Sticking to Identity has been Invaluable for OKC Thunder Rebuild

As has been the story all season, Chet Holmgren’s injury was supposed to flip the Oklahoma City Thunder’s season upside down. However, the team essentially turned the trial into a positive that will do more for the rebuild than Holmgren playing one season earlier.

How did the Thunder turn their negative into a positive moment for the rebuild? They stuck to their game plan. They declared themselves and their identity instead of rushing for Holmgren’s debut. Now, his debut will be that much sweeter for the squad and the fanbase.

Holmgren’s injury wasn’t the only trial that the Thunder would face. Aleksej Pokusevski suffered an injury after seeming to have come into his own. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl was shooting with improved numbers and was defending at a higher level before going down due to injury. Kenrich Williams suffered a season-ending injury.

With these injuries, the Thunder maintained a “next man up” mentality and each player seamlessly worked with the team's unique style and identity, which will help the squad long-term.

The Thunder won’t be immune to injuries, but they have built the proper culture to be able to survive those injuries without taking a step back.

One catalyst for OKC's success last season was rookie Jalen Williams, who was able to put together an incredible rookie season while others were able to take a leap, and that likely doesn’t happen if the Thunder position themselves for a better draft pick this season.

Of course, the rise of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, which no one expected, helped the Thunder stay grounded and focus on remaining playing their brand of basketball.

Also, choosing not to sign a quick fix when the Thunder were depleted of healthy big men has proved to be a solid choice. The decision let the Thunder fight through the adversity, with rookie Jaylin Williams making his break into the starting lineup consistently and some great small-ball basketball being played.

Overall, the team trusted what they had and it led to an incredible season that the Thunder will be able to piggyback off of as they continue building an elite squad.

Want to join the discussion? Like SI Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.