Three years ago, Sam Presti, the general manager for Oklahoma City, made a promise that might have been ignored. This was likely because the team was performing very poorly at the time, and his statements were 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 work conquers all," depending on how he translated it.

Regardless, this holds true for the Thunder, who have diligently and methodically toiled.

They established full control.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, who only won 24 games three years ago, have now won 84 games this season and are NBA champions after defeating the Indiana Pacers in a challenging seven-game NBA Finals. This success should worry other NBA teams. They have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the MVP, and all their key players are under contract for next season. Furthermore, they have Nikola Topic, a 2024 lottery pick who did not play this season due to a torn ACL, and the Thunder also have two picks in the top 24 in this year's draft.

This young team, whose starting players average just over 25 years old, is confident and seems likely to compete for championships for a long time.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who recently won MVP, NBA Finals MVP, and was the scoring champion, and is now an NBA champion, stated that the team still has a lot of room to improve. He highlighted that it's exciting because many players can still get better and are not yet at their best. He believes there's significant growth possible for them as individuals and as a team, making him optimistic about their future, and sees this championship as a strong beginning.

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

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 start his 23rd season, and 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 success depends on Joel Embiid being healthy, and New York will have a new coach.

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

"Pacers coach Rick Carlisle acknowledged the abundance of high-caliber players on the roster."

Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren clearly enjoy playing together and supporting each other, not caring who gets the credit. Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein have easily adapted to the roles the Thunder wanted them to play. Luguentz Dort is a very strong defender and seems to understand that many people might not fully appreciate how good he is at defense.

Not only do the players show little interest in promoting themselves, but the leadership also demonstrates a similar lack of concern.

Caruso pointed out that nothing is certain in the league, stressing that people often forget how quickly teams can change due to trades, injuries, or other things they can't control. He stated that reaching the top of the sport and winning is truly remarkable, and it's a bit unrealistic to think it can be done easily every year. He promised that they would start next season ready to improve and try to win again.

Sam Presti, who created the Thunder's strategy, rarely appears in public, and owner Clay Bennett does the same. Coach Mark Daigneault, however, remains calm and guides the team effectively through difficult times.

Daigneault acknowledged the lack of certainty in replicating their success, expressing his profound desire for the team's triumph. He conveyed his elation at their achievement and the players' deserved experience, highlighting their exemplary approach, unwavering professionalism, fierce competitiveness, and steadfast commitment to the team. He reiterated his fervent hope for their victory, emphasizing their deserving nature.

Oklahoma City's progress is not yet finished; in fact, it's just beginning. Presti has a large number of draft picks and the team also has financial freedom to add new players if they decide to. Moreover, they now have a championship to defend.

While hard work conquers all, a significant amount of effort is still required.

Presti stated in 2022 that they faced a lot of challenging work, stressing the importance of putting in diligent effort. He explained that this commitment reflected the core values of the state, the community's history, and the basketball team's character.