NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – APRIL 12: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 and Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma … [+] City Thunder ralk during a game at the Smoothie King Center on April 12, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
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It took a true team effort for the Oklahoma City Thunder to win 40 games last season and ultimately finish a single win away from making the playoffs. However, the individuals that drove that success also deserve recognition.
That was validated over the past few weeks as the NBA handed out individual awards and accolades, many of which members of the Thunder were near the top of the list. Let’s take a look at just how many of these honors that Oklahoma City had its fingerprints on following a stellar season.
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NBA Most Valuable Player
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander entered the 2022-23 campaign without ever being an NBA All-Star. However, he emerged as one of the best guards in the NBA and earned a spot in Salt Lake City at the All-Star Game, followed by getting recognition as an MVP candidate.
While Joel Embiid deservedly won the award with 915 points on the voting ballot, Gilgeous-Alexander finished fifth with 46 points of his own. He earned the most votes of any guard in the NBA, indicating he had the best season of any backcourt player across the entire league.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.4 points, 5.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game in the first season of his new rookie max contract and continues to be the face of the franchise.
NBA Rookie of the Year
Another primary reason Oklahoma City took a huge step forward this season was the play of rookie Jalen Williams. Although he was taken No. 12 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, he ended up being one of the best first-year players in this class last season.
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Williams earned 241 points in the Rookie of the Year race, which wasn’t enough to overtake Paolo Banchero (494 points) who took home the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy.
The Santa Clara product finished his rookie campaign posting averages of 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while playing nearly every position on the floor. He was the third rookie the Thunder selected on draft night, but could end up being one of the best players on this roster when it’s all said and done.
Kia NBA Most Improved Player
Gilgeous-Alexander’s ascension this season had him firmly in the running for being the most improved player in the league all season long. Lauri Markkanen (430 points) took home the George Mikan Trophy as the most improved, but Gilgeous-Alexander’s 289 points was a close second.
The Thunder star improved his scoring output by nearly seven points per contest while increasing his efficiency from all over the floor and also taking his defense to a whole new level.
NBA Coach of the Year
When Oklahoma City kicked off its rebuild several seasons ago, Mark Daigneault was a relatively unknown coach to most NBA fans. However, his ability to get the most out of every player on the roster and truly get everyone’s buy-in has been a huge reason the Thunder has improved at a rapid rate.
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While OKC won 16 more games than the season prior, Daigneault wasn’t able to win the Red Auerbach Trophy as the NBA’s top coach. Mike Brown deservedly won the award with a unanimous 500 points, ending the Sacramento Kings’ nearly two-decade playoff drought and led them to being one of the best teams in the NBA while Daigneault finished second with 164 points.
NBA Clutch Player of the Year
De’Aaron Fox took home the Jerry West Award as the NBA’s most clutch player, earning 460 points on voting ballots. Gilgeous-Alexander was a top nominee for this award, but finished seventh in voting with 31 points.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 128 total points in the clutch during the 2022-23 season and made key plays on both ends. This included significant defensive stops in the final minutes of several contests and multiple game-winning shots.
All-NBA Teams
As expected, Gilgeous-Alexander earned All-NBA First Team honors, finishing with 407 points on ballots which was the most among guards. This further proves he had the most impressive season of any guard in the entire NBA.
Alongside him on this team included several of the top players in the league, including Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum. Gilgeous-Alexander’s trajectory is extremely promising, especially at 24 years old.
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All-Rookie Teams
Just like in the Defensive Player of the Year vote, Jalen Williams earned the second most points on All-Rookie ballots. Banchero finished with 200 points, while the Thunder rookie guard earned 199 of his own.
Furthermore, his teammate Jaylin Williams also earned seven points. The rookie center finished with the 15th most votes, but didn’t make an All-Rookie team. In theory, if there were a third team he would have landed in the final spot. Being selected in the second round, this proves he is trending to be a steal of a selection.
NBA All-Defensive Teams
Once again, Lu Dort did not earn NBA All-Defensive Team honors despite being one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. However, he did earn nine points on ballots and finished fifth among guards that missed the cut. He was ninth overall on the list of players that didn’t make first or second team, which is still impressive.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s defense was also recognized, as he earned three All-Defensive votes this season.
Although no members of the Thunder went home as a winner of any solo award, the ability to earn votes speaks volumes to the trajectory and ceiling of the youngest roster in the NBA last season.
The Oklahoma Sooners made a splash via the transfer portal when they added former Washington State quarterback and the top player in this year’s portal class, John Mateer. But the Sooners weren’t done at quarterback, adding Western Carolina signal caller Cole Gonzales.
Gonzales started 22 games in three seasons with the Catamounts, completing 63.5% of his passes for 6,445 yards, 49 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. On non-sack rushing attempts, Gonzales averaged 5.4 yards per carry and ran for 701 yards and three touchdowns.
In 2023, he was the 2023 Southern Conference Player of the Year and was a two-time first-team All-Conference selection. Last year, he completed 66.1% of his throws for 2,547 yards, 26 touchdowns and threw just six interceptions in 11 games. That year, Gonzales threw for five touchdown passes three times and six games with more than 250 yards passing.
In 2024, he completed 61.7% of his passes for 2,545 yards and 12 touchdowns and threw seven interceptions this season. Gonzales was really efficient in the deep passing game, with a 45.5% completion percentage on throws greater than 20 yards down the field. That was good for sixth in the FCS among quarterbacks with at least 44 pass attempts on deep throws.
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In the 2024 season opener against N.C. State, Gonzales threw for 211 yards and two touchdowns, completing 62.9% of his passes. He also carried the ball six times for 78 yards, according to Pro Football Focus, who removes sacks from rushing totals.
Against Furman, in week eight of the 2024 season, Gonzales threw for 620 yards and five touchdowns.
In Gonzales, the Sooners add more quarterback depth to the roster to go along with Mateer, Michael Hawkins Jr., and 2025 signee Jett Niu. He’ll have one year of eligibility remaining in 2024.
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Oklahoma State’s former defensive coordinator is wasting no time finding another gig.
On Monday, Doug Samuels of FootballScoop reported that Bryan Nardo is expected to join the defensive staff at Charlotte. One of the most recent teams to jump to the FBS level, Charlotte could soon be adding a coach with Big 12 experience.
Nardo spent the past two seasons in Stillwater as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator. While his first season wasn’t necessarily the most impressive, it seemed his adjustments and overall scheme were key in OSU’s ascension to a 10-win season and Big 12 Championship appearance.
However, everything fell apart for Nardo in year 2. With the Cowboys ranking among the bottom 10 in the FBS in most statistical categories, OSU’s defense was the main issue in the team’s winless Big 12 campaign.
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However, not all of the blame for OSU’s three-win season can be placed on Nardo. OSU’s offense also struggled mightily throughout the season, but the injuries piling up for the OSU defense sealed Nardo’s fate.
With future NFL players Collin Oliver and Nick Martin not playing a snap after September, the Cowboys were without their anchors and other injuries piled up from there. With a myriad of backups and players not playing in their natural positions, Nardo had no true opportunities to run his desired scheme. Still, OSU’s horrendous rankings and results on the field were still too much to overlook as the team overhauled virtually its entire staff this offseason.
With Nardo heading east, the Cowboys hired Todd Grantham as his replacement shortly after the position opened. Nardo is also not the first former OSU defensive coordinator to head to Charlotte.
After being let go following the 2017 season, Glenn Spencer went to Charlotte and was its defensive coordinator for the 2018 season.
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