Luka Doncic may be the face of the Los Angeles Lakers now, but when it comes to the new champs in the West, he’s giving credit where credit is due. In a recent interview with YES Network, the 5x All-NBA guard offered respect to the Oklahoma City Thunder after their stunning 2025 championship run.
“Honestly, I think they deserved it,” said Doncic. “They had great players, and they really played really well. I think the West is so stacked right now, we have so many teams, and you never know what to expect.”
While Doncic stopped short of naming names, it’s clear he recognizes what the Thunder have built. Led by MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, rising star Jalen Williams, and breakout big man Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City has become the blueprint for sustainable success — young, deep, and perfectly aligned with the modern NBA.
After going 68-14 in the regular season, the Thunder went 12-5 in the playoffs and only lost two games in the Western bracket. They were absolutely dominant from start to finish and put together one of the best seasons in franchise history. As the leader on the court and in the locker room, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has become one of the league’s biggest superstars with an average of 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game as the reigning MVP.
Going into next season, the Thunder are likely to get even better. As one of the youngest teams in the league, OKC’s core is only getting better, and they’ll enter the 2025-26 season with more experience, confidence, and continuity than ever before.
For Luka Doncic, he couldn’t do much last season but sit back and watch as the Thunder marked their place in history. His team was bounced in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and it was clear back then that his team could not compete with Oklahoma City.
Fortunately, both Luka and the Lakers have taken some steps to improve, and their title odds have never looked better. Besides LeBron James, Doncic will have some help from guys like Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt. Over the summer, they signed Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart in a set of moves that drastically increased their depth.
As it stands, the Lakers may not be at the Thunder’s level just yet, or that of the new-look Rockets, but they’ve got the talent to challenge any team in the league, and they are confident in what they’ve built.
Doncic knows the road to a championship runs through Oklahoma City, and he’s not shying away from the challenge. With a revamped roster and a renewed sense of urgency, he’s gearing up for the fight ahead — and if all goes right, it might be Luka’s turn to lead the Lakers back to the top of the West.
Thunder are young, deep, and built to last, but Doncic is one of the few stars in the NBA with the firepower and vision to take them down. His Finals experience, combined with the leadership of LeBron James and the additions of Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart, gives the Lakers a legitimate path to contention.
