The Oklahoma City Thunder are heavy favorites to repeat as NBA champions.

After bringing back all of the most important pieces from last year’s title roster, OKC is not only favored in the betting market, but also by most national media members.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Thunder are coming off a 68-win regular season that saw Chet Holmgren miss most of the year with an injury.

Not only is Holmgren entering the 2025-26 campaign healthy, but Oklahoma City’s combination of internal development and newfound confidence after claiming the team’s first championship should propel the group to another dominant season.

Recently, a popular NBA podcast hashed out the same debate when discussing the group’s power rankings. Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney and Wosny Lambre, hosts of The Ringer’s ‘Group Chat’ podcast, each slotted OKC in the top 2, with Mahoney and Lambre each putting the Thunder atop their lists.

Verrier ranked Denver at No. 1 following the team’s offseason additions of Cam Johnson and Bruce Brown. While Mahoney and Lambre each acknowledged the Nuggets’ talent, both made their own arguments for Oklahoma City.

“They can play against various styles,” Lambre said. “If you’re best player is the single best interior player since Shaquille O’Neal, (they) can play against that and (they) can figure out how to slow him down, make his life hard. Not completely stop him, but (they) can manage with that. If your best player is Anthony Edwards, just a freaking, detonation on the perimeter, (they) can deal with that. Like, they can deal with so many different things. If you play fast, if you play slow. They have so many ways to carve out a victory.”

Lambre also pointed out that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s ability to make big plays down the stretch in the postseason reaffirmed his confidence in the Thunder.

On the heels of a historic defensive performance and an MVP season from Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City cruised to 68 wins and managed to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy in 2025. Entering the 2025-26 season, not much has changed on either of those fronts for OKC.

Armed with Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Holmgren and others, the Thunder should have one of the best defenses in the NBA again this year. Additionally, Gilgeous-Alexander is still 27-years-old and showed no signs of slowing down in the NBA Preseason.

While Gilgeous-Alexander may not win the MVP again this season, he should still be able to turn in similar production as the Thunder begin their quest for another title.

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