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Team Building: How The Oklahoma City Thunder Has Seen Expedited Success

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Team Building: How The Oklahoma City Thunder Has Seen Expedited Success


The Oklahoma City Thunder has been long known for having some of the best talent evaluators in the NBA. Given Oklahoma City is a small market, the draft is much more important to the Thunder than other franchises in terms of the best path to building a team. Led by Sam Presti, OKC has put together a successful rebuild and seems to be just a few steps away from being back in the postseason regularly.

When evaluating prospects, both in the draft and existing players around the league, it goes well beyond the on-court skills and production. Especially for Presti, the person and their traits are also extremely important.

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“We draft people first, and players second,” said Presti almost two years ago.

When looking at the roster the Thunder has put together, the pieces fit well both on and off the court. The tools, versatility, positional size and playmaking is easy to see across the young team, but the individual players also get along off the court. Multiple members of the Thunder mentioned last season that this group almost feels like a college team with how young and tight knit they all are.

Moving forward, Oklahoma City will need to continue this success in the draft to select prospects that fit on the court but also embody what is expected of a Thunder player off the court. In the 2023 NBA Draft, OKC will select at No. 12, No. 37 and No. 50 overall with three chances to add a cornerstone piece.

At the end of the 2022-23 season, Presti was asked about his draft philosophy and how he balances the on-court production and personal side of things when evaluating prospects.

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“It’s a combination of left and right brain all the time,” said Presti. “I think you have to be able to operate both ways. I think the key is going left and right brain, but more importantly can you know when to deploy each side? But I think if you operate in one space, one way, I think you shut off.”

Talent evaluation is both an art and a science. This is essentially what Presti is alluding to with this insight. The left side of the brain is considered to be adept at tasks that are considered logical, rational, and calculating, while the the right side is best at artistic, creative, and spontaneous tasks.

To make the process even more complex, not only does Presti and his staff have to evaluate all of these individual prospects, but also consider how they would fit on the current roster and future iterations of the team.

“The nuances of bringing everything together, the current team and the player that you’d be adding,” Presti said. “The personal component, the analytical component, the strategic component all that stuff factors in. That’s what I like about it.”

Along with bringing Chet Holmgren into the rotation next season, the Thunder has a tremendous opportunity with its late lottery pick. Furthermore, Oklahoma City has plenty of assets and could move up quite a few spots in next month’s draft if there’s a prospect the team really wants.

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After winning 40 games and making the postseason, the Thunder could truly take another huge step forward in the 2023-24 campaign. It takes the right approach to team building to ensure the roster fits on and off the court, but that is what Presti is so good at.



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Oklahoma

These 10 sites are the strangest landmarks in Oklahoma, WorldAtlas says

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These 10 sites are the strangest landmarks in Oklahoma, WorldAtlas says


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From a large blue whale in a landlocked state to a haunted mansion, Oklahoma is home to several odd landmarks that attract visitors from all over.

WorldAtlas recently named these weird sites the 10 strangest landmarks in Oklahoma.

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Blue Whale of Catoosa

Location: 2600 N State Hwy 66, Catoosa

A local celebrity resides along Route 66 year-round in northeast Oklahoma, welcoming visitors into its aquatic belly.

The Blue Whale of Catoosa was built by zoologist Hugh S. David in 1972 so that his grandchildren could play in the nearby pond, according to Travel Oklahoma. David’s friend, Harold Thomas, assisted the zoologist in building the The 20-feet-tall and 80-feet-wide mammal over a span of two years.

While swimming is no longer available, visitors can still picnic and fish with the famous Blue Whale.

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World’s largest peanut

Location: 300 W Evergreen St., Durant

A small city in southeast Oklahoma is home to the world’s largest peanut commemorated with a statue outside of Durant City Hall, according to Travel Oklahoma. The statue was dedicated in 1974.

“Dedicated to the Bryan County peanut growers and processors,” inscription reads.

Circus cemetery: Mount Olivet Cemetery

Location: Trice & S 8th St., Hugo

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Hugo, another small city in southeast Oklahoma, has a cemetery for rodeo greats Freckles Brown, Lane Frost, Todd Watley and L. Hammock, according to Travel Oklahoma.

Mount Olivet Cemetery is also the final resting place for Ed Ansley, also known as Buster Brown, and William H. Darrough, the founder of Hugo.

Blanchard Cemetery

Location: 2318 North Council Ave., Blanchard

Another known cemetery in Oklahoma is the Blanchard Cemetery where visitors may see a dark figure in a trench coat waving at them, according to WorldAtlas.

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If they keep walking, they may spot a little girl flitting between the gravestones, or hear a small child crying or see a blue light hovering over the graves in Section 2, the website says.

Overholser Mansion

Location: 405 NW 15th St, Oklahoma City

The Overholser Mansion, the former abode of Henry and Anna Ione Overholser, is a most famous haunt in Oklahoma City. The ghost-story-filled mansion has been a museum and public venue for decades.

Some claim the ghost of Anna Ione Overholser, once the queen of Oklahoma City society, still haunts the home. She wears a pearl-decked lacy white gown, her dark hair piled gracefully around her face. 

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Frog Rock

Location: Frog Rd., Terlton

A large amphibian sits in Terlton on Frog Road just outside of Mannford. The six-foot-tall rock formation is painted green and white to look like a frog, according to Travel Oklahoma.

To get to it, trek over a bridge and through backwoods, but don’t worry — it can’t hop away before you reach it.

Cimmy the Dinosaur

Location: 1300 N Cimarron, Boise City

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Sitting outside of the Cimarron Heritage Center in Boise City is Cimmy the Dinosaur, a metal Apatosaurus, measuring 65 feet long, 35 feet high and weighs thousands of pounds, according to Travel Oklahoma.

The dinosaur was created as a real life representation of a dinosaur that was extracted from Cimarron County in the 1930s. It’s referred to as a “Cimarronasaurus,” according to the state’s travel website.

Center of the Universe

Location: 20 E Archer St., Tulsa

Located in downtown Tulsa, the Center of the Universe if an 8-feet concrete circle described as an “acoustic anomaly” by Travel Oklahoma.

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Noises made inside the brick circle is loudly echoed, but only those inside the circle can hear it. Loud sounds heard inside the circle cannot be heard from outside the perimeter of the brick structure.

Lake Hefner Lighthouse

Location: Lake Hefner Pkwy., Oklahoma City

Lake Hefter Lighthouse, officially the Lighthouse at East Wharf, in Oklahoma City is one of the finest spots in Oklahoma City to watch the setting sun.

The 36-foot lighthouse, beige with burgundy trim and a locked green door, was built in 1999 as part of a development project led by Randy Hogan. The lighthouse is modeled after the Brant Point Light Station on the north side of Nantucket Island in Massachusetts. 

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Gravity Hill

Location: Pioneer (Pitt) Rd., Springer

Gravity Hill, or Magnetic Hill, is another anomaly in Oklahoma near Springer. On the hill, drivers will sense that instead of their car rolling downhill with the motor turned off, it’ll actually roll uphill, according to Travel Oklahoma.

The website instructs visitors to drive to Pioneer Road, stop the car at the bottom of the hill and put it in neutral, then feel a force “pull” you and the car up the hill. 



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WATCH: Oklahoma HC Jennie Baranczyk and F Sahara Williams Georgia Postgame Press Conference

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WATCH: Oklahoma HC Jennie Baranczyk and F Sahara Williams Georgia Postgame Press Conference


RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is managing editor at Sooners On SI and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City.

Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more.

Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com.

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Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters.

Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 



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Portland Trail Blazers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: Game preview, prediction, time, TV channel

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Portland Trail Blazers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: Game preview, prediction, time, TV channel


The Portland Trail Blazers return home from a 3-0 trip with a four-game winning streak to face their most daunting home stand of the season starting Sunday afternoon with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Blazers have lost twice to the Thunder, falling 137-114 at home on Nov. 1 and 109-99 on the road on Nov. 20.

The Blazers put forth an impressive defensive effort at the Thunder to trail by just one point entering the fourth quarter.

Portland has played impressively on defense lately, allowing 96 points per game during their last four victories. But it’s doubtful Portland’s defense will hold up against the Thunder.

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Oklahoma City ranks sixth in offensive rating (116), first in defensive rating (103.7) and first in net rating (plus-12.3).

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the NBA with 32 points per game.

Prediction: The Thunder will win. There’s no need for an explanation.

• • •

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS VS. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

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What: Trail Blazers (17-28) vs. Thunder (36-8), 3 p.m., Sunday.

Where: Moda Center.

Radio: Rip City Radio (KPOJ 620 AM).

TV channel: KATU (Antenna: 2.2 in Portland. Xfinity: 302 and 1170. DirecTV: 688-1. KUNP (Antenna: 47.1. Xfinity: 16, 302, 1170. DirecTV: 47. Spectrum: 184).

How to Watch: Rip City TV Network. If you don’t have cable, you can still watch this game live for FREE with the help of an HDTV antenna on your local ABC affiliate (Charge 2.2 in Portland). These antennas are very easy to install and cost around $20. You can purchase one at your local Bi-Mart or Fred Meyer, or buy one online at Walmart or from Amazon and have it shipped quickly to your home. Here are some instructions on how to set up an HDTV antenna on your television or other display. You can find out more about which channel Rip City TV Network is on in your area by using the channel finder here.

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• • •

ODDS (Oregon Lottery/DraftKings)

Moneyline: POR +470 | OKC -650

Spread: POR +11.5 | Over/Under: 225.5

INJURIES

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Blazers: Deandre Ayton (right knee soreness) and Matisse Thybulle (right ankle sprain) are out for Friday.

Thunder: Cason Wallace (nasal fracture) is available. Luguentz Dort (right knee soreness), Chet Holmgren (right iliac fracture), Nikola Topic (left knee surgery) and Ajay Mitchell (right toe surgery) are

NEXT UP

The Blazers host Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)

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