Kevin Durant’s case for a Thunder jersey in the rafters is hard to ignore, even if the emotions around his exit still run hot.
The Athletic recently put together a list of active NBA players who deserve to have their numbers retired, and Durant landed in the “Definitely will be retired” category for Oklahoma City. Jason Jones laid out the argument in plain terms: “Durant won his only regular-season MVP in 2014 with the Thunder, and he won two championships with the Warriors,” The Athletic wrote.
“The cynics will say Durant joined a loaded Warriors team to win his titles, but those who actually watched the games know Durant wasn’t just along for the ride on those runs. He was a key reason the Warriors won and likely kept LeBron from having five or six titles.”
That pick put Durant alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as one of the Thunder names The Athletic felt belonged in the safest tier for retirement consideration. And the reasoning goes well beyond one award or one postseason run.
Durant spent his first nine seasons in Oklahoma City, and that stretch turned him into the face of the franchise’s rise. He was the centerpiece of the Thunder’s first title contender, stacked up deep playoff runs, and won his lone MVP in 2013-14. He also collected seven of his 16 All-Star selections while wearing Thunder blue.
Look at the franchise record book, and Durant keeps showing up near the top - in many cases, the top two - across just about every major category. Even after the breakup in 2016, the basic basketball case still points in one direction. Durant belongs in the conversation with the best Thunder players ever, right there with Gilgeous-Alexander and Russell Westbrook.
The lingering issue, of course, is the way it ended. Thunder fans have not forgotten the move to Golden State, and Durant has not exactly smoothed things over with some of his comments over the years about Oklahoma City and why he left. But the argument for retirement is bigger than the bitterness.
Time tends to soften that edge. When Durant’s career is over, the nine seasons he spent in Oklahoma City figure to be remembered for what they were: a run with one of the 15 greatest players ever. And when a franchise gets that kind of talent for nearly a decade, it makes sense to honor it, even without the championship trophy to go with it.
In Other News...
Thunder Role Player Just Crashed The NBA's Impact Leaderboard
Alex Caruso may not be the first name that comes to mind when thinking about Oklahoma Citys brightest stars, but his impact showed up where coaches and front offices tend to notice most. The veteran guards value was reflected in the kind of all-around lineup efficiency that has become a calling card for the Thunder, a team already built around depth, pace and interchangeable pieces that make every minute feel stable.
Victor Wembanyama posted a plus-17.0 net rating and finished second among rotation players, yet Caruso still pushed past him on the seasons broader impact board. For Oklahoma City, that kind of company matters, because it speaks to a roster whose influence stretches well beyond the headline names and into the sort of role-player production that can tilt games long before the final score settles. [Read more 🡒]
Sam Presti Faces Three Thunder Questions Fans Need Answered
The Thunder are set to open their 2026-27 preseason media availability on Sept. 24, with Sam Presti expected to take the podium and field the kind of questions that usually tell you where the franchise really stands. As Oklahoma City turns the page toward another NBA season, the conversation is likely to center on the roster, the front office's priorities and how the organization wants to frame its next steps after a busy stretch of decision-making.
Cason Wallace is one of the biggest names in that mix, with his future a natural topic as the club settles into camp preparations. Presti is also expected to address the broader financial reality shaping the roster and the team's plans to honor Russell Westbrook, giving the session a little of everything that tends to define this time of year: business, nostalgia and a few answers fans have been waiting to hear. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Durant Just Got Pulled Back Into A Bitter Thunder Feud
Kevin Durants latest take on the WNBAs gender eligibility debate put him back in a familiar Oklahoma City orbit, even though the topic itself had little to do with the Thunder. Durant brushed off the controversy as political noise and pointed instead to the leagues growth and rising visibility, a stance that quickly drew a sharp response from Enes Kanter Freedom, who framed the issue around protecting womens spaces and morality.
For Thunder fans, the exchange carried an extra edge because it revived old feelings around Durants exit and the way his legacy still gets pulled into arguments long after he moved on. Kanter Freedom did more than disagree with the opinion, adding personal heat to the back-and-forth and turning a policy dispute into another reminder of how easily Durant can still end up at the center of an Oklahoma City grievance. [Read more 🡒]