SEC football powerhouse Georgia hopes to copy OKC Thunder blueprint

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. The Oklahoma City Thunder have experienced that firsthand over the last year. Thanks to a two-season run that has seen them put up historic numbers and win one NBA championship, other sports organizations are hoping to copy their blueprint.

One SEC football powerhouse wants to remain at the top of the college football mountain. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart recently said at 2026 SEC Media Day that he’s studied up on the Thunder. He’s turning over every stone to figure out ways to get fresh ideas on how the Bulldogs can remain in the national championship conversation.

“This season, like many others, we chose to study a successful brand or team or follow someone. This year, the reigning NBA champions at the time when we studied them was the OKC Thunder,” Smart said. “They talked about being uncommon and how you can be uncommon in today’s world.”

Smart is the longest-tenured SEC football head coach. He’s called the shots at George for a decade now. In that time, he’s gone an impressive 117-21 (.848 win percentage) and won two national championships in 2021 and 2022. They’re always smack-dab in the middle of the conversation for best team in the country.

Meanwhile, the Thunder have had back-to-back 60-plus win seasons with point differentials north of double-digit points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has won two consecutive MVP awards. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams have earned All-NBA honors. On top of that, OKC has put up historic defensive numbers.

“Our guys took a week‑by‑week section of being uncommon in a day and age when that’s not normal. That is uncommon — to be more proud and have a little bit of mudita, we call it, that we enjoy the success of others more than the success of ourselves,” Smart said. “It’s very unique what the Thunder was doing, especially when they won the championship, in terms of leading. That’s what we try to emulate.”

Always cool to see other non-NBA teams praise the Thunder. Just goes to show they must be doing something right if their intangibles are universal across sports. Expect OKC to be the title favorite for another season. Even if it fell five wins shy of back-to-back Larry O’Brien trophies.

“It’s very unique what the Thunder were doing… that’s what we try to emulate.”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart says the Bulldogs studied the Thunder’s culture and leadership after they won the NBA title. pic.twitter.com/b6gcjxwnRR

— News 9 (@NEWS9) July 22, 2026

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: SEC football powerhouse Georgia hopes to copy OKC Thunder blueprint