OKC Thunder’s Championship Culture on Full Display in Summer League

Oklahoma City has followed up a historic NBA championship run with another show-stopping run in the summer. Of course the stakes are nowhere near as high, but this Thunder team has a chance to capture a Las Vegas Summer League championship.

So far, Oklahoma City is a perfect 4-0 during the Vegas Summer League stint, and has looked well-polished and motivated fresh off of winning the franchise’s first championship. On Saturday, when the mini playoffs begin, Oklahoma City will be the No. 2 seed in the tournament.

It hasn’t always been pretty, but this Thunder Summer League squad has found a way to win at all costs — much like the real roster all season long. Oklahoma City’s championship mindset and culture has carried over into the summer session and it has been evident at all stops. This team plays with the same tenacity, hustle, and attention to detail that the 2025 NBA Champions played with during the playoff run. When shots aren’t falling, defense is what saves the day.

The work continues in Vegas 😤 pic.twitter.com/ROLypXc8Ai
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) July 19, 2025

The best part about the summer league squad’s dominance (plus-14.8 point differential), is that they’re doing it with a lack of household names. Summer League, for the average basketball viewer, is for the lottery picks and the stars of both college basketball and overseas talent. It’s a first-look at the future of the NBA. While plenty of players on this Thunder roster have a bright future in the league, not many would have predicted a run like this.

Of course, the Thunder has a lottery pick leading the way in Nikola Topic, but he missed last season in its entirety. This is the first live action game setting for Topic in over a year, and he’s handling it as well as you could expect.

Topic’s top running mates, Ajay Mitchell and Branden Carlson both received real NBA minutes a season ago, and it shows by how comfortable they look on the floor. Both players have looked like stars against a field of youngsters, and their experience, even just a year in the NBA, has really vaulted this team.

Surrounding those three players is a field of mostly rookies and first-year guys — Chris Youngblood and Brooks Barnhizer the two making the most notable difference. Oklahoma City’s promising first round pick, Thomas Sorber, hasn’t even been able to suit up rehabbing an injury. It hasn’t mattered, though, as Mitchell, Carlson and Topic have helped instill the championship mindset into this young team. The postgame interviews, bench celebrations, and team camaraderie has been on full display, emulating what Oklahoma City has built in the NBA.

Just a few games remain in the Thunder’s quest to complete the rare double championship — the NBA Finals followed by the Summer League. But this group has already made Thunder fans proud, and carried on what the team started during its playoff run.