This was an eventful day in the NBA world. The Oklahoma City Thunder won Game 7 of the NBA Finals, capping one of the most dominant individual seasons of all time. Indiana Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, after a quick start in the first quarter, suffered a heartbreaking Achilles injury. And before that, we got the second blockbuster trade of the offseason, with Kevin Durant sent from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets.
We have to believe this was an emotional day for Durant. The trade news broke as he was on stage at Fanatics Fest, fielding questions from reporters and talking to fans. Now, his former team — an OKC franchise he helped build from the ground up when the team relocated in 2008 — is world champs.
His first tweet after OKC's crowning moment, however, was focused on the adorable footage of Isaiah Hartenstein's sleeping child.
Lil Hartenstein is slumped 😂😂😂 congrats Okc.
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) June 23, 2025
Kevin Durant reacts to OKC championship in hilarious fashion
Durant was painfully close to reaching the mountaintop in 2012, when his Thunder lost to the Miami Heat in five games in the Finals. That team, with KD, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka, will go down as one of the greatest collections of players to never win it all. Soon after, Harden was dealt to Houston, Durant wound up in Golden State, and Russell Westbrook won MVP on a sixth seed.
Next season, Durant will operate as arguably OKC's foremost challenger in the West. Houston was a No. 2 seed before fleecing Phoenix in the KD trade, keeping all of its prime young assets and only sacrificing a single first-round pick. With elite depth and a competitive young core already in tact, Durant should step in and elevate the Rockets on day one.
It has been a long and winding journey for Durant since leaving OKC. He is now slated to play for his fifth NBA team. The 15-time All-Star, who will turn 37 next season, has moved around the league far more than your average superstar. Still, his connection to OKC is unique. He was the first draft pick of the Sam Presti era — a foundational piece who moved from Seattle to Oklahoma at the club's inception. He put OKC on the map. He laid the groundwork for this whole run.
And what a run it was. This OKC team ranks among the best ever, boasting the largest average point differential ever (+12.8). Between a stifling defense and the league MVP (and Finals MVP) in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the 2025 Thunder will stand next to the greatest teams of all time in the annals of NBA history.
This was a special win for the OKC fanbase, but it's also a special moment for Durant, Russ and those who poured their heart and soul into building the Thunder organization into a household entity.