Oklahoma City Championship Collection | Now Available at the Barstool StoreSHOP NOW

Advertisement

Oklahoma City's Mayor Took Some Clean Shots At Both Kevin Durant And Russell Westbrook By Declaring SGA Is The Greatest Player To Ever Wear A Thunder Uniform

Joshua Gateley. Getty Images.

When you're going through Parade Day, you always have to be careful with what you say in front of a mic. Emotions are high, you're experiencing basketball immortality in real time, sometimes you can get a little carried away speaking in front of the fans, no matter how many or how few happen to be in attendance

A great example of that is the Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. I'm sure he's as thrilled as any Thunder fan today given what that team just accomplished and what it means for that city, but he maayyyyy have gotten a little too carried away when introducing SGA

Now I'll let you be the judge as to whether this was an accident and he didn't realize what he was saying, or something more. Because let's be pretty clear on something. It's true that SGA might go down as "the greatest Thunder player" ever. He brought them their first title, he's a MVP/WCF MVP/Finals MVP etc. I don't think he's there yet, but that's certainly a reasonable stance for someone to have given you assume he's only going to keep getting better.

But in terms of being "the greatest player ever" to put on an OKC uniform?

Giphy Images.

No chance. I'm not sure how anyone could think that knowing that this exists

Layne Murdoch. Getty Images.

Advertisement

In fact, I'd argue that's pretty disrespectful to both Kevin Durant AND Russell Westbrook, hell even James Harden. Not only are all 3 former MVPs, but they are all first ballot HOFers. They are some of the most decorated players of not only our current era, but also some of the best players to ever play the sport. Sure, they came up short in 2012, but in terms of where they are when talking about the caliber of player they are all time? Let's please stay on planet Earth. SGA is awesome, but he still has a LONG way to go before he's considered a better player all time than any of those 3, even with his title. I get being excited and maybe saying things you don't fully understand, but no chance.

Maybe there's some bad blood for how things ended with KD and Russ? I suppose that could be in play here. It's still wrong, but at least on that level I'd get it.

It's just very important to remember there is a difference between "Greatest Thunder player ever" and "Greatest player to ever play for the Thunder". Those are two VERY different things. 

Who knows, perhaps SGA's resume when it's all said and done will validate that statement, but we're not there yet. You're talking about a guy in KD who is somewhere in the 15-20 range of the greatest NBA players ever. All three of KD/Westbrook/Harden are on the NBA's Top 75 team. Maybe let's see how the rest of SGA's career goes before we start making such reckless claims.