Up until the 2008–09 season, the Oklahoma City Thunder were referred to as the Seattle SuperSonics. Given the lengthy and illustrious history of basketball in Seattle, fans all over the world were horrified by the decision. The Thunder have participated in one NBA Finals and two Conference Finals since relocating to Oklahoma City in the 2010s. Many NBA stars and superstars who have engraved their names into the record books and changed the course of Thunder history have called them home.
Today, the goal is to speak about the greatest players in Thunder history who currently call another city home. This list will include their greatest scorers and players who have helped mold the Thunder into the franchise they are known as today. While the Thunder seem primed to compete in the future as they currently stand after years of struggle, we must remember they were once a perennial playoff contender thanks to the presence of most of these players that have since moved on.
These are the 10 best active NBA players that used to play for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
10. Victor Oladipo
Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Years Played For Oklahoma City: 1 (2016)
Career Stats (with Oklahoma City): 15.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Victor Oladipo played just one season with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017. Beforehand, he was a member of the Orlando Magic for three seasons, where he was a solid scorer, passer, and defender. Starting at shooting guard for the Thunder for 67 games, Oladipo led the team to the playoffs as they finished with a 47-35 record on the year. He was the second-leading scorer for the team that had just lost superstar Kevin Durant in free agency.
After Oladipo left the Thunder, he ended up with the Indiana Pacers, where he became an All-Star in both 2018 and 2019. Oladipo would win a steals title with Indiana in 2018 and was well on his way to stardom. Indiana traded him in 2021 to Houston, where he became a 20.0 PPG scorer that was struggling mightily with injuries. Oladipo has been a member of the Miami Heat for the last two and a half years but, due to injury, has played only 35 games in total over that span.
9. Steven Adams
Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Years Played For Oklahoma City: 7 (2014-2020)
Career Stats (with Oklahoma City): 9.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Steven Adams began his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2013 after being selected 12th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft. Over the next seven seasons, he would become a fan favorite with them for his lovable character off the court and the way he had his teammates back on the court. Adams enjoyed his best years with the team in 2018 and 2019, when he averaged 13.9 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 1.3 SPG, and 1.0 BPG over that two-year span. He helped them reach the playoffs six times and reached the Western Conference Finals in 2016 as their starting center.
In November 2020, Adams would be dealt to the New Orleans Pelicans, where he would spend one season as their starting center. For the past two seasons, Adams has been a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, where he has been an enforcer and leader for them on the court. In his two seasons with Memphis, Adams is averaging 7.5 PPG, 10.6 RPG, and just under one steal and one block per game. Adams has been putting up the best rebounding numbers of his career with the Grizzlies, consistently among the league leaders in that category.
8. Serge Ibaka
Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Years Played For Oklahoma City: 7 (2010-2016)
Career Stats (with Oklahoma City): 11.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.4 SPG, 2.5 BPG
Serge Ibaka is actually one of the few players in the NBA who were drafted by the Thunder when they were still known as the SuperSonics, along with Russell Westbrook. Ibaka never played for the SuperSonics considering the move happened shortly after him being selected 24th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft and him missing the entire first year of his career. Ibaka became one of the best interior defenders in basketball during his time, with the Thunder becoming a blocks champion in both 2012 and 2013.
Ibaka’s presence on the inside was a big reason the Thunder were such a feared squad at their peak as a franchise. He averaged at least 2.4 BPG every season with them from 2011 thru 2015, along with at least 7.0 RPG. Since his departure for the 2016-17 season, Ibaka has gone on to play for the Magic, Raptors, Clippers, and Bucks. He won an NBA championship with Toronto in 2019 as a starter. Over the past two seasons, Ibaka has played in just 35 games for Milwaukee and just 70 games overall.
7. Domantas Sabonis
Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Years Played With Oklahoma City: 1 (2017)
Career Stats (with Oklahoma City): 5.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Many fans probably forgot that Domantas Sabonis played for the Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2017, but that is because his time there was so forgettable. Sabonis was the 11th overall pick of the Orlando Magic in 2016 but was immediately traded to Oklahoma City. With the team in his rookie season, Sabonis made 81 appearances with 66 starts, but his production was less than satisfactory. In 2017, he was traded to Indiana in the deal that saw Paul George return for the Thunder, and the rest is history.
After being traded to Indiana, Sabonis developed into one of the most versatile big men in the NBA. He became an All-Star in 2020 and 2021, averaging 19.4 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 5.8 APG, and 1.0 SPG over those two seasons. In 2022-23, he is currently a Top 10 MVP candidate while leading the Kings to their best start in a decade. With the help of De’Aaron Fox, the Kings are headed towards snapping the longest playoff drought in the NBA currently.
6. Paul George
Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Years Played In Oklahoma City: 2 (2018-2019)
Career Stats (with Oklahoma City): 25.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.7 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG
By the time that Paul George arrived in Oklahoma City in 2017, he was already a four-time All-Star who went toe-to-toe in the playoffs with LeBron James. George would have the best season of his career with the Thunder in 2019, finishing top 3 in both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year voting. In 2019, George averaged 28.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.1 APG, and a league-leading 2.2 SPG. The Thunder went to the playoffs both seasons that he played with Oklahoma City but would lose in the first round both times.
In July 2019, George was traded in a massive deal to the Los Angeles Clippers, where he still remains today. George was an All-Star in 2021 and led the team to their first Conference Finals appearance in team history. In his four seasons with the Clippers, George has battled injury but has still averaged 24.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, and 1.2 SPG. He and teammate Kawhi Leonard are trying to lead the Clippers to their first title in franchise history as one of the best duos in the NBA this season.
5. Carmelo Anthony
Credit: Joseph Weiser-USA TODAY Sports
Years Played In Oklahoma City: 1 (2017)
Career Stats (with Oklahoma City): 16.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG
By the time Carmelo Anthony arrived in Oklahoma City, it was clear his best days were behind him. Thankfully, for Oklahoma City, his best years were so good that even with a dropoff in production, he was still a solid contributor for them. With the Thunder, Anthony was a No. 3 option next to Westbrook and Paul George as he started 78 games for them that season. The team went 48-34 and finished fourth in the Western Conference but lost in the first round of the playoffs.
It is no secret that Anthony was one of the most talented scorers ever in his earlier days with the Nuggets and Knicks. After his time with the Thunder, Anthony played on a series of short deals with other teams. He played one year with the Rockets in 2019 as well as two seasons with the Trail Blazers in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, he made 69 appearances for the Lakers, and as he made his way to different cities, was still a solid double-digit scorer. Anthony ranks ninth in total career points and 27th in three-pointers made in NBA history. In 2022-23, Anthony is still technically active but a free agent yet to sign with any team looking for help. This cannot be how it ends, can it?
4. James Harden
Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Years Played In Oklahoma City: 3 (2010-2012)
Career Stats (with Oklahoma City): 12.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG
The Oklahoma City Thunder made James Harden their third overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Harden began his career as a Sixth Man off the bench and steadily became one of the best bench players in basketball. Alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, Harden helped the Thunder reach the 2012 NBA Finals in the same season that he was named Sixth Man of the Year. He averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.7 APG, and 1.0 SPG to claim the award in 62 appearances for the Thunder.
After being traded in a massive deal to the Houston Rockets, James Harden’s career exploded. He was an All-Star his first season in Houston and remained one for every year of his career since. With the Rockets, he won three scoring titles and the 2018 MVP award. Harden is currently a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, where he, along with Joel Embiid, has become one-half of one of the best duos in the NBA. He is currently averaging 21.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 11.2 APG for the second-place Sixers, who are 30-16 through 46 games in 2022-23.
3. Chris Paul
Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
Years Played In Oklahoma City: 1 (2020)
Career Stats (With Oklahoma City): 17.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG
For most of his career, Chris Paul has been considered one of the best point guards in basketball. He won multiple steals titles and assists titles while helping teams reach the pinnacle of their potential. When Paul arrived with the Thunder in 2019-20, many thought it was a cheap signing that marked the beginning of the end of his career. They were wrong. Paul would lead the Thunder to a 44-28 record that season and a playoff berth as the fifth seed in the West while remaining an All-Star caliber player.
After his one-year deal was up with the Thunder, Paul signed a lucrative contract with the Phoenix Suns, where he has remained for the last three seasons. In 2021, Paul was an All-Star again and led the Suns to an NBA Finals berth one year after they had missed the playoffs. In 2022, Paul led the team to their best season in franchise history with 64 wins and the first seed in the West. He has slowed down considerably in 2022-23, averaging 13.4 PPG, 8.5 APG, and 1.5 SPG as the Suns have struggled to a 25-24 record. Could this be the final season for the self-proclaimed “Point God”?
2. Russell Westbrook
Credit: Isaiah J.Downing=USA TODAY Sports
Years Played In Oklahoma City: 11 (2009-2019)
Career Stats (with Oklahoma City): 23.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 8.4 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.3 BPG
The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Russell Westbrook with their fourth overall pick in 2008 with the idea that he and franchise star Kevin Durant would become one of the most feared dups in NBA history. For a time, that is exactly what they did as they led the team to an NBA Finals appearance in 2012 and a Conference Finals appearance in 2016. Westbrook would become the first player since Oscar Robertson to finish an entire season averaging a triple-double in 2017 and won his only MVP award in doing so. He was an eight-time All-Star with them as well as an eight-time All-NBA Team selection.
Since his time in Oklahoma City, Westbrook has enjoyed some ups and downs. He was an All-Star once again with the Rockets in 2020 and broke Robertson’s all-time triple-double record in 2021 with the Wizards. For the past two seasons, Westbrook has been a member of the Lakers, where he has been the subject of unwarranted criticism amid struggles shooting the ball and with turnovers. In 2022-23, Westbrook is the leader in the clubhouse for the Sixth Man of the Year award averaging 15.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 7.6 APG.
1. Kevin Durant
Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Years Played In Oklahoma City: 9 (2008-2016)
Career Stats (with Oklahoma City): 27.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.0 BPG
From the moment he stepped on the floor in 2008, most fans could see how special Kevin Durant was about to become as an offensive player. He won the Rookie of the Year in his first season with the team and is the only player in the NBA right now that has played for both the SuperSonics and Thunder in his career. He would win four scoring titles as a member of the Thunder and an MVP award in 2014. Durant would help the Thunder reach an NBA Finals in 2012 and a Conference Finals in 2016 as a seven-time All-Star with them and a six-time All-NBA Team selection.
After their meltdown in the 2016 Conference Finals, Durant left the Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors. While there, Durant cruised to his first two NBA titles as well as claimed both Finals MVP awards. After tearing his Achilles in the 2019 Finals, Durant left Golden State to join the Brooklyn Nets. With the Nets, Durant has led them to the playoffs twice while being named an All-Star twice as well. Before suffering an injury this season, Durant was among the top MVP candidates as he averaged 29.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 5.3 APG, and 1.5 BPG.
Source: yardbarker.com
