Three years ago, Sam Presti, the general manager for Oklahoma City, made a promise that many people might not have noticed. This was probably because the Thunder team was playing very badly at the time, and also because his words were difficult to understand.

After the 2021-22 season, Presti quoted an Oklahoma saying, "Labor omnia vincit." He explained that this Latin phrase could mean "hard work conquers all" or "slow, steady work wins in the end," depending on how he understood it.

This is true for the Thunder, who have worked hard and carefully.

They achieved total victory.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have improved a lot. Three years ago, they only won 24 games, but this season they won 84 games and became NBA champions. They beat the Indiana Pacers in a difficult seven-game final series. This is bad news for other NBA teams because the Thunder have the MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Also, all their main players are staying for next season. A good player named Nikola Topic, who was a high draft pick in 2024, did not play this season because of an injury. The Thunder also have two early picks in this year's draft.

With a young team whose players are mostly between 23 and 27 years old, they are playing confidently and could compete well for a long time.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who has won many awards like MVP and NBA champion, thinks his team can still improve a lot. He is excited that many players can get better because most of them are not yet at their best. He feels positive about the team's future and sees this win as a great start.

The fact that they've achieved this level of performance at this particular moment is quite advantageous.

Many teams have questions about next season, but Oklahoma City does not. Several important players, such as Jayson Tatum (Boston), Damian Lillard (Milwaukee), and Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana), have Achilles injuries and will probably miss most or all of next season. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers will start his 23rd season. Stephen Curry of Golden State will be 38 next season. Kevin Durant, who is moving to Houston soon, will begin his 18th season. Philadelphia's success depends on Joel Embiid being healthy. New York will have a new coach.

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

"Pacers coach Rick Carlisle noted the team's wealth of talented players."

Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren enjoy playing together and don't mind who gets the credit. Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein have easily adapted to the roles the Thunder assigned them. Luguentz Dort is a strong defender, but he understands that many people may not fully appreciate his defensive skills.

It's not only the players who don't seem to care; the leaders also show the same attitude.

Caruso said that success in the league is not guaranteed. He explained that teams can change quickly due to trades, injuries, or other things you can't control, which people often forget. Winning at the highest level of this sport is truly amazing. It's not realistic to think you can just win every year. He promised that they would be ready on the first day next season to improve and try to win again.

Sam Presti, who planned everything, rarely speaks in public. The owner, Clay Bennett, also doesn't often speak publicly. However, Coach Mark Daigneault calmly leads the Thunder team through any difficult situations.

Daigneault said there was no guarantee they would finish in the same way. He really wanted them to succeed. He was very happy they achieved it, and they deserved to experience this because of their professional and competitive attitude, and their team spirit. He really wanted this for them.

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, and there's still more to be done.

In 2022, Presti said they had a lot of difficult work ahead and needed to work hard to achieve their goals. He explained that this commitment to hard work reflects the values of the state, the community's history, and the basketball team.