The Oklahoma City Thunder returned for the preseason as the defending champion gear up for the 2025-26 campaign. Continuing to grow as individuals and in unison was the underlying theme throughout training camp, as the Thunder is a rare case of a championship team bringing nearly every player back the following season to defend a title.
Here are four of the biggest takeaways from the first week of Thunder preseason.
1. Nikola Topic ruled out after Thunder preseason debut
After finishing with 10 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and one steal in his preseason debut, Nikola Topic faced another setback amid the beginning stages of his NBA career. Topic is ruled out after a testicular procedure he underwent, which will keep him on the sidelines for four to six weeks.
Topic, 20, who suffered an ACL injury before he was selected 12th overall in the 2024 draft, missed his entire rookie season. Now, after an impressive training camp, he'll miss the start of 2025-26 and the extended playing time that comes before it in the preseason. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault and Topic's teammates have raved about the 20-year-old rookie's vision and high basketball IQ. Nikola will likely spend most of the upcoming season in the G League.
2. Jaylin Williams' increased 3-point shooting
Jaylin Williams connected on a whopping five threes in the Thunder's 135-114 win against the Charlotte Hornets in its preseason opener. Isaiah Joe says Williams worked on his shooting since they were teenagers and saw how the confidence Jaylin has in his outside touch evolved, as the two played for the same high school team in Arkansas.
Ahead of his fourth season with the Thunder, Williams has proven to be a reliable back-up, two-way center whose three-point shot reached a 39.9% clip last season. Jaylin has shown his flexibility to fit in different lineups for head coach Mark Daigneault, who played Williams alongside Isaiah Hartenstein for the first time in Oklahoma City's second preseason win — 122-116 — against the Hornets on Thursday. Perhaps a preview of a tandem we'll see often this season.
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shines in first preseason outing
Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made his preseason debut in his team's third preseason game this week in a rematch against the Hornets at the Paycom Center. Without Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, Gilgeous-Alexander returned to Daigneault's starting lineup and picked up right where he left off from Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 12 of his 16 points in the opening frame, finishing 7-for-9 from the floor, including 2-for-2 from deep, five assists, one rebound, one steal, and one block. As Williams continues his recovery from wrist surgery, there's no set date for his return ahead of Opening Night. Daigneault says sitting Holmgren (sore shoulder) has been a precautionary decision.
4. Chris Youngblood strengthens his case for Thunder's two-way
Chris Youngblood's best performances bookended the Thunder's four-game preseason slate, thus far, which started with his 20-point performance in 21 minutes, including five threes in his preseason debut. Since then, Youngblood has continued to maximize his opportunities.
He scored 25 points in Saturday's preseason loss to the Pacers. Youngblood went 6-for-11, including 5-of-8 from deep and finished with five rebounds, and three assists. CY is a undoubtedly a confident shooter, connecting on 12-for-27 (44.4%) from behind the arc four games into the preseason (2-2). He's also a leading candidate for the Thunder's third two-way slot for the upcoming season.
Second-year center Branden Carlson and this year's second-round pick, Brooks Barnhizer, are the other two players signed to two-way contracts.
