When the final buzzer sounded in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, it gave the sports world plenty of answers, but it also provided a few questions. The Oklahoma City Thunder—once known for their youthful potential and stockpile of draft picks—were now NBA champions. Led by league MVP and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC defeated the Indiana Pacers 103–91 in a hard-fought, seven-game series that may have symbolized more than just a franchise’s first title; it may have given us a glimpse of what the future of professional basketball holds.
For nearly two decades, the NBA postseason was defined by familiar names: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. Together, they accounted for 14 Finals appearances between 2010 and 2022, and their influence extended beyond stats and banners—they were the faces of a generation. But the 2025 playoffs marked the first time in nearly 20 years that none of them reached the Conference Finals. Durant’s Suns didn’t even make the playoffs. LeBron and the Lakers were eliminated in the first round. Curry’s Warriors fell short in the Play-In. As they all approach the twilight of their Hall of Fame careers, the stage is being set for a new cast of headliners.
Throughout the season, the 26-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander established himself of one of the NBA’s premier scorers. But it was in the playoffs that he elevated his game, becoming the unquestioned engine of a Thunder team that went 68–14 in the regular season and stormed through the West. In Game 7, he finished with 29 points, 12 assists, and an exclamation point on one of the greatest individual seasons since LeBron’s prime during his four years in Miami.
In addition to SGA, Jalen Williams dropped 40 points in Game 5 of the Finals. Rookie big man Chet Holmgren, with his defensive instincts and floor spacing, offered a glimpse of how positionless basketball will continue to evolve. And across the court, the Pacers had their own star on the rise in Tyrese Haliburton, 24, who carried Indiana to its first Finals appearance since the Reggie Miller era. Haliburton’s combination of court IQ, clutch shooting, and charismatic leadership made him a revelation this postseason, before an Achilles injury in Game 7 cut his run heartbreakingly short.
In many ways, this Finals could have been a preview of the NBA’s future: a league led not by superteams, but by organically built squads with depth, chemistry, and young talent. The Thunder’s championship run was the product of shrewd front office decisions, patient development, and a little bit of luck. Their average rotation age was among the youngest ever for a champion, and yet their composure never wavered under the bright lights.
Beyond OKC and Indiana, the season was filled with breakout campaigns from the league’s next generation of stars. Anthony Edwards carried the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals with a Jordan-esque swagger. Jayson Tatum, though slowed by injury, remains a perennial MVP candidate in Boston. Luka Dončić continued to put up historic numbers, while others like Paolo Banchero, Ja Morant, and Scottie Barnes are not far behind. These are the names shaping the league’s next act.
Of course, the transition won’t happen overnight. James, Curry, and Durant may still have moments of brilliance left, and their impact on the sport remains immeasurable. But their absence from the 2025 postseason spotlight made one thing clear: the league definitely is moving forward.
The NBA has always thrived on evolution—Magic to MJ, Kobe and LeBron—and now, Gilgeous-Alexander, Haliburton, Edwards and company are poised to write the next chapter. If the 2025 Finals were any indication, the league is in capable hands. And should its seasoned stars choose to hang it up in the coming seasons, fans can take comfort in knowing that the next era is ready to rise to the occasion.