Dwyane Wade picks Russell Westbrook over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as OKC Thunder’s greatest player

The Oklahoma City Thunder made history by winning their maiden National Basketball Association (NBA) championship after defeating the Indiana Pacers, 103–91, in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Monday, June 23 (Philippine Standard Time) at the Paycom Center.

Central to their championship win was the performance of reigning NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who not only top-scored in the Finals but was also awarded the NBA Finals MVP. The 26-year-old had a breakout 2024–25 season, recording one of the greatest individual campaigns in league history. In fact, he was an All-Star starter, made the All-NBA First Team, led the league in scoring, and earned the MVP, Western Conference Finals MVP, NBA championship, and Finals MVP — with many calling it the best individual season in NBA history.

Gilgeous-Alexander has been a consistent performer for the Thunder ever since joining them in July 2019, and his performances have led many to consider him the greatest player in Oklahoma City Thunder franchise history.

Kevin Durant (2014)
Russell Westbrook (2017)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2025)

MVP city thunder! ⚡️⚡️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/GeLmNMs5YP

— 🌩️ (@hoopbridges) May 21, 2025

However, Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade does not rank Gilgeous-Alexander as the Thunder’s GOAT, instead placing Russell Westbrook at the top of that list.

“To me, I still think that Russell Westbrook is the best player in Oklahoma City history. Right now, it doesn’t mean he is going to end up that way, but to me, I still believe that. You can’t just tell me that a player comes to Miami, wins a regular-season MVP, wins a Finals, a Finals MVP — and he just becomes the greatest player in Miami history like that,” Wade said during an episode of Time Out with Dwyane Wade.

Wade makes a valid point, as Westbrook was one of the most dominant and electrifying players in the league during his 11 seasons with the Thunder. While he could not lead the franchise to a championship, he did win the NBA MVP award in 2017, made eight All-NBA teams, and earned eight All-Star appearances. More impressively, he averaged a triple-double for three consecutive seasons — a feat once thought impossible.

As with any sport, the narrative could change in the future — especially if Gilgeous-Alexander continues performing at this level and leads the franchise to more titles, while also collecting further individual accolades.

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