OKC Thunder might be 'idiots' but strength is their youth entering 2025 NBA Finals
Mark Daigneault thought he'd walk away unscathed, unbothered to deliver his signature platitudes on the biggest night of his young team's lives.
Wrong.
As he spoke to ESPN's Lisa Salters at midcourt, his reward for helping the Oklahoma City Thunder reach its first NBA Finals since 2012 on Wednesday, he was reminded of the nature of the group he's coaching. The Disney Channel vibes they emanate. These PG-13, bought-in 20-somethings whose defense is rated R.
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'They're professional,' Daigneault started, listing the reasons why their regular season success translated to June. 'They're high character …"
He paused. Sophomore guard Cason Wallace wrapped him in a towel like E.T. A hat spawned atop his head, too. Center Chet Holmgren's hand reached to cock it sideways.
'They're idiots,' he continued, smiling.
That idiocy is among the intangibles that got them here. The innocence of their youth has allowed them to enjoy each other's company, unlike how many teams exist. That they play almost not to disappoint each other is palpable.
More: Mark Daigneault loves coaching his band of OKC Thunder 'idiots' on run to NBA Finals
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'They're special,' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said of his teammates. 'The biggest thing is they make the NBA not feel like a job. And it can at times with all the travel and all the hard days, ups and downs — I know I sound spoiled being in the NBA and complaining about hard days, but these guys really make you feel like I'm a kid playing AAU basketball (at) 15 years old again.
'They make it seem like it's just fun. And I think that's what makes us really good, like we have so much fun being out there together. And I'm sure we all know that when you're having fun with things, you give it your all, and you excel at it because you enjoy it.'
Look at the group. There are bubble babies, whose first taste of the league came then or afterward. The CBA babies, assembled with the picks garnered in awareness of this new deal. Unheralded players and second-rounders nearly across the board. A crew with similar struggles and chips on their shoulder in a place that vets players based on how those obstacles might shape them.
For most of them, all they know is each other. Perhaps the misstep was thinking their youth was their kryptonite instead of a weapon. These AAU NBAers have mostly been on the same timeline, chasing the feeling of this unit. Shaped by their lives almost being tethered.
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Among those older or with different experiences is Alex Caruso, who experienced what a championship team looks like, and was tactically chosen as the voice that could communicate to these whippersnappers what they need. There's Isaiah Hartenstein, also acquired by the Thunder last summer, who played with his share of superstars and knew what they needed. Out of a bruiser, out of a big man, out of a teammate.
That's why general manager Sam Presti mostly left this core untouched. If the phrase 'additive' was ever thrown around as it relates to acquisitions, it might've teetered more toward intangibles than basketball fit. Presti knows how to make basketball fit. He's now seemingly mastered how to make the people fit. How to not taint what feels so uncommonly pure.
'Everybody in our locker room is grateful and humble, respectful, kind, professional, and it allows everybody to operate at full capacity,' Daigneault said. 'And we don't take that for granted. I don't take that for granted.
'And you ask, why? I think it's where they come from. It's their families. It's their circles. … who's around them, who's talking to them now, who was talking to them when they were 10 years old. It all fits together and makes sense. They're great people first, you know?'
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And idiots. Never leave that out.
More: Alex Caruso and the Thunder defense did it again, carrying OKC to NBA Finals | Mussatto
Joel Lorenzi covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joel? He can be reached at jlorenzi@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @joelxlorenzi. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Joel's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder's greatest strength is youth entering 2025 NBA Finals
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