OKC Thunder Front Office Named Best in Sports

Although the athletes are the ones who play and decide the outcome of the games, the foundation of any team’s success starts at the back. It’s the front office — tasked with making critical decisions, managing resources, and assembling the roster — that shapes the franchise’s direction.

The Oklahoma City Thunder exemplify this measure, and its front office is a direct reflection of strategic vision and commitment to excellence. That’s why the Thunder have the fifth-most wins of any NBA team since starting their season in Oklahoma City and have set a winning record in 12 of 16 campaigns. The Thunder have reached the playoffs all but five from that transfer, a consistency that very few franchises in any sport are able to maintain, especially at the current rates of player movement and fit across the board. and the league.

But how does the Thunder’s front office stack up against the other top teams in sports?

The Athletic recently conducted a comprehensive survey, polling 40 managers and coaches across the four major professional leagues – MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL – to identify the best front office by the best in all sports.

What judgment? The Oklahoma City Thunder took first place.

Survey respondents – in this case, managers and coaches – were asked to rank the five front offices, in order, in their respective sports. The Athletic selected an equal number of managers and coaches (40) each season and used the same scoring system to rank the front office. First place votes were worth 10 points, second place seven, third place five, fourth place three and fifth one.

The result of this analysis provided the rate at which front offices are viewed as the best by their competitors.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder: 354 points (29 first-place picks)
2. Los Angeles Dodgers: 284 points (19 first place picks)
3. Baltimore Ravens: 259 points (15 first-place picks)
4. Tampa Bay Rays: 258 (12 first-place picks)
5. Dallas Stars: 251 (17 first-place picks)

Not only did Oklahoma City’s front office get the most points, but the Thunder were the only NBA team in the top five. The Boston Celtics (250 points) finished No. 6 in this survey, followed by the Miami Heat (114 points) at No. 14, Memphis Grizzlies (64 points) at No. 18, and finally, the Minnesota Timberwolves (54 points) at No. 20 to complete the items. No other NBA team finished in the top 25.

Thunder General Manager Sam Presti and his staff clearly have the respect of their peers for the level of success the team has seen in OKC. Not only have the Thunder been one of the most competitive franchises in the league since the 2008-09 season, but the front office has put together a number of breakthroughs over the years. They changed the roster when the talent was gone, while choosing the right time to use again when needed. Since Oklahoma City is a small market, a good front office that makes smart moves and evaluates talent at the highest level is even more important. This would not be possible without the organization and shared vision of Governor Clay Bennett and the rest of the front office.

With this current Thunder roster that Presti was the main architect of, the chance to win a title is back – especially with reigning NBA Coach of the Year Mark Daigneault. But what’s even more impressive is that Oklahoma City remains one of the youngest teams in the league while controlling the future with its capital. The Thunder’s front office has built a championship-caliber team while equipping itself with the tools to continue to improve – by aligning with internal development and passively through drafting, trading and free agency – and maintain high levels of long-term success.