The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the regular season and now enter the playoffs as one of the favorites to win the West thanks to MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. For nearly two decades, the Thunder have been one of the unlikeliest success stories in NBA history. In the win-now-at-all-costs superteam era, the Thunder have prioritized building for the future. In the era of superstars dictating their own moves to major media markets, the Thunder have thrived in one of the smallest markets in pro sports. 

In Blood and Thunder, a special feature from the Ringer Podcast Network, Brian Phillips is joined by his fellow Oklahoma native Tyler Parker to talk about where the Thunder have been and where they’re going, why this year’s team is so fun to watch, and what the franchise means to Oklahoma. We’re also joined by Jordan Ritter Conn, the host of the podcast Sonic Boom: How Seattle Lost Its Team, to talk about the legacy of the team’s move from Seattle and whether a new Sonics franchise could help put the ghosts of the past to rest.

Host: Brian Phillips

Guests: Tyler Parker and Jordan Ritter Conn

Producers: Mike Wargon, Isaac Levy-Rubinett and Vikram Patel

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