OKC Thunder forward Darius Bazley (7) drives to the basket around Utah Jazz forward Georges Niang (31). Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports.
TNT host Kenny Smith popularized the saying in the regular season you make your name and in the playoffs, you make your fame! That proved prophetic in 2020 when OKC Thunder youngsters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, and Darius Bazley each offered glimpses of their potential.
It will be some time before the Thunder youngsters have another opportunity to participate in the playoffs. That’s because Sam Presti recognized it was time to enter a rebuilding phase and his best path to create a title contender would be through the draft.