A former NBA player recently made a loud statement regarding the makeup of the Oklahoma City Thunder compared to the Golden State Warriors before the NBA Finals.

NBA Finals begins Thursday when the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Indiana Pacers in Game 1. The Thunder are making their first finals appearance since 2012 -- when Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden were on the roster.

This is similar to: The 2016 Cavs, 2019 Raptors & 2023 Nuggets. Those three teams became first-time champions in the past nine seasons, including two with ties to the current Pacers. The 2019 Raptors featured Pascal Siakam, while the 2023 Nuggets included Thomas Bryant. The rest of the Indiana roster has yet to taste championship glory.