Sam Presti has truly deserved his first career Executive of the Year award from the NBA. He is currently Executive Vice President and General Manager for the Oklahoma City Thunder. This prestigious recognition highlights Presti’s significant contributions to the Thunder’s success over the past season, during which the team achieved a league-best record of 68 wins.
The surprise announcement from the New York-based company came after a vote by a secret panel of 30 NBA executives, one for each team. Presti received 10 first-place votes and appeared on 22 of the 30 ballots submitted. This tsunami of support truly shows his effect on the franchise and the respect he has around the league.
Presti’s recognition comes at a pivotal point for the Thunder. The team hasn’t lost any steam and is working diligently to lay a serious foundation for long-term success. Credit The franchise, formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics, last enjoyed an executive winning this award in 1994. Bob Whitsitt was the fortunate recipient that year. This long gap emphasizes the significance of Presti’s achievement in the context of the team’s history.
During the voting process, just five ballots listed the Los Angeles Lakers’ Rob Pelinka’s name. This further highlights how competitive this year’s award is. Monte McNair of the Sacramento Kings finished 11th. Jeff Weltman of the Orlando Magic and Brian Wright of the San Antonio Spurs ranked 12th on the list.
Honorees are chosen through a larger, anonymous select panel of experts in lieu of a jury of writers and broadcasters. Each executive provided their top three picks in order, demonstrating their perspective on the performance of their peers.
In looking back on his time leading the organization, Presti had a lot to be humble about, too. He acknowledged, “I look at it like it’s a tremendous privilege to be able to do it.” This sentiment reflects his deep commitment to and passion for making the Thunder an example of how successful a public-private partnership can be.
“Eventually someone else is going to be the person that’s doing it,” Presti continued. To me, as long as I’m doing the job, what I’m doing… I believe I’ve said this before, while I’m serving the position, it’s not my job, it’s the Thunder’s job. So, I’m determined to do the best job I can and have the greatest impact possible on as many people as I can. In all honesty, I do love the work that I get to do!
On the court Under Presti’s leadership, the Thunder have led the league in many categories. His vision for consistently developing a competitive roster while maintaining financial flexibility has set the club up for ongoing success. It’s this harmonious blend of calculated acquisitions of established players with integrating and developing young talent that has been the hallmark of this year’s success.
Even more than a personal accolade, Sam Presti’s recognition as Executive of the Year provides a road map for Oklahoma City. It brings attention to the collective work, creativity, and commitment of every single individual in the organization. In projecting what the Thunder can become in future seasons, they’ll be counting mightily on Presti’s expertise. His talents will be crucial for guiding them through challenges and towards opportunities in today’s dynamic league ecosystem.
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