Sam Prestis Vision Pays Off: Thunder GM Honored as NBA Executive of the Year for Record-Breaking Season

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Sam Presti, the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder, has been honored as the NBA Basketball Executive of the Year for the 2024-25 season.

This marks the first time Presti has received this prestigious accolade after finishing as a runner-up three times in earlier years (2009-10, 2019-20, and 2023-24).

Under his leadership, the Thunder achieved an impressive 68-14 record during the regular season, the best in the league and tied for the sixth-best in NBA history. Oklahoma City also set a new NBA record for scoring differential, averaging a remarkable 12.9 points more than their opponents per game.

The panel responsible for selecting the 2024-25 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year included one representative from each NBA team’s front office.

The full voting details ⬇️

Last offseason, Presti bolstered the roster by acquiring guard Alex Caruso and center Isaiah Hartenstein. Caruso, a member of the Kia NBA All-Defensive Team for the past two seasons, contributed significantly to the Thunder’s success, averaging 7.1 points and 1.61 steals per game, which helped Oklahoma City secure the top defensive rating in the NBA at 106.6. Hartenstein, in his inaugural season with the Thunder, recorded career highs of 11.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.

Presti is currently in his 18th year with the Thunder organization, having been appointed as general manager in June 2007. Before that, he dedicated seven years to the San Antonio Spurs, where he advanced from video intern to vice president/assistant general manager.

The committee for the 2024-25 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award included one executive from each NBA organization, and the results were processed by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP.