The Oklahoma City Thunder’s identity has been built on defense, and that reputation keeps getting louder.
It was the driving force behind Oklahoma City’s 2025 NBA title run, especially when the offense hit rough patches in the postseason. And the recognition hasn’t stopped there. Over the past two seasons, players such as Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace have already picked up All-Defense honors, underscoring how deep the Thunder’s commitment runs on that side of the ball.
Now the Game Theory Podcast, hosted by Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon, has added another layer of praise with its ranking of the NBA’s top defenders. Five Thunder players landed on the podcast’s top 25: Jalen Williams at No.
25, Isaiah Hartenstein at No. 20 and Cason Wallace at No. 16.
The latest reveal of the top 12 brought two more Oklahoma City names into the spotlight.
Alex Caruso came in at No. 12, with Vecenie and Simon slotting the veteran defender there as he heads into his 10th NBA season and third with the Thunder. Caruso averaged 6.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, two assists and 1.3 steals across 56 appearances in 2025-26, and while his regular-season production doesn’t always capture the full picture, his value showed up when the games mattered most.
He was a major factor in Oklahoma City’s last two playoff runs, including a standout stretch in the 2025 NBA Finals that helped deliver the franchise its first championship. Caruso’s ability to handle multiple assignments - even matchups like Nikola Jokic on the biggest stage - makes him one of the most important pieces in the Thunder’s postseason defense.
At the top of the Thunder representation was Chet Holmgren, who checked in at No. 2 behind only Victor Wembanyama. Holmgren finished second in 2026 Defensive Player of the Year voting after averaging 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.9 blocks per game. Even without the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, he still added All-Defense, All-Star and All-NBA honors in 2025-26.
The former No. 2 overall pick remains widely regarded as one of the best defenders in basketball, though his public perception took a hit after the Western Conference Finals. Holmgren struggled in that series, particularly in Game 7, and that has caused some observers to cool on him. Even so, his third season was a strong one, and his playoff work before the matchup with San Antonio backed up why he sits near the top of any defensive list.
In Other News...
Thunder May Have A New Offensive Answer Behind Shai
Isaiah Hartenstein already gave the Thunder a glimpse of what he can do as more than just a bruising interior presence. He scored efficiently, cleaned the glass and even helped as a playmaker, the kind of all-around center work that can steady an offense when possessions get messy. For Oklahoma City, that matters because any reliable source of production behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gives the rest of the attack a little more balance and a lot less pressure.
With the roster changed around him, there is a real chance for the Thunder to lean into that versatility and see how far it can go. More touches for Hartenstein would not just be about feeding a big man in the post, it would be about testing whether Oklahoma City can find another offensive lane that complements its star guard and makes the whole system harder to guard. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Mavericks Rivalry Just Became A Bigger Stage For OKC
The 2026-27 NBA schedule has already given the Thunder another reason to circle their meetings with Dallas. What was already shaping up as a compelling Western Conference rivalry now comes with a brighter spotlight, as Oklahoma City and the Mavericks are both projected to spend the season in the playoff mix. For the Thunder, the stage is especially fitting with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams expected to anchor a team built to contend again.
The added juice comes from how often these games will be in front of a national audience, a sign the league sees this as more than a routine division-style showdown. Dallas brings its own draw with Kyrie Irving back in the fold and rookie Cooper Flagg entering the picture, and the matchup now feels like one of those regular-season series that could carry real postseason weight. For Oklahoma City, it is the kind of test that can measure where this group stands early, and how much the rivalry might matter once spring arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Face A Tough Nikola Topic Call Sooner Than Anyone Wanted
The Thunder are already staring at one of those roster decisions that can shape the next few seasons, and it arrives much sooner than most of these things do. Nikola Topic, a 2024 first-round pick who has flashed real promise, is on a timeline that forces Oklahoma City to weigh projection against certainty, all while the team keeps an eye on its bigger salary-picture issues and the extensions that are coming due for other core pieces.
Topics limited NBA runway has only made the call tougher. Oklahoma City has seen enough to be intrigued, but not enough to remove the questions that naturally come with a young guard who has barely been on the floor, and the organization now has to balance patience with the practical side of team-building before the deadline hits. [Read more 🡒]