Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may not have gotten the top billing many expected, but the Oklahoma City star has a fresh piece of fuel heading into the season.
When the league’s top 100 players list finished rolling out Thursday, Gilgeous-Alexander landed at No. 3 entering this season. That slot puts him behind Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama, a placement that feels a little off for a player who just won back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards.
The Thunder guard has spent the last two seasons making a strong case that he sits at the top of the league. Still, the ranking suggests some around the game are ready to nudge him aside, even though neither Jokic nor Wembanyama has truly separated themselves from him.
What Gilgeous-Alexander keeps doing is the kind of thing that usually shuts down debate. Last season, he averaged more than 30 points per game while shooting better than 50% for the fourth straight year. Only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain have pulled that off for more than four consecutive seasons, which puts the Thunder star in some rare company.
Now he gets an immediate chance to answer. Oklahoma City opens the season against Wembanyama and the Spurs, the same team that ended the Thunder’s playoff run last year. That makes the opener a fitting stage for Gilgeous-Alexander to remind everyone exactly where he belongs.
Rankings can be flimsy, and this one may end up looking even worse with time. After two MVPs, Gilgeous-Alexander seemed like the obvious name to sit at the top. Instead, he has a new line on the bulletin board - and a chance to turn it into another dominant year.
If he keeps rolling, the conversation around him could change fast. It may stop being about next season’s best player and start drifting into a much bigger one: one of the best players ever.
In Other News...
Presti Just Clarified How Thunder See This New-Look Contender
The Thunders offseason looked different almost immediately when longtime starter Luguentz Dort and rotation pieces Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins were moved in a series of cost-cutting deals. On the surface, it was a jarring shift for a team that had built its identity on continuity and depth, but Sam Presti framed the moves as part of a longer financial plan rather than a retreat from contention.
Presti made clear Oklahoma City still believes its championship window is anchored by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, and he pointed to the teams position as one that should keep it in the mix in 2026/27. The part that matters most for what comes next is what the front office does with the flexibility it created, because the Thunder have signaled those savings are not meant to disappear into the ledger forever. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Fans Can See A Russell Westbrook Tribute Coming
Sam Presti used a 2026-27 preseason press conference to salute Russell Westbrooks retirement and Hall of Fame career, and the message from the Thunder front office was clear enough: a formal tribute is coming. Westbrook remains one of the defining figures in franchise history, and Oklahoma City is already thinking through how to recognize the nine-time All-Star for the impact he had on the organization and the city.
The details are still being shaped, but the possibilities under discussion show just how significant the honor could be. Retiring No. 0 and even a statue outside the new Continental Coliseum have been mentioned as ideas, though nothing has been finalized. Presti said the team is working with great intention, which suggests this is more a matter of when and how than if. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Offseason Looked Brutal But Sam Presti Protected The Bigger Picture
The Thunders offseason looked harsh on the surface, with a handful of familiar rotation pieces moved out as the front office worked to reset the books. But the broader plan is familiar for Oklahoma City, which has long treated roster churn as the cost of keeping a contenders window open, even when it means saying goodbye to players who helped stabilize the roster.
Sam Prestis approach was about more than subtraction, though. Oklahoma City is trying to refill those minutes with a younger wave that includes Cason Wallace, Jared McCain, Ajay Mitchell, Bennett Stirtz, Jaylin Williams and Otega Oweh, while also reinforcing the front line with Isiah Hartenstein and spending its first draft pick on Aday Mara. The result is a lineup that may look different, but one the Thunder believe can still support the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]