Mark Daigneault Articles - Page 2

OKLAHOMA CITY — Ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams’ 19th consecutive absence, head coach Mark Daigneault reminded reporters of the rigorous process that the All-Star forward is currently facing. With no date set for Williams’ return, the Thunder will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in an NBA Cup game without him. Before the Thunder’s […]

For head coach Mark Daigneault, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 17-1 dominant start is a testament to a standard set by a team coming off its first championship with something to prove. As Chet Holmgren said: the Thunder is still striving for more in 2025-26 and far from a finished product. Daigneault says the Thunder has […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — In light of Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul announcing his retirement at the end of the season, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault took time to share how the future Hall of Fame guard is an excellent example for Chet Holmgren. After the Thunder improved to 17-1 in Sunday’s win against the […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault set the record straight on whether his team’s success and depth delay specific timetables for his players’ return from injuries. As the defending champion Thunder entered Sunday’s matchup with a list of injuries, including All-Star Jalen Williams, Aaron Wiggins, and Kenrich Williams, on an eight-game […]

Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder erased an 18-point deficit to win by 32 points in a 144-112 blowout against the Utah Jazz. In a game where the Thunder bench produced 71 points, which is the second most in franchise history, Daigneault highlighted four players who led the second unit. Without Jaylin Williams, Isaiah […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — For the second consecutive game, head coach Mark Daigneault watched Lu Dort connect on four threes to help the Oklahoma City Thunder seal a victory. Dort broke out of a shooting slump in Monday’s 126-109 blowout win against the New Orleans Pelicans before making three of his four triples in the fourth […]

In response to the Oklahoma City Thunder’s historic 49-point first quarter in Monday’s 126-109 blowout win against the New Orleans Pelicans, head coach Mark Daigneault highlighted veteran Lu Dort’s elite shooting. Dort connected on four threes in the opening frame and finished with 17 points as the Thunder’s best regular-season start continues. Oklahoma City’s 49 points are […]

LOS ANGELES, CA — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander marched into Intuit Dome wearing a fit he’ll likely never repeat again, a chance to tie Oscar Robertson for third all-time in consecutive 20-point games in NBA history. The last time that the Oklahoma City Thunder guard played against the team that drafted and traded him, it was one […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault commended his team’s approach amid the first 13 games of the regular season and a 12-1 start. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30-point performance led the Thunder in a 121-92 blowout win on Wednesday at the Paycom Center. After the win, Daigneault addressed the gains he’s seen in […]

The NBA record for wins in a regular season was set by the Golden State Warriors. In 2015-16, the team defeated their opponents 73 times in the regular season. Of course, they’d go on to lose an iconic NBA Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers, so some say it was all for nothing. Winning that many […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Amid a historic night for Chet Holmgren in a 126-101 win against the Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault talked about his team’s job defending Stephen Curry and Jonathan Kuminga. The All-Star guard finished with 11 points on 4-of-13 attempts, including 1-for-5 from deep, as Thunder’s Ajay Mitchell […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault addressed Isaiah Hartenstein’s extraordinary start to the season, following a 33-point, 19-rebound career-high against the Sacramento Kings, with an impressive performance against the Memphis Grizzlies. He finished with 18 points, 13 rebounds, two steals, and one block in a 114-100 win, where the Thunder erased a 19-point deficit. […]

The NBA’s last unbeaten team fell during the third week of the 2025-26 NBA season, as the Portland Trail Blazers pulled off a miraculous two-point win over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Nobody expected the Thunder to actually go 82-0 this season, but this was a notable game, considering OKC has remained at […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Amid numerous injuries to his frontcourt, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has relied heavily on centers Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams. While Daigneault began last season without Hartenstein, he had Chet Holmgren holding down the fort. However, Holmgren missed three consecutive games this week. Still, the defending champions stretched its […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace’s five steals in Sunday’s 137-106 win against the New Orleans Pelicans evoked a question coach Mark Daigneault couldn’t answer before citing Lu Dort and Alex Caruso. For a third-year guard who averaged 1.8 steals per game last season, it’s elite company to be around amid the […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — While reflecting on his team’s perfect 6-0 start to the regular season, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault discussed how Isaiah Hartenstein’s impact can’t be overstated, including a recent win against the Dallas Mavericks. Amid the Thunder’s injuries to starters All-Star Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, Hartenstein praised Ajay Mitchell for […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Amid Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams’ two-week set back in his recovery, coach Mark Daigneault teased that more playing time for rookie Brooks Barnhizer could be on the horizon. The second-round pick earned playing time off an impressive showing throughout training camp and preseason. In the first five games of his […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — After Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe suffered a knee injury in preseason, he made his regular-season debut in Thursday’s 127-108 win against the Washington Wizards, impressing coach Mark Daigneault in the process. Joe wasted no time in making his presence felt, draining two threes in his first five minutes off the […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — For the first time since the announcement of Nikola Topic’s testicular cancer diagnosis, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault addressed the guard’s health during his media availability. Before facing the Washington Wizards, Daigneault took the time to discuss the kind of person Topic is. Daigneault believes Topic couldn’t be in a […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — For the second consecutive game, head coach Mark Daigneault saw the Oklahoma City Thunder’s free-throw shooting differentials stand out in a box score that showed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander attempted only two free throws. After Gilgeous-Alexander attempted a whopping 26 free throws in a 141-135 double-overtime win against the Indiana Pacers, he went a […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Head coach Mark Daigneault and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder erased a 10-point, second-half deficit in Tuesday’s 107-101 win against the Sacramento Kings to remain undefeated through the first five games of the 2025-26 campaign. The Thunder were without starting forward Chet Holmgren, who joined a long list of injuries that […]

In a 101-94 loss to Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks’ first-overall pick, Cooper Flagg, had possibly the worst outing of his rookie campaign, thus far. He finished with two points on 1-for-9 shooting, including 0-for-3 from deep. Then, making matters worse, Chet Holmgren posterized Flagg on a transition dunk, which could […]

Mark Daigneault sang his praises toward Shai Gilgeous-Alexander following the Oklahoma City Thunder’s double overtime win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night. Going into the game, the Thunder began their quest for a repeat, having won the NBA championship last season. A repeat would allow them to garner recognition as a potential dynasty in […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder reserve Ajay Mitchell gave his team a tremendous lift off the bench in a thrilling 125-124 double-overtime win against the Houston Rockets, which didn’t surprise head coach Mark Daigneault. With All-Star Jalen Williams (wrist surgery) and Isaiah Joe (knee) ruled out, Mitchell understood his assignment in the Thunder’s season […]

The NBA didn’t waste much time creating drama in its brand new 2025-26 NBA season. Kevin Durant made his debut for the Houston Rockets Tuesday night against his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, but didn’t have the ideal result, as his team fell prey to the reigning NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder are chasing history as they begin their title defense. Fresh off a 68-14 record and their first championship since moving to OKC, the Thunder are positioned to chase a feat only two franchises have achieved. ESPN Insights highlighted the milestone on X, noting that Oklahoma City is chasing a spot alongside […]

The stage for the 2025 NBA Finals champion Oklahoma City Thunder’s last celebration is set before hosting the Houston Rockets, as coach Mark Daigneault negated the warning most champion head coaches give on Opening Night. “Don’t let the emotions of the ceremony distract you from the game,” or something to that effect, is often relayed. […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault addressed the familiar face of former New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, who has been around the team this week. The Thunder wrapped up its six-game preseason slate ahead of Opening Night of the regular season on Tuesday. With Thibodeau watching, Daigneault appreciates the time spent with […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Before Oklahoma City Thunder Ousmane Dieng’s game-winning three in its preseason finale, head coach Mark Daigneault got his first glimpse of the Denver Nuggets’ new offseason additions on Friday. From wing production, size, and shooting, the Nuggets addressed every need over the summer — trading for Cameron Johnson, signing Tim Hardaway Jr., […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault knows it’s easy to forget he’s still molding a handful of developmental players who are coming off a championship run. Daigneault pointed out the growth in Jalen Williams amid his first All-Star campaign last season, and while he’s working his way back from an offseason wrist surgery, Cason […]

The NBA is often considered a player-driven league, but don’t get it twisted, coaching is of the utmost importance. The world of head coaching was more hectic last year than perhaps ever before. Numerous coaches were fired in the middle of or late in the season, including Taylor Jenkins and Michael Malone. Teams are clearly […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s new documentary, “Loud City: The OKC Thunder Championship Season” on NBATV tells the story of the 2025 NBA champion, which includes a funny scene between coach Mark Daigneault and All-Star Jalen Williams. Less than a week before Thunder’s championship banner/ring ceremony at the Paycom Center, the documentary gives fans behind-the-scenes access […]

The individual improvements that the Oklahoma City Thunder players made haven’t gone unnoticed by their head coach, Mark Daigneault, who highlighted a handful of his guys. There are plenty of takeaways from Thunder’s preseason, including centers Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams’ physiques entering training camp. On the floor, Daigneault recognizes Cason Wallace from a basketball standpoint, […]

From the outset, head coach Mark Daigneault says Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander knew who he was destined to be in the NBA. It was inevitable. Gilgeous-Alexander is driven to surpass Kobe Bryant, which, for some, makes sense after winning his first championship. However, for Daigneault, none of this comes as a surprise for […]

Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chris Youngblood made the most of his opportunity in Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Indiana Pacers, as the undrafted shooter continued to impress head coach Mark Daigneault. In a game where the Thunder were without Isaiah Joe and Ajay Mitchell throughout the second half, Youngblood was the brightest spark off Daigneault’s […]

There is no denying that the Oklahoma City Thunder are the favorites to win another championship entering the 2025-26 NBA season. What Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren accomplished, leading this young Thunder squad to a title, was remarkable, but now comes the challenging part of it all: attempting to defend this championship. As […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — For the first time in the preseason, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault unleashed most of his starting lineup, as MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played at the Paycom Center for the first time since winning an NBA championship. Scoring 12 of his 16 points in the first quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander hit the ground […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder is heavily favored to win the 2026 NBA Finals in the association’s annual GM survey of all 30 teams. While analysts make bold predictions about the 2025-26 Thunder, including a 70-win regular season, Oklahoma City is picked to become the first repeat champions since 2017 ahead of the Golden State Warriors’ […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder kicked off its preseason with a 135-114 win on the road against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. After a competitive training camp for the champion Thunder, Oklahoma City saved its starters along with most of head coach Mark Daigneault’s rotation, which didn’t make the trip to Charleston, South Carolina. MVP Shai […]