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During its tenure in Oklahoma City, the Thunder have been home to some of the NBA’s most exceptional talents. Among them, three have earned prestigious regular season MVP titles. Let’s delve into the accomplishments of these standout players during their respective MVP seasons.
Initially operating as the Seattle SuperSonics, the franchise chose Kevin Durant with the second overall pick in the 2007 Draft. He made an immediate impact, winning the 2007-08 Rookie of the Year award with an impressive average of 20.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. In the 2009-10 season, Durant topped the league in scoring with an average of 30.1 points per game, finishing as the runner-up in the MVP voting. This season marked the start of a remarkable streak where he would lead the NBA in scoring for three consecutive years.
Following his 2009-10 achievements, Durant secured second-place MVP finishes in both the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. He then clinched the scoring title for the fourth time in his career during the 2013-14 season, boasting an average of 32.0 points per game. Along with impressive statistics of 7.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.4 three-pointers per game, Durant was awarded the regular season MVP for 2013-14. He continued to play two additional seasons with the Thunder before signing with the Warriors.
The SuperSonics drafted Russell Westbrook with the fourth overall pick in the 2008 Draft. Demonstrating remarkable durability, he did not miss a single game in his first five seasons. Westbrook earned his first All-Star selection in the 2010-11 season, which also marked a career milestone as he averaged over 20.0 points per game for the first time. He led the league in scoring with an average of 28.1 points per game in the 2014-15 season, finishing fourth in the MVP voting, a position he also repeated in 2015-16.
Despite his already impressive career, Westbrook experienced his best season in 2016-17, averaging 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, which earned him the MVP honors for that season. He played two more seasons with the Thunder before joining the Rockets ahead of the 2019-20 season. Since then, he has been part of several teams, including the Wizards, Lakers, Clippers, and Nuggets.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was acquired by the Thunder in July 2019 as part of the trade that sent Paul George to the Clippers. He made his All-Star debut in the 2022-23 season, averaging 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game, which led to a fifth-place finish in the MVP voting. The following year, he improved his performance, securing a second-place MVP finish while averaging 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game.
In the 2024-25 season, Gilgeous-Alexander elevated his scoring, leading the league with an average of 32.7 points per game. He also recorded averages of 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.7 steals, accompanied by an impressive shooting percentage of 51.9% from the field. His outstanding performance earned him the regular season MVP award, placing him ahead of former MVP Nikola Jokic, who finished in second.
