11. Nick Collison
Nick Collison is the grandpa who never stops parenting. Sure, Russell Westbrook is the father now, but Westbrook only knows how to parent because Collison was his father. And fortunately for the kids, Grandpa Collison is still in the picture. Father Westbrook can get a bit erratic and irrational at times. Grandpa Nick is not only the grandfather in the picture, he’s also the mother because the actual mother up and left, leaving only a text to explain her departure.
Collison is entering his 14th season with the Oklahoma City franchise. He’s been there through the relocation, the NBA Finals run, the James Harden trade, the Westbrook and Kevin Durant injuries, the Dion Waiters departure, and the triple-double season. He’s a man who has seen it all firsthand and can draw upon his vast experience to teach the younger generation.
Which is good because until this offseason, Thunder general manager Sam Presti loved getting younger. Oklahoma City consistently has one of the youngest rosters despite being a playoff staple. Presti would routinely trade 28-year-old players for 23-year-old players because he always had an eye on the future.
Patrick Patterson (28), Enes Kanter (25), and Steven Adams (24) are the Thunder’s current bigs. All three of them will seek guidance and counseling from Grandpa Nick. Well, first they’ll go to Father Westbrook, but when he yells at them from fumbling the ball or missing the shot, they’ll talk to Grandpa Nick. Grandpa Nick has been yelled at many times and knows that everything will be alright.