Nearly eight years ago, on the 29th of October in 2008, the Oklahoma City Thunder played their very first regular season game at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Thunder fell to the Bucks 87-98.
The first game in Oklahoma City’s history did not go as Thunder fans would have liked, but it showed a number of bright spots, including the upcoming talent through the youth of the team. In his rookie debut, Russell Westbrook tied teammate Chris Wilcox to lead the Thunder in points with 13, and he tied teammate Earl Watson to lead the Thunder in assists with 4.
The inaugural season for the Thunder was rough for much of the year, as it featured a new coach after only 14 games, a franchise record 14 consecutive losses, and a poor overall season record of 23-59, which placed OKC 13th in the Western Conference.
While that opening night and inaugural season nearly eight years ago are barely a memory for most Thunder fans, it is an encouraging reminder of the stark contrast of where the organization is now compared to how far it has come.
Article written by Zack Low. Follow @thethunderguys on Twitter.