Sam Presti Wins Executive
In a season rich with breakout stars and headline-grabbing narratives, one figure quietly built the foundation for one of the NBA’s most promising futures. Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti has been officially crowned the 2022-2023 NBA Executive of the Year, a title that may come as no surprise to those following the chessboard moves he’s orchestrated in recent years.
The Architect of OKC’s Resurgence
Presti, the long-serving general manager who’s helmed the Thunder ship since their Seattle SuperSonics days, continues to prove that rebuilds don’t have to mean rock bottom. Under his leadership, OKC transitioned from the post-Durant and Westbrook era into a buzzing young squad with legitimate playoff aspirationsand, perhaps more importantly, long-term sustainability.
The Executive of the Year award, voted on by fellow executives around the league, reflects not only Presti’s recent maneuverings but his strategic patience that’s finally bearing fruit.
Masterclass in Draft Capital
There may be no one in the NBA who treats draft picks like precious currency quite like Presti. With an eye for talent and the willingness to play the long game, he’s compiled an impressive war chest of picks that looks more like a Monopoly haul than a rebuild plan. Currently, the Thunder own up to 15 first-round picks between now and 2029.
Presti’s gift isn’t just stockpiling draft capitalit’s knowing what to do with it. In recent years, he’s uncovered Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (via trade), drafted standout talent like Josh Giddey and Chet Holmgren, and put together a core lineup that has executives across the league nodding in appreciationand maybe a little envy.
Reaping the Rewards
This honor may have Presti’s name etched into the trophy, but it reflects a collective belief in his larger vision. The Thunder overachieved this season, finishing with a 40-42 record and making it to the NBA Play-In Tournament. Not bad for a team many pundits expected to be glued to the lottery standings again.
Presti’s calculated approach, blending youth with culture and team chemistry, has created an identity that other rebuilding teams are scrambling to emulate. And it’s not just about the winsit’s about the direction.
League-Wide Respect
Presti’s peers clearly took notice. The voting wasn’t close. The Thunder GM received 14 first-place votes and totaled 59 points, comfortably ahead of fellow contenders Koby Altman (Cavaliers) and Monte McNair (Kings), who placed second and third respectively. For context: only executives, not media, vote for this awardwhich makes this victory all the more meaningful, as it comes from his professional equals.
The Road Ahead
While the Executive of the Year title is plenty shiny, Presti isn’t one to rest on accolades. The Thunder’s ascent is just beginning. With Chet Holmgren set to make his long-awaited debut next season after missing the entire 2022-2023 campaign due to injury, and more draft ammunition available, the possibilities are endless.
As the NBA landscape shifts and superteams continue to teeter, Presti has opted to buildnot buya contender. And so far, it’s working.
The Final Buzzer
Sam Presti’s latest accolade is less of a surprise and more of a foregone conclusion. In a league that often rewards flash over fundamentals, Presti’s commitment to process and development is a masterstroke in modern team building. Turns out, patienceand perhaps a borderline obsessive love of first-round picksreally is a virtue.
And with Oklahoma City on the cusp of becoming a perennial threat once again, Executive of the Year may just be the first of many trophies grazed by Presti’s fingerprints.
