From 24 Wins to the Mountaintop: Thunder Crowned NBA Champions in Remarkable Turnaround

 

In a stunning rise that will be remembered for generations, the Oklahoma City Thunder are 2025 NBA Champions — just three years after winning a mere 24 games.

 

The Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in a grueling seven-game NBA Finals, sealing their first title since relocating to Oklahoma City. Their 84-win season, which includes regular season and playoff victories, marks one of the most meteoric turnarounds in NBA history. What was once a rebuilding franchise has now ascended to the league’s peak — and the scariest part for the rest of the NBA? They’re just getting started.

 

Powered by Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a core of fearless young stars like Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Josh Giddey, OKC combined tenacious defense with electric offense and unshakable team chemistry. Head Coach Mark Daigneault, widely praised for his player development and tactical brilliance, has transformed a once-struggling squad into a modern dynasty in the making.

 

“Three years ago, we were doubted, we were overlooked — and we used it as fuel,” Gilgeous-Alexander said during the postgame celebration. “This is just the beginning.”

 

Game 7 of the Finals was a classic, with the Thunder outlasting Tyrese Haliburton’s Pacers in a high-intensity, down-to-the-wire battle. The game served as a symbolic passing of the torch — from rising hopefuls to proven champions.

 

For the NBA’s other contenders, the message is clear: Oklahoma City is no longer building. They’ve arrived — and they’re poised to stay. With one of the youngest rosters in the league, a stockpile of future draft picks, and an unbreakable culture, the Thunder’s reign may only be beginning.

 

From 24 wins to 84, the Thunder’s story is no longer one of potential — it’s one of power. And now, the rest of the league must find a way to weather the storm.