Sam Presti: NBA Building Is Like Poker, Not Chess
Thunder GM Sam Presti explains how Oklahoma City's title-winning approach relies on playing the hand a small-market team is dealt rather than copying a fixed blueprint.
Sam Presti has set out the philosophy behind Oklahoma City's run to the title, describing team-building in the NBA as closer to poker than chess.
"I have always supported teams from small cities in other sports. Everyone is dealt different cards. I've used this comparison before: the NBA is like poker. It's not chess, where everyone starts with the same pieces. Everything starts with your hand. Everyone has their own weaknesses and limitations on that hand. The key task is to identify your strengths, define your opportunities and concentrate on execution and accountability," Presti said.
The Thunder have built one of the league's steadiest operations despite playing in a small market and working within budget constraints, and Presti's remarks frame that consistency as a product of working with the hand the franchise was dealt rather than chasing a template used elsewhere.
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