In light of Allen Iverson’s recent ranking of his all-time starting five, here’s a new OKC Thunder spin on the old debate.
For us older OKC Thunder fans, it can be hard to believe the franchise have been in Oklahoma City for a decade now. Since the teams arrival to the Mid-West, we’ve experienced about as many ups and downs as anyone else, with some excellent players being on the team at some point in those ten years. Even though the Thunder are still searching for that elusive first championship since the move, it’s been a fun ride nonetheless.
One of the most enjoyable debates among NBA fans is the “all-time starting five” discussion, which was recently sparked up again by Allen Iverson who weighed in with his opinion. Interestingly, AI’s list excludes former Thunder superstar Kevin Durant.
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1070829028175691776
My all-time OKC Thunder starting five, however, does not.
Point Guard: Russell Westbrook
No surprises here. If averaging a triple-double twice wasn’t enough, Russell Westbrook is the only reason OKC remained relevant after the departure of KD. He carried the team to the playoffs in 2016-17 and had a big hand in re-signing Paul George over the summer. The team is still relevant today because of his contributions on and off the court.
Shooting Guard: James Harden
Oklahoma City has always preferred defensive specialists to start the game at the two spot. But even as the sixth man, James Harden was part of the original “OK3” which made the Thunder so great. I don’t think this needs an explanation, but I will, simply for the younger fans who may think photo of Harden in a Thunder uniform has been photo-shopped.
Harden averaged 16 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 49.1 percent shooting and 39 percent from three in his final season with the team. Despite disappearing in the team’s one-and-only Finals appearance, he was a big reason why the Thunder got there to begin with.
Harden is far and away the most capable offensive shooting guard the Thunder have ever had and it was unfortunate we had to watch him leave over $35 million.
Small Forward: Kevin Durant
Forgive me if you still have hard feelings towards Kevin Durant, but there is no way around it. Regardless of how salty you are, he still played eight phenomenal years in Oklahoma City. At least in my mind, that shouldn’t be discredited.
Power Forward: Nick Collison
On paper, this spot really belongs to Serge Ibaka. He was our most reliable rim protector for seven seasons and even began to develop a respectable shot in the final years. Given the Thunder struggled to find another big post player, he was the glue that held the original group in place. Without his defensive presence, it’s safe to say the Thunder wouldn’t have had the success they achieved.
Having said that, I’m giving the nod to Mr. Thunder, Nick Collison. He was with the franchise his entire career and embodied the spirit of Thunder basketball. Some intangibles such as leadership, hustle and work ethic don’t always translate to the stat sheet, but they’re just as important to winning as points, rebounds or assists. OKC just isn’t the same without him, but I’m hoping we see him as an assistant coach at some point in the future.
Center: Steven Adams
Finding a big man that both defended the rim and was a decent offensive threat was one of, if not the, biggest issues for the Thunder early on. We went from Nenad Krstic (feeling nostalgic?) to Kendrick Perkins. It wasn’t until 2013 when Sam Presti found a long-term solution in Steven Adams.
Since then, he’s been unquestioned starter as an elite defender and rebounding specialist. He’s also developed a pretty floater and has enough bounce and reach to complete some ridiculous alley-oop dunks. Much like Collison, he takes on the spirit of Thunder basketball by making all the hustle plays and taking beating in the post. The Thunder are currently No. 1 in defensive rating, thanks in no small part to Adams’ effort.
Final Thoughts..
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The beauty of the all-time starting five debate is that there really is no wrong answer, so long as you don’t go rogue with a hot take. It’s a topic that will be debated forever and yet one that will never be completely agreed upon. And it’s only going to get more difficult as time goes on. If we’re finding this debate difficult after 72 years (and most people only pick players from the past 30-40 years), the next generations will have a lot to think about.
And for what it’s worth, here’s my all-time starting five: Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, LeBron James, Bill Russell.
Yes, I lean towards the older generation. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t have respect for recently retired or current players. But what the legends of the game have against current players is a full career. 10 years from now, I could easily see some of the younger talent of today in the running. Until then, I’m sticking with my picks.
As far as Thunder players who could crack my list, there’s still some work to be done. Durant is probably the closest to making my list, and Westbrook is also in the discussion after becoming the only player to average a triple-double twice in his career. A championship would sure boost his resume, however.