Three years ago, Sam Presti, the general manager for Oklahoma City, made a statement that could have been easily ignored. This was partly because the Thunder team was performing very poorly at the time, and also because his words were quite complex and hard to understand.

After the 2021-22 season, Presti quoted an Oklahoma motto, "Labor omnia vincit." He explained that this Latin phrase could be translated as "hard work conquers all" or "slow work conquers all," depending on how he interpreted it.

Regardless, this holds true for the Thunder, who have diligently and methodically pursued their objectives.

They completely overcame all opponents and challenges they faced.

After three years of not winning many games, the Thunder have had a great season, winning 84 games and becoming NBA champions by beating the Indiana Pacers in a tough seven-game NBA Finals. This success should worry other NBA teams. They have the MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and all their important players are signed for next season. Also, they have Nikola Topic, a player picked in the 2024 lottery who didn't play this season because of a torn ACL, and they also have two picks in the top 24 in this year's draft.

With a youthful lineup – their current starting players averaging just over 25 years old – they possess the audacity and potential to be serious contenders for the foreseeable future.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who recently achieved the MVP award, the NBA Finals MVP title, and was the league's leading scorer, and is now an NBA champion, stated that the team still has considerable potential for improvement. He remarked, "The enjoyable aspect of this is that many of us can still enhance our skills. Few players on the team have reached their peak performance or are even nearing it. We have much to develop, both individually and collectively. I am enthusiastic about the team's future; this victory is undoubtedly a promising beginning."

Furthermore, the timing of their reaching this level of proficiency is quite advantageous.

Many teams have questions as they approach next season, but Oklahoma City is not one of them. Jayson Tatum in Boston, Damian Lillard in Milwaukee, and Tyrese Haliburton in Indiana all have Achilles injuries and are expected to miss most or all of next season. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers will be starting his 23rd season. Stephen Curry of Golden State will turn 38 next season. Kevin Durant, who will officially join Houston in the coming weeks, is entering his 18th season. Philadelphia's hopes depend on Joel Embiid returning healthy. New York will be dealing with a change in coaches.

Oklahoma City appears to possess all the requisite components for flourishing.

"Pacers coach Rick Carlisle observed that the team boasts a wealth of exceptional players."

Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren clearly work well together on the court, not worrying about who gets individual praise. Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein have easily taken on the roles the Thunder assigned them. Luguentz Dort is an excellent defender, but he seems to understand that many people might not fully appreciate how good he is at that part of the game.

It's not only the players who avoid boasting; the leadership also shows this same quality.

Caruso pointed out that nothing is guaranteed in the league, stressing that people often forget how quickly teams can change due to trades, injuries, or other unexpected events. He stated that reaching the top of the sport and winning is truly remarkable, and it's somewhat naive to think you can just do it easily every year. He confirmed that they will be ready from the first day next season to improve and try to win the championship again.

Sam Presti, who designed the Thunder's new team, rarely speaks publicly, and owner Clay Bennett is the same. Coach Mark Daigneault, however, remains calm and guides the team effectively through difficult times.

Daigneault admitted there's no guarantee of repeating their success, stating his strong desire for the team to win. He expressed his great happiness that they achieved it and could experience this, mentioning their excellent approach, professionalism, competitive nature, and team-first attitude as reasons for his deep satisfaction.

Oklahoma City's progress is not yet finished; in fact, it's just beginning. Presti has many draft picks and the team has significant financial freedom to add a player if they decide to. Additionally, they now have a championship to defend.

As the saying goes, "Labor conquers all," and it's clear that we still have a lot of work ahead of us.

In 2022, Presti mentioned that they had a lot of challenging work ahead. He emphasized the need for continuous effort, stating that this commitment was central to the state, the community's history, and the basketball team's character.