Jalen Williams reveals Sam Presti's message to Thunder ahead of NBA playoffs

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 5: Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder laughs after a play during the second half against the Utah Jazz at Paycom Center on April 5, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

Entering the NBA playoffs as the title favorite, the Oklahoma City Thunder are 16 wins away from history. They hope to be the first squad since the Golden State Warriors to win back-to-back championships. It's a tall task, but this group feels like the best shot since those Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant days.

It took a little longer than last year, but the Thunder clinched the NBA's best record with a few days to spare. That means, for the third straight time, they will have homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs. To understand the magnitude of that feat, reference back to last year's two Game 7 wins.

Awaiting to see who their Round 1 opponent is, the Thunder have a pretty clear path to the Western Conference Finals at a minimum. They should take care of business against the play-in tournament survivor. And then Round 2 will feature either the depleted Los Angeles Lakers or the depleted Houston Rockets.

But the Thunder aren't getting too ahead of themselves. Jalen Williams talked about their mindset as they enter the NBA playoffs playing their best basketball — which coincides with them being the healthiest they've been all year. He even revealed what OKC GM Sam Presti's message was to the group.

"It's something we talk about. Because I feel like when you try and avoid talking about things, it starts to creep into everybody's head. So we've talked about it," Williams said. "Sam made a really good point. You can play the Finals back last year six million times, and there's a lot of times we don't win it. Like, Memphis, somebody can get hurt. You just never know. I know Indiana feels the exact same way, too."

That's probably the right mindset to have. The Thunder have preached since Media Day that they're flipping the page from last year. You can't bring over last year's dominance or expect things to play out the same way. To win an NBA championship, you need as much luck as talent.

"That's our biggest motivators. We can't go back in time and replicate any of that. That's what makes this really special for us. It's like a zero and zero mindset kind of thing," Williams said. "Everybody hates me for saying it, but this playoff run is so unique and so different from the last one. We have to have the ability to understand that."

Let's see how Williams' wisdom ages in a couple of months. Unlike last year, the Thunder have experience to call back on at the highest stakes of professional basketball. It's now about applying that to the present. If they can do that, there's no real reason why they shouldn't go back-to-back and add another championship banner next October.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Jalen Williams reveals Sam Presti's message to Thunder ahead of NBA playoffs