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Were the 2009-10 OKC Thunder the greatest collection of future stars ever?

Posted on 1/7/17 at 2:06 pm
Posted by slackster
Houston
Member since Mar 2009
84585 posts
Posted on 1/7/17 at 2:06 pm
The SuperSonics/Thunder drafted Durant (2007 1.2), Westbrook (2008 1.4), Ibaka (2008 1.24), and Harden (2009 1.3) as their consecutive 1st round picks in the 3 preceding years, traded for Jeff Green (2007 1.5) the night after the 2007 draft, and acquired Thabo Sefalosha in February of 2009.

Before the 2009 season, those 6 players combined for a win share of 21.0.

Beginning with the 2009-10 season, through today, the accumulated win shares for those players and their rank in the NBA during that stretch:

2. Kevin Durant - 104.9
4. James Harden - 84.0
6. Russell Westbrook - 70.8
24. Serge Ibaka - 50.6
102. Thabo Sefolosha - 28.7
104. Jeff Green - 28.1

Total: 367.1

If you look at other players on their roster during that season, you've got Nick Collison who comes in at 129 with a total win share of 23.9 since 2009-2010 and Shaun Livingston with a total win share of 20.4 since that season, good enough for 157 in the NBA during that stretch.

Of what would become the top 157 players in the NBA (by win share) over the next 7+ seasons, 3 of the top 6, 4 of the top 24, 6 of the top 104, and 8 of the top 157 were on the Thunder roster to start the 2009 season.

Other metrics:

VORP since 2009-10

2. Durant
4. Westbrook
6. Harden
61. Ibaka
62. Sefolosha
119. Collision
174. Green

WS over next 5 seasons (2009-10 through 2013-14)

2. Durant
7. Harden
16. Westbrook
25. Ibaka
93. Collison
103. Sefolosha
109. Green
198. Livingston

Obviously Durant, Harden, and Westbrook are the headliners, but Ibaka is a top 30ish player as well, and even their bench players became solid contributors. I can't come up with a team having that many future elite-solid players on the roster at once. Any thoughts?
Posted by Slippery Slope
Hail Satan
Member since Nov 2010
20346 posts
Posted on 1/7/17 at 2:08 pm to
Jeff Green is horrible
Posted by TigerintheNO
New Orleans
Member since Jan 2004
41146 posts
Posted on 1/7/17 at 2:39 pm to
Different sport, but twelve future all-stars all under the age of 30. Who knows what would have happened had their not been a strike.


Moises Alou
Wil Cordero
Darrin Fletcher
Cliff Floyd
Marquis Grissom
Ken Hill
Pedro Martinez
Kirk Rueter
Jeff Shaw
Larry Walker
John Wetteland
Rondell White
Posted by TypoKnig
Member since Aug 2011
8928 posts
Posted on 1/7/17 at 2:54 pm to
Pittsburgh Steelers drafted 4 Hall of Famers in the 1974 draft. Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster.

What makes it even more impressive is that only 5 players from that 17 round, 26 team, 442 player draft made it to the Hall of Fame and the Steelers got 4 of them in the first 5 rounds.
This post was edited on 1/7/17 at 2:55 pm
Posted by slackster
Houston
Member since Mar 2009
84585 posts
Posted on 1/7/17 at 3:16 pm to
quote:

Jeff Green is horrible


Fair enough, but 4 future Top 30 players and 3 future Top 10 players in a sport with 5 guys on the court is pretty damn impressive.
Posted by ProfessionalAmateur
Member since Apr 2015
1022 posts
Posted on 1/7/17 at 3:22 pm to
quote:

Different sport, but twelve future all-stars all under the age of 30. Who knows what would have happened had their not been a strike.


Moises Alou
Wil Cordero
Darrin Fletcher
Cliff Floyd
Marquis Grissom
Ken Hill
Pedro Martinez
Kirk Rueter
Jeff Shaw
Larry Walker
John Wetteland
Rondell White


Was this their core roster during the strike shortened year where they were leading the division?
Posted by dukke v
PLUTO
Member since Jul 2006
202517 posts
Posted on 1/7/17 at 3:30 pm to
Won't argue this....
Posted by TigerintheNO
New Orleans
Member since Jan 2004
41146 posts
Posted on 1/7/17 at 3:32 pm to
Yes, they had a few other veterans Jeff Fassero, Sean Berryand and Mike Lansing.
Posted by chalmetteowl
Chalmette
Member since Jan 2008
47437 posts
Posted on 1/7/17 at 3:48 pm to
this is why i don't like teams full of mid 20s talent... can't trust them in big spots

if i need to win a title, give me some older vets like when Boston got Garnett, Pierce, and Allen...
Posted by sjmabry
Texas
Member since Aug 2013
18494 posts
Posted on 1/7/17 at 4:10 pm to
Montreal Expos
Posted by Ostrich
Alexandria, VA
Member since Nov 2011
8710 posts
Posted on 1/7/17 at 4:13 pm to
Probably. And it should make Thunder fans sick that they won nothing with that
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