Three years ago, Sam Presti, the general manager for Oklahoma City Thunder, made a promise. This promise might have been ignored for two main reasons: the team was performing very poorly at the time, and Presti was using very complex language.

After the 2021-22 season, Sam Presti quoted "Labor omnia vincit," a motto from Oklahoma. This phrase could mean "hard work conquers all" or "slow work conquers all," depending on how he was interpreting it.

Regardless, this applies to the Thunder, who have worked hard but also slowly to achieve their goals.

They achieved total and utter dominance.

After three years of only winning 24 games, the Oklahoma City Thunder have now won 84 games this season and are NBA champions, having defeated the Indiana Pacers in a tough seven-game NBA Finals. This success should worry other NBA teams. They have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is the MVP. He and all of Oklahoma City’s main players are under contract for next season. They also have Nikola Topic, a 2024 lottery pick who did not play this season due to a torn ACL, and they currently have two picks in the top 24 of this year’s draft.

Despite their youth, with an average age of just 25.2 in their starting lineup, they are very confident and are likely to be strong competitors for a long time.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who had an amazing season winning MVP, NBA Finals MVP, and being the scoring champion, and now an NBA champion, said there is still a lot of room for the team to improve. He emphasized that many players can still get better, and not many are at their peak yet. He believes there is much potential for growth, both for individual players and for the team as a whole, and he is optimistic about the team's future, seeing this as a strong beginning.

Moreover, the timing of them achieving this level of performance is quite favorable.

Many teams have questions about the 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 will likely miss most or all of next season. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers will begin 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 starting his 18th season. Philadelphia's success depends on Joel Embiid being healthy. New York will have a new coach.

Oklahoma City appears to possess all the requisite elements for optimal functionality.

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

Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren clearly enjoy playing together and supporting each other, without worrying about who gets the praise. Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein have easily adapted to the roles the Thunder assigned them. Luguentz Dort is a very strong defensive player and seems to understand that many people might not fully appreciate how good he is at defense.

It's not only the players who avoid boasting; the leadership also refrains from showing off.

Caruso stated that nothing is guaranteed in the league, stressing that people often forget how quickly things can change each year. He pointed out that a team can be altered at any moment by a trade, an injury, or something else beyond their control. He emphasized that reaching the top of the sport and winning is truly remarkable, and it's somewhat unrealistic to think you can just easily achieve it every year. He promised that they would be ready from day one next season to improve and try to win again.

Sam Presti, who created the team's strategy, rarely speaks in public, and owner Clay Bennett is the same. Coach Mark Daigneault, however, remains calm during difficult times, skillfully leading the Thunder.

Daigneault said, "There's no guarantee their result will be the same as ours. I really wanted this for them, and I was very happy that we managed to achieve it so they could experience it, because they truly merit it. Their professional approach, competitive nature, and focus on the team made me want this for them so much."

The Thunder's journey is far from over; in fact, it's just beginning. Presti has a large number of draft picks and the team has significant financial freedom to add a player if they decide to. Furthermore, they now have a championship to defend.

While hard work conquers all, there is still more to accomplish.

In 2022, Presti stated that they faced significant challenges and would need to work diligently. He explained that this commitment to hard work was fundamental to the state, the community's history, and the basketball team's identity.