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OKC Thunder chosen 2013 team of the year by Sports Business Journal

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:24:08 -0500

FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Oklahoma City Thunder was chosen 2013 Sports Team of the Year by the SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily.

The award was presented at a live ceremony Wednesday at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square.

The Thunder beat out the San Francisco 49ers, Washington Nationals and Seattle Sounders (soccer) for the award.

The Thunder was recognized as part of the Sports Business Awards program, presented by Street & Smith's SBJ and SBD, the two leading publications on the business of sports.

“In five years, the Thunder has become a small-market sensation, known as much for its community involvement as its on-court success,” the SBJ stated in a release.

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Who do the initial mock drafts have the Thunder taking?

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:20:07 -0500

Anthony Slater

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The NBA Draft is a little more than a month away, quietly creeping up on us while the league’s attention remains on the final four remaining teams.

But for the Thunder and its fans, the annual event could be a vital one, with the franchise holding the 12th, 29th and 32nd pick in the draft.

The lottery order came down Tuesday night and the initial mock drafts soon followed.

Here’s an early look at who the major sites have tentatively penciled in as their prediction for OKC’s draft selections:

From ESPN’s Chad Ford (click the link for full mock draft)

With the 12th pick…

With the 29th pick…

ESPN’s mock draft only extended through the first round (pick 30)

From CBS Sports’ Matt Moore (click the link for full mock draft)

With the 12th pick…

With the 29th pick…

With the 32nd pick…

From CBS Sports’ Jeff Goodman

With the 12th pick…

With the 29th pick…

With the 32nd pick…

From Yahoo!’s Steve Alexander (Click for full mock draft)

With the 12th pick…

Kelly Olynyk - Center/Gonzaga
The Thunder could use an eventual replacement for Kendrick Perkins and unlike Perkins, Olynyk appears to be a decent offensive player, averaging nearly 18 points per game at Gonzaga last season.

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OKC Thunder: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook named to All-NBA teams

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:53:05 -0500

FROM STAFF REPORTS

For the fourth straight season, Thunder forward Kevin Durant was selected to the All-NBA first team, while point guard teammate Russell Westbrook was selected to the second team for the third straight year.

Durant received 102 of a possible 119 first-team votes from a panel of 119 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada who cover the NBA. Westbrook received 20 first-team votes.

Joining Durant on the first team are league Most Valuable Player LeBron James of Miami, who was the lone unanimous selection, plus Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and San Antonio center Tim Duncan.

This season, Durant joined Hall of Famer Larry Bird of Boston as the only NBA players in history to average better than 28.0 points while shooting at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line.

Joining Westbrook on the second team are former Oklahoma standout forward Blake Griffin of the Clippers, New York forward Carmelo Anthony, Memphis center Marc Gasol and San Antonio point guard Tony Parker.

Former Thunder sixth man James Harden, who was traded to Houston prior to last season, was selected to the third team and was joined by Lakers center Dwight Howard, Miami guard Dwyane Wade, Golden State forward David Lee and Indiana forward Paul George.

Durant recorded three triple-doubles this season and averaged 28.1 points (second in the NBA), 7.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 38.5 minutes.

Westbrook, who suffered a season-ending knee injury two games into the postseason, averaged 23.2 points (sixth), 7.4 assists (seventh) and 1.77 steals (ninth) and also led the Thunder with 23 double-doubles.

OKC Thunder: Kevin Durant tours Moore, meets with residents

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:14:11 -0500

BY DARNELL MAYBERRY, Staff Writer, dmayberry@opubco.com

A muddied American flag rested atop the metal pole that stood defiantly at the corner.

Its peaceful position contradicted perfectly the catastrophic winds that only two days earlier had ripped through town, leaving this block utterly unidentifiable, one of many that have been reduced to rubble.

But the still of that flag, which had replaced a street sign that is now God knows where, symbolized the strength, courage and determination of a community.

And on a warm Wednesday afternoon, the second day of rebuilding, the people within this Westmoor subdivision of Moore welcomed a much-needed symbol of hope.

Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant.

One day after donating his money, Durant traveled back to Oklahoma to give his time.

He did anything and everything he could to bring a smile to as many faces as possible.

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Oklahoma City Thunder visits affected Moore, southwest Oklahoma City areas

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:35:13 -0500

BY LEIGHANNE MANWARREN Staff Writer lmanwarren@opubco.com

For Francis Nansar, her day was made Wednesday morning when she saw members of the Oklahoma City Thunder across the street from her house.

“Oh, my God,” Nansar screamed when she saw Russell Westbrook resting in a van.

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Ratings watch: Thunder-Grizzlies TV ratings down 23 percent from Thunder-Lakers series last year

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:51:09 -0500

Compiled by Mel Bracht

The Thunder finished the season with a 20.7 rating on TNT in its Game 5 loss to Memphis on May 15.

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Kevin Durant's Giant Back Tattoo

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:55:03 -0500

Darnell Mayberry

Through Instagram, Kevin Durant announced that his back tattoo was completed, accompanied by the revealing photo below.

The scripture, which appears in the bottom right, is James 1:2-4 and it reads:

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.

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Darnell Mayberry: Cody Zeller would fit the Thunder's culture

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:35:05 -0500

Darnell Mayberry took questions from readers today, mainly regarding the Thunder's 12th pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.

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NBA Draft: OKC Thunder gets 12th overall pick

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:55:09 -0500

BY Darnell Mayberry

Outside the walls of Thunder headquarters, Tuesday night might have been viewed as a disappointment.

But inside the organization, landing the 12th overall pick in this year's NBA Draft was seen as a luxury.

Oklahoma City, which won 60 games, will select one spot behind a Philadelphia 76ers team that won only 34 games and one spot ahead of a Dallas Mavericks squad that finished 41-41.

No other 50-win team is slated to have a pick in the top 22 selections of the June 27th NBA Draft.

That's the perspective the Thunder's decision-makers maintained Tuesday.

Fans, on the other hand, might have criticized the pick's placement solely because it was part of the compensation the Thunder received in exchange for James Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward

The Thunder acquired the pick from Houston as part of a package.

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Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon featured on HBO show

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:35:14 -0500

BY MEL BRACHT Staff Writer mbracht@opubco.com

The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is featured on a segment of HBO's “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel,” which premiered Tuesday night.

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OKC Thunder, Thunder Cares Foundation donate $1 million to tornado relief

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:27:10 -0500

BY DARNELL MAYBERRY, Staff Writer, dmayberry@opubco.com

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Thunder Cares Foundation have made a joint donation of $1 million to benefit the local chapters of the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, the team announced Tuesday.

The joint donation also will aid other disaster relief organizations to assist in relief efforts for those affected by the tornado outbreaks in central Oklahoma this week.

All funds will be used to give direct and immediate support for those in need, covering essentials such as food, water and shelter in the days and weeks to come.

“Our hearts go out to all those affected by the devastation that has occurred within our community this week,” Thunder chairman Clay Bennett said in a statement.

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OKC Thunder, Kevin Durant donate to tornado relief efforts

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:37:45 -0500

BY DARNELL MAYBERRY, Staff Writer, dmayberry@opubco.com

Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder are doing what they can to help.

Both the team and its star player on Tuesday stepped up and donated $1 million apiece to assist with disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of this week's tornadoes that blew through parts of the state.

Durant, a day after encouraging his fans to make $10 donations to the American Red Cross, anonymously pledged a $1 million matching gift to the organization through his charity, the Kevin Durant Family Foundation.

Red Cross of Oklahoma announced Durant's pledge on the social networking website Twitter.

“It's devastating,” Durant told reporters in Minneapolis, where he watched the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx and childhood friend Monica Wright.

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Twitter reaction from the sports world on the Moore/OKC tornadoes

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:05:04 -0500

Anthony Slater

The violent and devastating tornadoes that ripped through Moore and parts of southern Oklahoma City left a strong impact on those who saw the terrifying videos and images.

Many took to Twitter to express their condolences and well-wishes, including some athletes, both local and national, including Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Tim Tebow and Mike Tyson.

Here’s a compilation:

From Russell Westbrook’s Instagram

OKC Thunder: Thunder stuck with worst-case scenario

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:46:11 -0500

BY DARNELL MAYBERRY, Staff Writer, dmayberry@opubco.com

Our next chance to judge the James Harden trade — as if it hasn't been scrutinized enough — has come.

The NBA Draft Lottery is Tuesday night.

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Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC's Daniel Orton will be walk ambassador for Lupus Walk and 5K

Sun, 19 May 2013 18:24:11 -0500

BY DARNELL MAYBERRY

Thunder center Daniel Orton will serve as the walk ambassador for this year's Lupus Walk and 5K run to End Lupus NOW on June 1 in Oklahoma City.

Orton will be walking in memory of his mother, Carolyn, who lost her battle with lupus in February 2009.

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