The Oklahoma City Thunder clinched its first NBA title since relocating from Seattle in 2008 and several players who spent their collegiate careers with Big 12 programs played a role in the team’s historic season.
After going undrafted in 2019 out of Arizona State, guard Luguentz Dort signed with the franchise and made an immediate impact, averaging double figures in the past five seasons.
Dort was named the 2018-19 Pac-12 Rookie of the Year with averages of 16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in his freshman campaign.
During OKC’s championship run, Dort played an instrumental role with his stifling defense, tallying 1.3 steals per game in the playoffs. He had his strongest three-point shooting season of his career at 41.3% and was named to the 2024-25 All-Defensive team.
Forward Kenrich Williams played his college career with TCU, where he posted 11 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 102 career games. He entered the 2018 NBA Draft but went undrafted.
After playing two seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans, Williams joined the Thunder and has spent the last five seasons with the franchise. He was a key piece to OKC’s bench unit, appearing in 16 games throughout the playoffs.
While guard Adam Flagler did not see a ton of action this season, he cemented himself at Baylor as he helped lead the university to an NCAA championship in 2021. With the Bears, he recorded 13 points and 3.1 assists per game.
In just his second season in the NBA, Flagler saw the floor in 37 games and added another championship to his resume.
7-foot big man Branden Carlson showed some bright flashes throughout his rookie season with the Thunder. Carlson, a former standout with the Utah Utes.
His best performance came in a win over the Pelicans on April 13, where he finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.
Dating back to his time with Utah, Carlson averaged 12.9 points and 5.8 rebounds, while shooting 51.4% from the floor.
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