Shai Gilgeous-Alexander heats up for 29 points and 12 assists to lead the Thunder over the Pacers in Game 7, 103-91.
Periodically, NBA.com’s writers will weigh in on key storylines or trending topics around the league.
Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the best Thunder player ever?
> Trending Topics: Will the Thunder repeat as champions in 2025-26?
Steve Aschburner
Better pump the brakes on this one. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook laid that franchise’s foundation and carried OKC to the NBA Finals in only its fourth season in town. They rank No. 1 and 2 in most stats categories in Thunder history — Westbrook on top of most by playing 11 seasons there to Durant’s eight.
All three earned Kia MVP awards while employed there, so that’s a push. Durant won four scoring titles (Gilgeous-Alexander has one), while Westbrook became the NBA’s first player to average a triple-double since Oscar Robertson 55 years earlier — then did it the next two seasons, too.
Gilgeous-Alexander and his teammates brought a championship to town, and he might reach Top 100 status when the league celebrates its centennial in 2047. But the other two already are Top 75. My order of great Thunder players? Westbrook first, Durant second, Gilgeous-Alexander third and rising.
Brian Martin
Yes. With the season he just put together individually (the scoring title, Kia MVP, West Finals MVP, Finals MVP) and having it culminate in leading the Thunder to the first championship in the OKC era, I have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander edging out Kevin Durant as the best Thunder player ever.
Gilgeous-Alexander does not yet have all of the accolades that KD ran up during his time in OKC. Durant has the edge in All-NBAs (5 to 3 in First Team selections), scoring titles (4-1), All-Star selections (7-3) and top 5 Kia MVP finishes (5-3).
But Gilgeous-Alexander has the one thing that Durant was unable to deliver to OKC: the NBA title. Both reached the Finals once during their Thunder tenure, but only Gilgeous-Alexander was able to finish the story.
Shaun Powell
Well, this is a tough one. In the short term? Yes, of course, because of the MVPs (regular season and Finals) and the championship.
But career?
With all due respect to Gilgeous-Alexander and Kevin Durant, this goes to Russell Westbrook. While splitting hairs here seems like a cop-out, and if a more definitive answer is demanded, then let’s go with Gilgeous-Alexander only because the championship is the achievement that cannot be debated in any argument between him, Durant and Westbrook (and this is only a three-man race).
John Schuhmann
No. It’s probably still Kevin Durant. Gilgeous-Alexander delivered Oklahoma City its first championship, but Durant played 230 more games (regular season and postseason combined) in a Thunder uniform than the Finals MVP and still has twice as many playoff wins (50 vs. 25) with the franchise. He averaged more points per game (28.5 vs. 27.4), was slightly more efficient (true shooting percentage of 60.9% vs. 60.8%), and was the more impactful defensive player. He also gets credit for making Oklahoma City a legit franchise from Day 1. If Gilgeous-Alexander wins another championship, then hand him the crown.
