What former Utes star Branden Carlson learned about becoming a champion from the OKC Thunder
That's quite a year for the former Runnin' Utes standout, though he downplays the accomplishment when it's brought up.
'It was a lot of fun and it's a great team to be a part of,' Carlson said of the Oklahoma City Thunder. 'Obviously, winning is always the goal, and so being a part of a winning team, and winning your last game of the season feels great.'
Carlson wasn't on the court during the Thunder's playoff run to an NBA title — as a two-way player, he isn't eligible for postseason play — but he certainly helped the Thunder as they worked to maintain the No. 1 overall regular-season record and secure home-court advantage for the playoffs.
When the Thunder ran into a rash of injuries to their frontcourt players, they brought in Carlson, who had been playing for the Toronto Raptors' G League team. After a short stint and consecutive 10-day deals, the Thunder offered Carlson a two-way contract.
Then, while in Utah this past week for Salt Lake City Summer League, despite not playing in the summer showcase because of an ankle sprain, he agreed to return to the Thunder for the 2025-26 season on another two-way deal.
It's not hard to see the reason that both sides are happy about this union. Carlson is learning from some of the very best players in the NBA, including the reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and he's seen that the Thunder deeply care about developing from within and giving players opportunities.
Look no further than Lu Dort, who was also an undrafted two-way player for the Thunder before becoming the team's lead defender and a starter in every single game of its championship run.
From OKC's side, Carlson is a tenacious center who plays a modern style of basketball with quick feet and the ability to stretch the floor. Frankly, he fits the bill for how the Thunder play now and want to continue to play in the future.
And it doesn't matter to Carlson that two-way players aren't able to play in the playoffs, because he can't put a price tag on the lessons he's learned just being a part of a team that has been to the absolute peak of professional basketball.
'You just learn the adversity that a team can face and individuals can face and how to overcome that,' he told the Deseret News. 'You learn more about yourself and how to be a teammate. There's just so many things you can take away from just watching it and being around guys who have been there and made it happen.'
Last summer, when Carlson was playing for the Raptors during Las Vegas Summer League, he'd been a little disappointed that he didn't end up on one of the four teams that played in the SLC Summer League.
This summer, he was overjoyed to return to the Huntsman Center and as an NBA champion.
'I thought about it a lot last year when I was at summer league,' he said. 'So it's fun to be, part of a team that is back here, and obviously see some family and friends and be back in this arena. It's just really great.'
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The league doesn't have enough history, hasn't built up enough goodwill, to turn its midseason showcase into a joke. Unless the league is growing so large that it can survive just fine with an All-Star Game where players stop competing until fans stop watching. And if the league is growing that large, well, it's like the T-shirts said. Pay us what you owe us And it's like the crowd here in Indianapolis said. Pay them Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Threads, or on BlueSky and Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar, or at Subscribe to the free weekly Doyel on Demand newsletter.
