The 2025 to 26 NBA season has taken a surprising turn, and the Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves at the center of the story. As of November 26, 2025, the team owns a powerful 17 to 1 record, the best mark in the league. What makes this early run even more fascinating is that the Thunder have managed it without the presence of their All Star contributor Jalen Williams. While many teams struggle when one of their most valuable players is recovering from surgery, Oklahoma City has not simply stayed afloat. They have surged forward in a way that places them among some of the strongest starts in league history.
At their current pace the Thunder are headed toward seventy seven wins. That total would move them beyond the celebrated 2015 to 16 Golden State Warriors who recorded a historic 73 to 9 season. Teams rarely even approach the seventy win range, which makes the Thunder’s trajectory especially noteworthy. Their success has sparked conversations regarding long term potential, depth, internal development and the way this roster has matured over the last few years.
The Thunder’s record through the first eighteen games places them in a tie for the second most successful opening in the history of the league. Only a handful of teams have ever started a season with such control and consistency. For a bit of perspective, the Thunder finished 68 to 14 in the 2024 to 25 season and 57 to 25 the year before. Each step has shown steady improvement, but their current level of play marks a dramatic leap that even long time followers of the franchise did not expect so soon.
A significant part of this conversation involves the absence of Jalen Williams. He has yet to play this season after undergoing wrist surgery in July 2025 to repair a torn ligament. In October he needed a second procedure to remove a screw, which delayed his return further. By November he was ruled out for the first eighteen games but was reported to be nearing the end of his recovery process. The expectation is that he will rejoin the roster soon, which makes the Thunder’s performance even more intriguing. A team already dominating the league is preparing to add a high level playmaker who has been essential to their recent growth.
When comparing this to the famous Warriors season from 2015 to 16, it becomes clear that the Thunder are performing at a remarkable level, though not quite matching the speed of that legendary start. The Warriors opened with twenty four straight victories and pushed their undefeated run to twenty nine before their first loss. That remarkable sequence remains unmatched, but the Thunder’s 17 to 1 position still places them in elite territory.
The season is long, and early success does not guarantee a record breaking finish, yet Oklahoma City has placed itself firmly in the spotlight. With a dominant record, rising young talent, and the upcoming return of Jalen Williams, the Thunder appear ready to make this season one of the most memorable in franchise history.
