OKC Thunder Star Would Have Made Perfect College GameDay Guest Picker

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been in the Oklahoma spotlight for the past three months, but they couldn’t manage to steal any of this weekend’s spotlight.

Since winning the NBA title in late June, it’s been hard to go anywhere in Oklahoma without seeing some mention of the Thunder and their championship. Uniting the state with an electric playoff run, the Thunder’s championship parade brought over half a million people to the city and was one of the most memorable days in Oklahoma City history.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carries the Larry O'Brien trophy as he celebrates with fans as the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate their first NBA Finals title win with a champions parade throughout downtown Oklahoma City on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Terry/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images | Oklahoman-Imagn Images

Add in a July filled with days for every Thunder player who won a ring, and it’s clear that Oklahoma won’t stop talking about this championship any time soon. Considering all of the buzz the Thunder are still making, many speculated that the Thunder might get a chance to steal the show when ESPN’s College GameDay announced it would be coming to Norman for Saturday’s Oklahoma-Michigan matchup.

While the show announced on Thursday that former Sooner and Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young would be the guest picker this weekend, ESPN might have been wise to go with a Thunder player, especially considering the team is coming off its first NBA title.

Who would’ve represented the Thunder on GameDay?

There are plenty of great picks to represent the Thunder in the guest picker spot, but reigning MVP and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was likely the obvious pick. However, there could have been some conflicts there.

Along with simply being busy after last season’s incredible run and recent signature shoe launch, Gilgeous-Alexander went to a rival SEC school, spending a season at Kentucky before heading to the league, as did Cason Wallace. That problem is also one that former Texas A&M star Alex Caruso and former Arkansas stars Jaylin Williams and Isaiah Joe would have run into.

That still leaves a couple of easy choices without any conflict in Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. With both players coming from schools that don’t even have football teams, they would have been a perfect choice either together or solo.

Jun 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) with head coach Mark Daigneault after winning game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

While either of the Thunder’s two small-school stars could have made the trip to Norman, the team’s GameDay representation didn’t necessarily need to be a player. Of course, GM Sam Presti would have been a fun get for GameDay, but Thunder coach Mark Daigneault actually has some ties to the Sooners, with his wife, Ashley Kerr, being an assistant coach for the OU gymnastics team.

While Young will likely be a great guest picker at his alma mater on Saturday, it’s hard not to imagine what the scene in Norman might have been like if a 2025 NBA champion were the one invited onto the GameDay set.