Former Thunder star Kevin Durant has never been big into hypotheticals, but not even he could resist the urge to pick between two of the greatest Thunder teams ever. In a now-viral post on X, the 2x champion was asked to pick between his 2012 team and today’s OKC squad that’s four wins away from the title, and his answer may surprise you.
Fan: “Who wins in best of 7: 2012 OKC or this OKC team?”
Kevin Durant: “I’m not big on hypotheticals, so idk — but this 2025 Thunder team, they are historically great. Great shooting all across the board, efficient go-to scorer in deuce, size and athleticism all across the board, versatility, shooting big and bruiser big, great coaching. Just a flat-out out perfectly crafted unit. I f*ck with their approach to basketball. They are putting together a great film to learn from.”
It’s important to remember how good the 2012 Thunder team was. In the lockout-shortened season, they won 47 games (second in the West) en route to an NBA Finals run. They were the second-ranked offense in the league at the time, only behind the San Antonio Spurs, with a rating of 109.8.
The roster, which included veterans like Kendrick Perkins and Derek Fisher, was led by Kevin Durant, who was just a few years shy of winning his first MVP. In 66 games that season, he averaged 28.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game on 49.6% shooting. At just 23 years old, Durant’s youth and inexperience were the only things holding him back, but he never showed any signs of cracking under the pressure.
By his side was legendary point guard Russell Westbrook, who emerged as a star around the same time as Durant. In the 2011-12 season, he averaged 23.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game on 45.7% shooting. His leadership and competitive spirit inspired the entire team and paved the way for a dominant run to the Finals.
As good as that Thunder team was, however, Durant says that this year’s team may be even better. Besides depth and versatility at every position, they have a star by the name of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has taken them to a higher form of contention. The NBA’s reigning MVP was unstoppable this season with averages of 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game on 51.9% shooting.
In the playoffs, Shai has been even better, and, with the support of Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Lu Dort, they’ve been nearly unbeatable in the playoffs. After going 68-14 in the regular season, the 2025 Thunder are now 12-4 through the first three rounds with home-court advantage for the Finals.
Ultimately, what will truly determine the legacy of this year’s Thunder team is whether or not they win the Finals. That’s one thing Durant was not able to do back in 2012 (beaten by the Heat), but they have a chance to pull it off this year, and it will forever cement their legacy as the greatest Thunder team ever.
