Thunder Youth Not an Issue as OKC Looks to Continue Dominate Playoff Performances

Coming into the postseason, NBA fans and media members wondered if Oklahoma City's youth would be a roadblock for Mar Daigneault and company in the playoffs.

Apr 24, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

With an average age of just over 23 years old, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the youngest No. 1 seed in NBA history.

OKC's starting lineup consists of two 25-year-olds in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, a 21-year-old third-year player in Josh Giddey, a talented sophomore in Jalen Williams and a standout rookie center in Chet Holmgren. Off the bench, 24-year-old Isaiah Joe, 25-year-old Aaron Wiggins, 20-year-old rookie Cason Wallace and 21-year-old second-year center Jaylin Williams make up the Thunder's second unit.

Of Oklahoma City's entire roster, the only player over the age of 25 who gets consistent minutes is 34-year-old forward Gordon Hayward, who has played less than 30 total minutes in the first three games of the team's first-round series against New Orleans.

Having such a young roster, Mark Daigneault's team had its doubters throughout their rise to the top of the Western Conference, with many NBA observers arguing that the Thunder's regular season success would not translate to the playoffs due to the team's youth.

Prior to their series against the Pelicans, only Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort, Joe and Hayward had played in the playoffs before. Gilgeous-Alexander appeared in Round 1 as a rookie with the Clippers and during his second season in the NBA after being traded to Oklahoma City.

SGA's first year in OKC was also Dort's rookie season when Chris Paul and a cast of solid role players helped lead the squad to the No. 5 seed. Playing in the NBA Bubble due to COVID, the Thunder lost a seven-game series to James Harden and the Houston Rockets.

Joe only saw garbage time minutes in the 2021 and 2022 playoffs when he was a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.

In Game 1 of Oklahoma City's series against New Orleans, the team's youth was evident as the team's young players worked out their first-game jitters. Still, the Thunder were able to hit shots in big moments and lock in on defense with the game on the line.

With key defensive contributions from Holmgren and Wallace, who are both rookies, OKC managed to pull off a narrow 94-92 victory in its return to the playoffs. After edging the Pelicans out on April 21, though, the team's youth hasn't been a factor, as the Thunder have dismantled New Orleans in back-to-back games.

After winning Games 2 and 3 by a combined total of 53 points, Daigneault praised his squad, speaking on why OKC's youth has not held the team back.

"A lot of young teams, young players, they don’t know what to say all the time," Daigneault said. "(The Thunder is) willing to work through things together. You see that in huddles, you see it in quiet moments in the building, in practice. … there’s an ongoing dialogue they have as a team because they have similar ambitions and goals.”

Having defeated the Pelicans by such a wide margin both at home and on the road is just another point of emphasis by a young Thunder squad that Oklahoma City is not "too young" and is ready to make a deep run in the Western Conference this season.

With a 3-0 series lead over New Orleans, OKC can win its first playoff series since 2016 with a victory in the Smoothie King Center on Monday night.

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