The Oklahoma City Thunder featuring Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook remains one of the NBA‘s most notable what-ifs. Despite their immense talent and having James Harden alongside, the team never secured an NBA championship during their tenure together, which continues to spark debate on their unrealized potential.
Insights from Serge Ibaka on the Thunder’s Untapped Potential
<pFormer Thunder player Serge Ibaka recently reflected on the team’s chances if their core trio had stayed intact. During an interview with TMZ Sports, Ibaka expressed that, in hindsight, the Thunder could have clinched at least two championships. However, he emphasized that achieving this is far more complicated than it seems.
“Right now, when you look back, it’s easy to say we could win at least two,”
Ibaka said.
“It’s easy to say, but it’s not easy to do it. You know what I mean? Because there’s a lot of things happen before you win a championship. On your way there, there is a lot of things can happen.”
Ibaka also noted that despite the roster’s talent, luck played a significant role in their inability to secure a title. One pivotal moment was during the 2013 NBA Playoffs, when Westbrook missed the entire postseason due to a collision with Patrick Beverley, severely impacting the team’s chances.
“Sometimes it’s not always about talent. You can have all the talent like we had, but those things go with luck, too. Like I said, it’s a lot of things,”
Ibaka added.
“Sometimes people from outside, you cannot see it. Behind the door, there’s a lot of things, a lot of work have to be done. So yeah, at least we could win minimum two.”
Examining the Thunder’s Legacy and Future Possibilities
The Kevin Durant Oklahoma City Thunder era remains a subject of speculation, as fans wonder whether this group could have been the franchise’s greatest team or secured multiple NBA titles. While the present Thunder roster holds the distinction of having won a championship, the potential of the original trio remains a topic of intense debate.
Currently, Kevin Durant has moved on to the Houston Rockets, and James Harden is with the LA Clippers, making any future reunion with Westbrook unlikely. Despite fans hoping to see the three stars together once more before retirement, that moment seems to have passed.
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder continues to build around a new roster, trying to step out of the shadow of those past near-championship runs and move forward with fresh aspirations.