cheer just as passionately for the Thunder. The sense of camaraderie the Thunder has brought to our City is unlike anything else in sports.
