The Oklahoma City Thunder capped off one of the greatest seasons in NBA history with a Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The Thunder’s 84 wins between the regular season and playoffs are tied with the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for the third-most wins by a team in a single season and playoffs. Only the 1995-96 Bulls (87 wins) and 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors (88 wins) won more, though those Warriors notably lost a Game 7 in the NBA Finals.
This year’s Thunder team has had some fun moments after winning the first championship in franchise history. From Aaron Wiggins’s passionate speech and mic drop to Alex Caruso having to teach his younger teammates how to successfully pop champagne bottles, there’s been plenty to celebrate.
There are also a few financial reasons to cheer about. Not only will key contributors like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren be in line for potentially massive extensions, every player on the team scored extra money. By virtue of having the best record in the NBA and winning the title, the Thunder collectively earned $12.42 million, or $828,000 per player.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander celebrates his NBA Finals MVP award with his teammates. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Indiana Pacers, meanwhile, will make about half of that—$6.16 million, about $410,667 per player. Indiana finished fourth in the Eastern Conference during the regular season and went on one of the most legendary postseason runs the league has ever seen. The Pacers had an NBA-record five comebacks of 15 or more points during the playoffs, including a Game 1 victory over the Thunder.
Many NBA players make staggering amounts of money. Gilgeous-Alexander’s salary this year was $35.9 million; his teammate, Isaiah Hartenstein, had a $30 million salary. But what about the bottom of the roster?
Dillon Jones’s 2024-25 salary was $2.62 million, and Jaylin Williams made just a shade over $2 million. A bonus of $828,000 raises both of their salaries by over 30%, and over 40% in the case of Williams. We’d all take a pay bump like that!
The Thunder are early title favorites to win again next season, too. And the bonuses for playoff performances continue to increase—this season had a $1 million jump compared to the 2023-24 campaign. If the Thunder can repeat, they’ll add even more money to their pockets.
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