Three years ago, Sam Presti, the general manager for Oklahoma City, made a promise that people might have missed. This was probably because the Thunder team was playing very badly at the time, and what he said was difficult to understand.

After the 2021-22 season, Presti quoted an Oklahoma motto, "Labor omnia vincit." He explained that this Latin phrase could mean "hard work conquers all" or "slow, steady work wins," depending on his interpretation.

Either way, this applies to the Thunder, who have worked hard and carefully.

They achieved total victory.

Only three years after winning just 24 games, the Thunder won 84 games this season and are now NBA champions. They beat the Indiana Pacers in a tough seven-game NBA Finals. This is a worrying sign for other NBA teams. The Thunder have the MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and all their main players are signed for next season. Also, Nikola Topic, a player drafted in 2024, didn't play this season because of a knee injury. The Thunder also have two early picks in this year's draft.

With a young core of starting players, currently aged between 23 and 27, they are playing with confidence and have the potential to compete at a high level for years to come.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who has won many awards like MVP and is also the league's best scorer and an NBA champion, thinks the team can still get much better. He said that many players are not yet at their best, so they can improve a lot on their own and as a team. He is positive about the team's future and sees their current success as a good start.

Also, the timing of them performing so well is quite good.

Many teams have questions about next season, but Oklahoma City does not. Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Tyrese Haliburton all have Achilles injuries and will likely miss most or all of next season. LeBron James will begin his 23rd season, and Stephen Curry will turn 38. Kevin Durant will start his 18th season after moving to Houston. Philadelphia hopes Joel Embiid will be healthy, and New York will have a new coach.

Oklahoma City appears to have all the key elements for success.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle mentioned that the team has a wealth of talented players.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren clearly enjoy playing together, and they don't care who gets the credit. Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein have easily fit into the roles the Thunder asked them to play. Luguentz Dort is a very good defender, and he knows that not everyone can see how good he is at defense.

It's not just the players who aren't interested in showing off; the leaders feel the same way.

Caruso said that in the league, nothing is certain. He thinks people often forget that a team can change at any time because of a trade, an injury, or something you can't control. He believes that reaching the top of this sport and winning is truly amazing. It's not realistic to think you can just easily win every year. He promised that they would be ready on the first day next year to improve and try to win again.

Sam Presti, who plans everything for the team, rarely speaks in public. The owner, Clay Bennett, also prefers to stay private. Coach Mark Daigneault stays calm even during difficult times and leads the team effectively.

Daigneault said there was no guarantee they would finish in the same way his team did. He really wanted them to succeed and was very happy they could experience this, because they deserved it. He admired their attitude, their professional way of working, their competitive spirit, and how they always put the team first. He repeated that he really wanted them to win.

The Thunder's journey is not over; it's just starting. Presti has many draft picks, and the team has enough money to get a new player if they want to. Also, they now have a championship to defend.

Hard work conquers all, but there's still more to be done.

In 2022, Presti said they had a lot of hard work to do. He stressed that they needed to work hard and be dedicated, saying that this reflects what the state, the community, and the basketball team are all about.