OKC Thunder To Enter Another Season Of Positionless Basketball

The Oklahoma City Thunder play a unique style of basketball that includes minimal positions. In the NBA, roles are typically listed in three tiers of guards, wings and bigs.

The Thunder takes the idea of positionless basketball to the next level. Guards are consistently switching on bigs and big men have to switch onto guards defensively. The team does this successfully, though.

Chet Holmgren recently responded to a tweet asking where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was on the top-15 shooting guards list. However, he was listed on the point guards list. Holmgren responded to another tweet stating that "the Aussie" is the point guard.

There's no true clarity on who plays what position. The team typically rolls out a five and leaves it up to interpretation. In the season, when the Thunder was dealing with injuries, 6-foot-7 Kenrich Williams was listed at the center.

Evidently, the team's playstyle allows for positionless basketball. The attack, the defense and just about everything the team does comes collectively. Everyone on the court will attack the defense in its five-out offense, and the plethora of switches and total team effort defensively further proves that.

Trying to label players on the team into any specific position is a task too difficult to do. To make matters worse, it's a fluid topic. Josh Giddey, a guard, may lead the lineup as the point guard, but when substitutions come in later in the quarter, he could be playing a power forward role.

Having a unique playstyle that benefits any player willing to play into their roles is what makes the Thunder such an intriguing team. Players are able to excel and maximize their versatility, which is a credit to the front office and their team-building abilities.

Once again, the Thunder enters a season of positionless, fun basketball that promotes a fast, entertaining brand of on-court basketball.

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