Westbrook and Harden: The Thunder Tripleta, Each Gone His Own Way

In 2008 and 2009, the Thunder drafted Westbrook and Harden, joining Durant from the year before to form the famed "Thunder Tripod." Young, brash and loaded with talent, they reached the Finals in 2012 and were seen as the league's future rulers. That Thunder team flowed on offense and pressed with youthful defense — the template, in many fans' minds, for "if they'd just waited, they'd have won a lot."

The story then forked: Harden left for Houston in 2012, growing into an MVP-caliber scorer; Durant left for Golden State in 2016, winning two rings and two FMVPs; only Westbrook stayed in OKC, turning loyalty into a different kind of legend. The three went their separate ways, yet each left a deep mark — Harden's euro-step, Durant's death-stare jumper, Westbrook's violent drives, each a path to glory.

And Westbrook was the brother who never turned away. Whenever OKC fans recall that undefeated young Thunder, they think not only of the Finals regret, but of three youngsters charging together in one summer. Some bonds break, but the chemistry in memory is sealed in that time forever.

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For more Finals MVP breakdowns, see the Complete List of NBA Finals MVPs (1969–2026).